Hatch

Type

Select a source of the hatch pattern from the droplist:

• User Defined - constructs patter from the the user-define parameters of Angle, Spacing, Cross Hatch, Color, and Background Color
• Predefined - uses the patterns defined in the iso.pat (metric units) or default.pat (imperial units) pattern definition files provided with the program
• Custom - uses a pattern defined by *.pat files (limited to one pattern definition per file) created by users; the program searches for *.pat files in the folders that are defined in the SRCHPATH (Support File Search Path) variable

Specify the name of the predefined hatch pattern by one of these methods:

• Type a name
• Click the Browse button to display the Hatch Pattern Palette dialog box, choose a pattern, and then click OK

This option is unavailable for the User-defined pattern.

Click to display the Hatch Pattern Palette dialog box:

1. Choose a pattern

2. Click OK to return to the previous dialog box

This option is unavailable for the User-defined pattern.

Specifies the scale factor of the pattern:

• Click the droplist and then choose a preset scale factor
• Enter a number for the scale factor

The scale factor of hatch patterns is generally the same as that for text and linetypes.

Specifies the angle of the pattern:

• Choose a preset angle from the droplist
• Else enter a custom angle

This angle is measured relative to the positive x-axis of the current UCS.

Specifies the color of the hatch lines:

• Use Current - uses the current color specified by the CeColor variable.
• Choose a color available in the droplist
• Select Color - (choose a color from the complete palette; see Color command.)

Specifies the background color under the hatching:

• None - uses no color.
• Select Color - (choose a color from the complete palette; see Color command.)

Specify the distance between hatch lines; this option is available for only user defined patterns

Specifies the lineweight; this option is available only for ISO hatch patterns

Determines whether the pattern is crossed:

• On - the pattern is repeated at 90 degrees to the original
• Off - the pattern is not crossed

This option is available for only user defined patterns

Uses a point other than the drawings's origin (0,) for the lower-left corner where the pattern begins:

1. Click the Pick New Origin button

2. Select origin point - (pick a point in the drawing.)

Use this option to begin the hatch pattern at the corner of a wall or other location where the placement of the pattern is critical.

Dismisses the dialog box temporarily, and then prompts you at the command bar:

1. Click the Pick New Origin button

2. Select origin point - (pick a point in the drawing)

This option is available for only the specified (user defined) origin.

Pick points in boundaries

Specifies the closed areas (boundaries) in which to place the pattern:

1. Click the Pick Points in Boundaries button; the program temporarily dismisses the dialog box

2. Select a point to define a boundary or hatch area [or Select entities/Undo] - (pick a point inside a closed area, or enter an option):
   Select Entities - prompts you to select entities that form the boundary
   Undo - removes the previously selected area from the selection set
   
   Notice that the program draws the hatch immediately , allowing you to preview its scale factor, angle, origin, and other parameters

3. Select a point to define a boundary or hatch area [or Select entities/Undo] - (pick another point, or else press Enter to return to the dialog box.)

You cannot pick an area that already contains a hatch pattern, or areas that are not closed (whose gap is larger than the value specified by Boundary Tolerance).

Select boundary entities

Selects the entities that make up the hatching boundary to constrain the extent of the pattern:

1. Click Select Boundary Entities button; the program temporarily dismisses the dialog box

2. Select entities - (use any selection method to choose one or more entities.)

3. Select entities - (select more entities, or else press Enter to return to the dialog box.)

This option allows you to hatch closed areas, including ones that already contain a hatch. It hatches open areas whose gap is less than the value specified by Boundary Tolerance.

Remove boundary entities

Remove entities from the detected boundary set:

1. Click Remove Boundary Entities button; the program temporarily dismisses the dialog box

2. Select entities - (use any selection method to choose one or more entities.)

3. Select entities - (select more entities to remove, or else press Enter to return to the dialog box.)

Boundary Tolerance

Specifies the largest gap the program ignores when hatching a boundary that is not fully closed:

• 0 - (Default) The tolerance is set by the application, based on the current view size. When zoomed in closely, boundary detection will fail; when zooming out further so the contour 'looks' closed, the boundary will become detected
• Any Value - Defines the maximum gap in drawing units.

The value is saved in the HPGAPTOL system variable.

Current View/ Boundary Set

Specifies where the program should search for entities that make up the boundary:

• Use Current View - searches all entities in the current viewport
• Use Boundary Set - searches only the current selection set for possible boundaries

New

Creates a new selection set of entities that make up the pattern boundary:

1. Click the New button; the program temporarily dismisses the dialog box

2. Select entities - (use any selection method to choose one or more entities.)

3. Select entities - (select more entities, or else press Enter to return to the dialog box.)

The next step is to click the Pick Points in Boundaries button to choose the hatch area.

Retain boundaries

Determines what happens to boundaries:

• Don't Retain Boundaries - removes the boundary after the hatch is created
• Retain Boundaries as Polylines - retains boundaries and turns them into polylines
• Retain Boundaries as Regions - retains boundaries and turns them into regions (Pro or Platinum versions only)

Toggles the the Annotative property of the hatch:

• On - applies the current annotative scale; see the CANNOSCALE variable
• Off - hatches use scale factor specified above

When this option is turned on, the Associative option is unavailable

Toggles the associativity of hatch patterns: when the boundary is changed, the pattern automatically updates itself.

• On - patterns is associative
• Off - patterns i not associative: when the boundary is changed, the pattern remains as originally placed

This option is not available for annotative hatches.

Toggles how multiple hatches are treated:

• On - creates a separate hatch entity for each boundary in the selection set
• Off - creates a single hatch entity of all areas

Specifies where the pattern should be placed relative to overlapping entities:

• None - draw order is ignored
• Send to Back - pattern is behind (underneath) all other entities
• Send to Front - pattern is in front (on top) of all other entities
• Send Behind Boundary - pattern is placed behind the boundary
• Bring in Front of Boundary - pattern is placed in front of the boundary

Specifies the layer on which the hatch should be placed:

• Use Current - places the pattern on the current layer
• Other layer name - (choose a layer from the droplist onto which to place the pattern)

Set the transparency property of the hatch:

• Use current - apply the current transparency value as defined by the CETRANSPARENCY system variable
• By Layer - apply the value of the transparency property of the layer on which the hatch is placed
• By Block - the transparency value is controlled by block
• Specify value - type a value or use the slider to set a value between 0 (fully opaque) and 90.

The transparency level is limited to 90% to avoid confusion with layers that are frozen or turned off. The transparency value for new hatches is saved by the HPTRANSPARENCY system variable.

Copies the properties of another existing hatch pattern to use with this pattern:

1. Click the Inherit Properties button; the program temporarily dismisses the dialog box

2. Select hatch entity to copy properties from - (use any selection method to choose a single hatch pattern already in the drawing.)

3. Select hatch entity to copy properties from - (select more hatches, or else press Enter to return tot he dialog box.)

This button is useful for quickly setting options of a new hatch based on existing hatches.