Call DistributeCirclesOnSphere()
' Original file written and copyright DAVID RUTTEN - http://www.reconstructivism.net/

Sub DistributeCirclesOnSphere()
    Dim SphereRadius
    SphereRadius = Rhino.GetReal("Radius of sphere", 10.0, 0.01)
    If IsNull(SphereRadius) Then Exit Sub

    Dim CircleRadius
    CircleRadius = Rhino.GetReal("Radius of packing circles", 0.05 * SphereRadius, 0.001, 0.5 * SphereRadius)
    If IsNull(CircleRadius) Then Exit Sub

    Dim VerticalCount, HorizontalCount
    VerticalCount = Int((Rhino.Pi * SphereRadius) / (2 * CircleRadius))

    Dim phi, theta
    Dim CircleCenter, CircleNormal, CirclePlane

    Call Rhino.EnableRedraw(False)
    For phi = -(0.5 * Rhino.Pi) To (0.5 * Rhino.Pi) Step (Rhino.Pi / VerticalCount)
        HorizontalCount = Int((2 * Rhino.Pi * Cos(phi) * SphereRadius) / (2 * CircleRadius))
        If HorizontalCount = 0 Then HorizontalCount = 1

        For theta = 0 To (2 * Rhino.Pi - 1e-8) Step ((2 * Rhino.Pi) / HorizontalCount)
            CircleCenter = Array(SphereRadius * Cos(theta) * Cos(phi), _
            SphereRadius * Sin(theta) * Cos(phi), _
            SphereRadius * Sin(phi))

            CircleNormal = Rhino.PointSubtract(CircleCenter, Array(0,0,0))
            CirclePlane = Rhino.PlaneFromNormal(CircleCenter, CircleNormal)

            Call Rhino.AddCircle(CirclePlane, CircleRadius)
        Next
    Next
    Call Rhino.EnableRedraw(True)
End Sub