Blocks That Hide Hatch Underneath

I FOUND A BLOCK OF A WC THAT DOESN´T NEED ME TO DELETE THE HATCH LINES FOR THE CERAMIC UNDERNEATH, AWESOME...NOW I´M WILLING TO TRY AND DO THIS FOR MY OTHER BLOCKS STORED, BUT AFTER LOOKING A LOT OF TUTORIALS FOR SEVERAL DAYS IT SEEMS I CANNOT ASK THE RIGHT CUESTION. HOPE SOMEONE CAN DIRECT MY TO THE RIGHT PLACE OR WRITE DOWN HOW TO DO IT.

THANKS.

if you can post your wc block, we can study & may be give you an answer to how to have the same feature with other blocks.

Check out the help file for WIPEOUTs. You can create a polyline of the outline of your block rather easily with the BOUNDARY command. Open your block in the block editor and draw a rectangle surrounding it. Then use the boundary command and pick the space between your block and the rectangle. Next use the wipeout command. First ensure frames are on to save headaches later, then convert the polyline tracing the block's outline into a wipeout, use DRAWORDER to send the wipeout to the back. Erase both of the rectangles created earlier. And close out of the block editor and update the block's definition. Now your block should obscure anything beneath it. If it does not, try using draw order to bring the block to the front.

Check out the help file for WIPEOUTs. You can create a polyline of the outline of your block rather easily with the BOUNDARY command. Open your block in the block editor and draw a rectangle surrounding it. Then use the boundary command and pick the space between your block and the rectangle. Next use the wipeout command. First ensure frames are on to save headaches later, then convert the polyline tracing the block's outline into a wipeout, use DRAWORDER to send the wipeout to the back. Erase both of the rectangles created earlier. And close out of the block editor and update the block's definition. Now your block should obscure anything beneath it. If it does not, try using draw order to bring the block to the front.

I did it, WIPEOUT rules!!

only two thingis:

1 The boundary does a polyline with curves, and the wipeout only works with strait lines, it does write: "The polyline must be closed and made up of only line segments". I tryed with a polyline with only line segments and it works nicefully.

2 I don´t understand the "frames on" part...meaby there is the answer for the number 1...

3 there was only two thingis jej.

If there is a way to convert the boundary or polyline in only line segments, this will be heaven!!

¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ Many thanks MaxwellEdison and Dipali !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

c ya arround

The frames on and off pertains to the visibility of the Wipeout's frame. Exploding a polyline should convert it into line segments.

Exploding it will convert it to INDIVIDUAL line segments, i.e. straight lines and arcs. I forgot about the striaght line limitation. If you absolutley need curves in the wipeout you can create a hatch of a gradient fill w/ both colors set to color 255 (not "white" as it plots black). You'll probably need to change the color of your linework though or you won't be able to see it. I'd recommend list tracing the outline then and creating line segments around the curves (great time for the much maligned NEAREST osnap Glad to see its worked for you though.

Couldn't u just use the trim command?

That causes issues if you should turn the blocks off, theres an unexplained hole in the hatch. Plus, with wipeouts you don't need to trim the hatch every time the block is inserted.

good point there

Exploding it will convert it to INDIVIDUAL line segments, i.e. straight lines and arcs. I forgot about the striaght line limitation. If you absolutley need curves in the wipeout you can create a hatch of a gradient fill w/ both colors set to color 255 (not "white" as it plots black). You'll probably need to change the color of your linework though or you won't be able to see it. I'd recommend list tracing the outline then and creating line segments around the curves (great time for the much maligned NEAREST osnap Glad to see its worked for you though.

..now i´m still curious about the frames, and the new info about list tracing and nearest osnap....shoud I be playing guitar instead? it looks like i shoud..

Thankx for youre help.

That was a typo sorry, "list tracing" should have been "just tracing" and I recommended the nearest OSNAP since it will allow you to just stay on the line and approximate the curves.

As for explaining frames, draw a wipeout out in space, away from any object. Then turn frames on and off. When off, the wipeout is very difficult to select, but when on the linework of their border shows.

Just be careful with wipeout command. It can make you trouble when insert/copy-paste block. It seems that wipeout and hatch want to go ABOVE the rest of the lines sometimes. And putting it back in every block can be little troubling. I don't think i had troubles when inserting via design centar.

Just be careful with wipeout command. It can make you trouble when insert/copy-paste block. It seems that wipeout and hatch want to go ABOVE the rest of the lines sometimes. And putting it back in every block can be little troubling. I don't think i had troubles when inserting via design centar.

I edit the block with the wipeout in a different archive and it work everytime.

I must tell u that this has impruved the experience with the acad, the work its done faster, there is allways the request from colegs and clients to have hatch on floors, and it was a torture to trim every block of forniture, doors, cars and all kinda bs.

Meny thankx for u guide and concern!!!!

i´m having a new trouble with the closing polylines for the wipeout to work...it´s a little bit long to PEDIT....but it seems to be the only way, ¿isn´t it?

Thankx again allofyou...great site, i´m happy to know some english, I hope there are no so much misspellings.

You can either close the polyline while drawing it from the command line, you'll see an option for close. This will connect your current line to the start point of the polyline. Or...after drawing the polyline, select it and set it as closed from the properties manager.

I had the same problem with hiding hatch lines under curved blocks. Thanks so much for the wipeout trick. But then I had the problem of tracing a huge circular block with curved extrusions. Creating a new polyline by tracing the entire object was way too tedious and time consuming. I finally found an automatic solution. Using Autocad, not Adobe Illustrator, or coordinates from excel to replot the object.

1. select block

2. make a closed polyline surrounding object

3. use BOUNDRY command, and select Region in dropdown menu, ok

4. click area between object and closed polyline, enter

5. move new traced boundary to the side

6. Change Workspace to 3D modeling (hope you have AutoCAD2009)

7. Use Press/Pull (presspull) command

8. pull object to any length ex. 5'

9. select 3D object and use FLATTEN command, remove hidden lines, ok, move new object to the side

10. draw another polyline around the object

11. use BOUNDRY command again, this time select Polyline from Object type: dropdown, ok

12. click internal area of object, ok, move new object to the side

13. Finally we have a complete Closed Polyline

14. enter WIPEOUT command and select object

Done

took me all day to figure this out, hopefully it'll help someone

Saved me about 5000 clicks

point 10

draw another polyline for what, if i´m gonna click internal area of object....? I tried from in between, but get the same message written underneath.

point 11

Autocad alert: polyline boundary could not be derived. Create Region?...

I tried u´re instructions 5 times with different objects and blocks dear monkeymaster.... it doesn't work, or I'm fruitcake.

you are correct about point 10, it isn't necessary.

make sure that you move the 3D object to the side after 'point 8'. Flatten only the 3D object make sure the old boundary underneath isn't there.

I made a video on youtube with my iphone 4s.

i didn't edit the video but you'll see that it works.