Hatch

REFERENCE: AutoCAD and its Applications - Basics, pages 701-720

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.
Some students feel the same way about the hatch command the first time they see it.

OK, OK, all right, enough complaining already. It’s not really that bad. It takes some practice, but most students figure it out after tinkering with the options for a few minutes.

Hatch provides the user with the ability to:

Fill enclosed areas with patterns representing concrete, earth, bricks, tile, insulation, roofing, steel, etc.,
Hatch areas very small or extremely large, and
Modify the scale of the hatch pattern.

For this exercise, make two copies of the previously created closed polygon.

2. Hatch patterns are placed on the current layer, so watch your layers!
3. Invoke the hatch command by any of the three methods listed below:

DRAW TOOLBAR ICON:

MENU BAR: Draw Hatch
KEYBOARD: bhatch OR bh

4. The Boundary Hatch dialogue box should appear.

5. Within this dialogue box, note the Type and Pattern fields. This is where the pattern will be selected.

the ellipsis box and the Hatch Pattern Palette dialogue box will appear.

Students are encouraged to examine the many patterns available under each of the four tabs.
For this example, the SOLID pattern will be selected from the Other Predefined tab.

the pattern.
the button to close the dialogue box.
the icon, the dialogue box should close and the drawing area should reappear.
Note the text / questions in the command window:

inside the enclosed polygon previously created. If the polygon or area is not closed or the user misses the polygon interior, the following error message will appear.

Should this message appear, the polygon or enclosed area should be revised to insure it is completely closed.
Upon successfully picking inside the polygon, the polygon becomes highlighted.
and the Boundary Hatch dialogue box should reappear.
It is recommended that beginning students ALWAYS take advantage of the Preview option. the button, the dialogue box should close and the drawing area should reappear with the object hatched.
and the Boundary Hatch dialogue box should reappear.
the button to complete the command.
The polygon should become filled with the solid pattern.

Let’s try the hatch command again on the second copy of the polygon, this time with a scaleable pattern.

Invoke the hatch command, select the ellipsis box and the Hatch Pattern Palette dialogue box should appear.
Select the Other Predetermined tab, then select the AR-B816 pattern resembling bricks .
The Boundary Hatch dialogue box reappears, note the fields for Angle and Scale. At the present, the Angle is zero (0) and the Scale is 1. Accept these default values.
Pick a point inside the polygon.
and the Boundary Hatch dialogue box should reappear.
When using scalable hatch patterns, ALWAYS use the Preview option.
the button, the dialogue box should close and the drawing area should reappear with the object hatched.

The pattern is too large for our purposes.
and the Boundary Hatch dialogue box should reappear.
Adjust the Scale to 0.25 with the pull down box.

While we’re having fun, let’s add an angle of 45 degrees in the Angle box.
Use the Preview option again.
If the hatching pattern scale and angle are acceptable, the button to complete the command.

QUESTION: I get an AutoCAD message prompt when I preview the hatch. What’s wrong?

AutoCAD is prompting that the scale of the hatch is so small the lines creating the pattern are scrunching together into a near solid blob. AutoCAD cannot condense the pattern to this degree.
The scale should be increased. Return to the Boundary Hatch dialogue box and increase the scale by at least a factor of 2.
If the prompt message reappears, readjust the scale by increasing by another factor of 2. Repeat as necessary.
The hatch pattern should eventually appear. Continue adjusting the scale until the desired result is achieved.
This is another reason why the button should always be used.

QUESTION: I was attempting to hatch an enclosed area, but when I preview, no hatching is visible. Did something go wrong?

An invisible hatch is almost the direct opposite of the previous AutoCAD prompt.
The scale of the hatch pattern is so large it exceeds the area of the enclosed object to be hatched. The enclosed area you are attempting to hatch is smaller than the hatch pattern itself!
Again, readjust the scale. Return to the Boundary Hatch dialogue box and decrease the scale by a factor of 10 or more.
Preview again. If no pattern appears, readjust the scale factor again. Continue adjusting the scale until the desired result is achieved.

The previous examples were relatively simple hatch procedures. Suppose you need to hatch a more complicated area, such as an area with objects placed inside the interior as shown below.

The hatch command has the ability to isolate these objects within an enclosed area. These objects are called islands.

While we’re here:

Here’s a challenge, let’s install a hatch pattern on Mr. AutoCAD’s shirt without covering his name tag and geeky pocket protector. (The name tag and pocket protector will become islands during this hatch procedure.)

You wanted a challenge, didn’t you? If we do a good job, Mr. AutoCAD might get another date before the next millennium arrives. He’s still trying to overcome that MOCOROMI debacle at the Italian restaurant.

Invoke the hatch command, select the ellipsis box within the Boundary Hatch dialogue box and the Hatch Pattern Palette dialogue box should appear.
Select the Other Predetermined tab, then scroll down and select pattern.
The Boundary Hatch dialogue box reappears, note the fields for Angle and Scale. At the present, the Angle is zero (0) and the Scale is 1. Accept these default values.
Before we return to designing Mr. AutoCAD’s garb, select the Advanced tab.

This tab should be reviewed to insure that island detection style is set properly. Note the choices inside this dialogue box provide three options for islands inside enclosed objects.
For this example, the Normal setting will suffice.
the icon, the dialogue box should close and the drawing area should reappear.
Pick a point inside the center of Mr. AutoCAD’s shirt. This area should become highlighted.
again inside the two sleeve areas, too. Multiple areas can be hatched simultaneously.
and the Boundary Hatch dialogue box should reappear.
the button, the dialogue box should close and the drawing area should reappear with the objects hatched.

The size of the pattern is too small, and the zero (0) degree angle makes the shirt tame and somewhat mundane.
and the Boundary Hatch dialogue box should reappear.
Adjust the Angle to 60 degrees to create that SHAFT-like dazzling urbanite look, then set the Scale to 3.0.
the button, the dialogue box should close and the drawing area should reappear with the objects hatched.

That’s the ticket! to complete the command.
Mr. AutoCAD moves and grooves to the beat!

Hey! You, AutoCAD dude! Your shirt looks more like it was purchased from a thrift store in Paris, Texas.

While we’re still here:

Back in Lesson 4, students were informed that the Defpoints layer could be used to create an invisible edge when hatching. Here’s two examples:

To create this effect, use the Defpoints layer to define the boundary of the enclosed area.
Before selecting a hatch pattern, you must select a new layer before beginning the hatching procedure.
If you use Defpoints layer for the hatching, you get NOTHING when you plot.
Remember, Defpoints is invisible to the printer and will not plot. However, do not turn off Defpoints. It is OK to have Defpoints visible at all times since it does not plot.
Hatch the enclosed area.
Now plot your drawing. Viola! No boundaries!

Please continue to the next section