Functions

Download the example file by clicking on the link below.

A full list of example files can be found in the Appendix.

1.
Use these lines of code:
def sphereByZ(inputPt)
{
​
};

The inputPt is the name we've given to represent the points that will drive the function. As of now, the function isn't doing anything, but we'll build up this function in the steps to come.

1.
Adding to the Code Block function, we place a comment and a sphereRadius variable which queries the Z position of each point. Remember, inputPt.Z does not need parenetheses as a method. This is a query of an existing element's properties, so no inputs are necessary:

def sphereByZ(inputPt,radiusRatio)

{

//get Z Value, ise ot to drive radius of sphere

sphereRadius=inputPt.Z;

};

1.
Now, let's recall the function we've created in another Code Block. If we double-click on the canvas to create a new code block, and type in sphereB, we notice that Dynamo suggest the sphereByZ function that we've defined. Your function has been added to the intellisense library! Pretty cool.

1.
Now we call the function and create a variable called Pt to plug in the points created in the earlier steps:
sphereByZ(Pt)
2.
We notice from the output that we have all null values. Why is this? When we defined the function, we are calculating the sphereRadius variable, but we did not define what the function should return as an output. We can fix this in the next step.

1.
An important step, we need to define the output of the function by adding the line return = sphereRadius; to the sphereByZ function.
2.
Now we see that the output of the Code Block gives us the Z coordinates of each point.

1.
We first define a sphere with the line of code: sphere=Sphere.ByCenterPointRadius(inputPt,sphereRadius);
2.
Next, we change the return value to be the sphere instead of the sphereRadius: return = sphere; This gives us some giant spheres in our Dynamo preview!

1. To temper the size of these spheres, let's update the sphereRadius value by adding a divider: sphereRadius = inputPt.Z/20; Now we can see the separate spheres and start to make sense of the relationship between radius and Z value.

1.
On the Point.ByCoordinates node, by changing the lacing from Shortest List to Cross Product, we create a grid of points. The sphereByZ function is still in full effect, so the points all create spheres with radii based on Z values.

1.
And just to test the waters, we plug the original list of numbers into the X input for Point.ByCoordinates. We now have a cube of spheres.
2.
Note: if this takes a long time to calculate on your computer, try to change #10 to something like #5.

1.
Update the sphereByZ definition to:
def sphereByZ(inputPt,radiusRatio)
{
//get Z Value, use it to drive radius of sphere
sphereRadius=inputPt.Z/radiusRatio;
//Define Sphere Geometry
sphere=Sphere.ByCenterPointRadius(inputPt,sphereRadius);
//Define output for function
return sphere;
};
2.
Update the children Code Block by adding a ratio variable to the input: sphereByZ(Pt,ratio); Plug a slider into the newly created Code Block input and vary the size of the radii based on the radius ratio.