> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://wiki.mksdtech.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://wiki.mksdtech.com/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/using-rhino-beam.md).

# Getting Started

Open the BEAM panel and find your way around it

## Open the panel

The BEAM panel opens when Rhino starts. If you closed it, you can open it again in two ways:

* Type `BEAM` in the Rhino command line.
* Click the gear in the panel dock, choose **Show Panels...** and tick **BEAM**.

<figure><img src="https://1008084047-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M20iL6J8Vf1nWgor7JL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-31f8626f0d285f575a646c8dab4385c5a3e2850c%2Fmock-rhino-panels-menu.png?alt=media" alt="Opening the BEAM panel from the panel options menu" width="430"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
There is one panel per open document. All BEAM data is saved in the `.3dm` file.
{% endhint %}

## The panel

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Windows" %}

<figure><img src="https://1008084047-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M20iL6J8Vf1nWgor7JL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-5bd68ae04e8667e8396afac3f53f21d09be10861%2Fmock-panel.png?alt=media" alt="BEAM panel on Windows" width="293"><figcaption><p>The BEAM panel with one object selected</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="macOS" %}
The macOS panel has the same sections as the Windows panel, with these differences:

* The tool row has **F**, **P**, **L** and **IFC** only. **Q** (Schedules), **S** (Select by Guid) and **T** (Transfer) are Windows only.
* There are no .beam directory buttons and no Settings button. **BEAM** and **BLOCS** ask where to save the file instead.
* **RAY** opens a file picker for `.3dm` and `.bin` files.
  {% endtab %}
  {% endtabs %}

### Top bar

| Button             | What it does                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| BEAM logo          | **About BEAM**. Shows the version.                                                                                                                |
| Folder icons       | **Set .beam directory**, **Reset .beam directory**, **Open .beam directory**. See [.beam Directory](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/beam-directory.md). |
| **Manage License** | Opens the license dialog. See [Licensing Scheme](/license/licencing.md).                                                                          |
| **Settings**       | Theme and machine ID. See [Settings](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/settings.md).                                                                      |
| **Get help**       | Opens this manual.                                                                                                                                |

### Tool row

| Button | Tooltip                       | Page                                                               |
| ------ | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **F**  | Families in the Document      | [Families](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/families.md)                  |
| **P**  | Family Custom Parameters      | [Parameters](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/parameters.md)              |
| **Q**  | Query Families and Parameters | [Schedules](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/schedules.md)                |
| **L**  | Levels                        | [Levels](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/levels.md)                      |
| **S**  | Select Objects by Guid        | [Select by Guid](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/beam.md#select-by-guid) |
| **T**  | Transfer Rhino data           | [Transfer Layers](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/transfer.md)           |
| Gear   | Ifc Settings                  | [IFC Settings](/beam/beam-ifc-for-rhino/settings.md)               |

### Selection

The panel reacts to the Rhino selection. The strip under the tool row tells you what is selected, for example *1 Object Selected* or *3 Block Instances Selected*.

* **F+** adds every object of the selected families to the selection. The `SelectFamilies` command does the same.
* A **Worksession** badge means the objects come from a file attached to a Rhino worksession. You can read their data, but you cannot edit it.

### Family Category

Sets the Revit category of the selected families. See [Families](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/families.md#family-category).

### Ifc Data

IFC type, predefined type and IFC-specific parameters. The section is collapsed by default. See [Ifc Properties](/beam/beam-ifc-for-rhino/properties.md).

### Object Properties

**Family**, **Subcategory**, **Material** and **Data** of the selected objects. The eye icon opens [Visibility](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/visibility.md). See [Properties](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/properties.md).

### Family Parameters

Parameter values for the selected families, grouped by property set.

* **Type** shows type parameters and the **Uniclass** field. See [Classifications](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/classifications.md).
* **Instance** shows instance parameters and the **Level** dropdown. See [Levels](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/levels.md).
* The two arrow buttons above the groups, **Expand All** and **Collapse All**, open or close every property set.

Length, area and volume values show their units. Yes/No parameters show a checkbox.

<figure><img src="https://1008084047-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M20iL6J8Vf1nWgor7JL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-4ae4470d33c605971aba64bc57af8faceea48efd%2Fmock-panel-instance.png?alt=media" alt="Instance parameters and the Level dropdown" width="295"><figcaption><p>The Instance tab</p></figcaption></figure>

### Tool buttons

| Button         | Tooltip              | Page                                         |
| -------------- | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| **IFC Export** | Export Ifc           | [Export](/beam/beam-ifc-for-rhino/export.md) |
| **IFC Import** |                      | [Import](/beam/beam-ifc-for-rhino/import.md) |
| **BLOCS**      | Export Rhino Blocks  | [BLOCS](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/blocs.md)  |
| **RAY**        | Import from Revit    | [RAY](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/ray.md)      |
| **BEAM**       | Export Rhino Objects | [BEAM](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/beam.md)    |

## Compatible geometry

BEAM exports valid Rhino geometry of these types:

* Surfaces, polysurfaces and extrusions
* SubD
* Meshes
* Points
* Lines, polylines, arcs, circles, ellipses, elliptical arcs, NURBS curves and polycurves
* Block instances

{% hint style="warning" %}
BEAM skips invalid or unsupported geometry. At the end of the export it lists the GUIDs of the objects it skipped. See [Objects that failed to export](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/beam.md#objects-that-failed-to-export).
{% endhint %}

## Next steps

{% content-ref url="/pages/-MTLuhKJK\_UxLJYjlv32" %}
[Properties](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/properties.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/-MTLv05NMo2PbQHFp13r" %}
[Families](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/families.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/zf9vU9tmEpGtVzt7WeHw" %}
[Parameters](/beam/beam-for-rhinoceros/parameters.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}