Creating hatch patterns

[MisterJingles]

Hi guys

 

I need a decent wood hatch, I found some past topics which proved useful and one pointed me to a site with some predefined patterns. It gives you the code you require to create the hatch and Ive saved it as a .pat, but where must I save that .pat file in order for the Hatch pattern to come up in my Hatch command?

 

Or is my method incorrect?

 

Regards

Rob

[ReMark]

I am of the opinion that the file should be placed in the same folder as AutoCAD's own acad.pat file. You can find out where this is by typing (findfile"acad.pat") at the command line then pressing Enter. AutoCAD will return the full path.

 

There is an alternate method that another forum member recently posted that some may feel is better. If I can find the thread I will come back and provide a link to it.

[ReMark]

Sorry but I can no longer find the alternate method suggested although I'm almost positive it was part of this thread (see below). Perhaps it was removed as it may have been a blatant attempt at sneaking in a product placement.

 

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39771&highlight=hatch

[MisterJingles]

Hi ReMark

 

I did that. I put the .pat into C:\Program Files\AutoCAD LT 2010\UserDataCache\Support. This folder contains my acadltiso and acadlt hatch pattern definitions. And still nothing.

 

Just to be clear, I took the code as it was shown and simply pasted it into Notepad, saved it as a .pat (it carries the correct thumbnail) and put it into the above folder.

Is there anything further I should do?

 

Regards

[ReMark]

Yes. Read the whole thread.

[chulse]

An alternative would be to paste the pattern code dorectly into your acad.pat file. REMEMBER TO SAVE A BACKUP FIRST!

[MisterJingles]

ReMark - If you are referring to this... "When it comes time that you want to use a pattern from this file, in the Hatch and Gradient dialog box, under the heading Type and Pattern, select Custom from the drop-down list. Opposite the text Custom Pattern use the browse key to locate the file you created."

 

... I tried that, I have no Hatch patterns which come up in the Custom box.

[ReMark]

Did you use the BROWSE button to find the pattern?

[MisterJingles]

Yeah the 3 little dots. It opens my hatch palette correct? In here, on the Custom tab there is nothing.

[ReMark]

Another forum member followed the same instructions and got the results he expected and confirmed that in a subsequent post. I think you did not fully follow the directions. However...

 

I was able to duplicate your situation but to do so meant I had to ignore the advice as to where to locate the custom hatch file. This is an important point. Afterwards I moved my test hatch pattern file to the proper location and it showed up in the left pane of the Custom tab on the Hatch Pattern Palette window.

 

Review what you did and where you placed the folder. Also check that the search path for your support files (like .hat files) is correctly indicated in Tools > Options > Files >Support File Search Path.

[MisterJingles]

Hi ReMark

 

Here is where I placed the wood.pat

 

Is there perhaps a particular way to configure the .pat? Maybe a syntax error I overlooked? I simply copied and pasted the code in there. Must it begin and end with something in particular?

 

Findfile does not seem to work with LT but I assume the file is in the right place?

 

[ReMark]

Where did you place the hatch pattern? You copied and pasted the code where? Sorry, but I don't see anything (a path, a folder or a file) listed in your post.

[hugha]

Check what you are doing carefully against the points bulletted in this link:

 

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2893049&linkID=9240617

 

 

 

Hugh Adamson

www.cadro.com.au

[ReMark]

hugha: Didn't you post something about HatchKit a while back? I tried finding the info but it seemed to have disappeared.

[MisterJingles]

ReMark - The path is at the top of the screenshot I posted, C:\Program Files... etc

Does it matter though since the acadlt hatch pattern is there? Doesnt it merely have to be in the same folder as this?

No worry though, Ill run it along with the link hugha supplied and see where I went wrong. Thanks

[MisterJingles]

Ok I found my problem.

ReMark as you suggested, the destination of the file was incorrect.

I found the .pat files as shown above but its not the correct place for placing custom hatch patterns.

 

LT doesnt allow me to use the findfile command so I just searched in the File Tab under OPTIONS and followed the font file location til I found the acadlt.pat file.

 

Only hassle now is it tells me "Error in pattern file" when I try access it through my HATCH command in Autocad. No matter though, Im sure its just a syntax error which I will try sort out.

 

Thanks for all assistance.

[ReMark]

I'm glad to hear that you finally found the correct location for the file. Where did you get this wood hatch pattern from?