Connect to Rhino · PA Sketch

Before you start

Licensed Rhino 8.21 or later for Mac. Latest Rhino 8 recommended. Load and connection verified on Rhino 8.36, Apple silicon.
PA Sketch from the App Store on iPadOS 17 or later.
A trusted local network shared by both devices. Ethernet on the Mac and Wi-Fi on the same router is fine.

No USB cable or separate Mac PA Sketch app is needed. This download is not for Windows, Rhino 7 or iRhino 3D. Intel Macs and other Rhino versions require separate device validation.

01 · Install

Open this page on your Mac and download the connector above.
Save your Rhino documents and quit Rhino.
Double-click PA-Sketch-Rhino-0.3.11-Mac.macrhi. Complete Rhino’s install prompt, then quit and restart Rhino.
Open your model. Type the command below in Rhino’s command line and press Enter.

Type in Rhino’s command line

PASketchConnect

02 · Pair your iPad

Open PA Sketch on iPad and choose Rhino Pen.
Tap the connection icon or Open Rhino Connection → Pair with QR.
Allow Camera and Local Network access when prompted.
Scan the QR displayed by Rhino. Keep the Mac pairing window open until registration completes.
If asked, check the document name and tap Draw in This File.

The QR is valid for five minutes and one iPad. Use New QR if it expires. Do not share your QR or pairing link with others.

Pair without a camera

Click Copy Pairing Link on the Mac, then tap Paste in the iPad connection panel. Universal Clipboard needs the same Apple Account, Handoff, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Alternatively, save the link in a text file and AirDrop it only to your own iPad, then copy its contents.

Copying creates a fresh five-minute invitation and invalidates the previous QR. Keep the Mac window open. Treat this link as a credential: never publish it or send it to support.

03 · Draw your first line

Use Millimeters (mm) for a new test file in Rhino. In iPad Paper, choose Sketch Curve (Model Curve in newer versions) and draw a short line. Check that it appears in Rhino too.

Pencil and marker under Sketch Ink are freehand ink, separate from CAD curve transfer. Preserve real size when changing an existing model’s units; do not simply relabel them.

04 · Reconnect

After pairing, open Rhino and PA Sketch on the same network to reconnect with the saved registration. If needed, use Reconnect to Saved Mac or Connect beside the discovered Mac. Opening a different Rhino file may ask you to confirm the target document again.

Pair again if you change computers or forget a registration. You do not need to enter an address or six-digit code each time.

Troubleshooting

Rhino says Unknown command

Quit and restart Rhino after installation. Check Rhino is version 8.21 or later and check the folder structure under Manual install. Avoid duplicate plugin installations.

The Mac is missing or will not connect

Check Local Network access in iPad Settings → Apps → PA Sketch, the shared network, guest Wi-Fi device isolation and permission for Rhino in the Mac firewall. Do not open ports on your internet router. Generate New QR if expired.

The QR camera is black

Close the QR window and test Apple’s Camera app. If both are black, close both apps and reopen them. If necessary restart iPad and follow Apple camera troubleshooting. If only PA Sketch repeatedly fails, report app/device/OS versions to support. Use Copy Pairing Link and Paste in the meantime.

Connected, but no curves appear in Rhino

Choose Rhino Pen, confirm the target file and use Sketch Curve / Model Curve. Finish any active drawing command in Rhino, then check connection status.

Apple · Camera troubleshooting ↗

Manual install · Uninstall

If the installer does not open, unzip the manual ZIP and move the entire PASketchRhino.rhp folder to the path below. In Finder, choose Go → Go to Folder. Create MacPlugIns if absent.

~/Library/Application Support/McNeel/Rhinoceros/8.0/MacPlugIns/

For an update, quit Rhino and move the existing PASketchRhino.rhp to a separate backup location before installing. Do not leave duplicate copies in the common Rhinoceros/MacPlugIns/ and version-specific Rhinoceros/8.0/MacPlugIns/ folders.

To uninstall, quit Rhino and remove only the plugin folder. Revoke a device with Forget in Rhino and Forget Connection on iPad. Keep backups of models and projects.

A managed plug-in installed by Rhino’s .macrhi installer, not an Apple-notarized standalone Mac app installer. Do not disable system security. QRCoder’s MIT notice is included. Rhino is a trademark of its owner; no affiliation or certification is claimed.

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