CHAPTER -5

Hatching the Drawing

5. 0 Introduction
Many drafting applications use a process
called hatching to fill an area with a
pattern. The pattern is used to differentiate
components of a project or to signify the
material composing an object. You can use
a predefined hatch pattern, define a simple
line pattern using the current linetype, or
create more complex hatch patterns.
You can also create a gradient fill, which
uses a transition between shades of one
color or between two colors. Gradient fills
can be used to enhance presentation
drawings, giving the appearance of light
reflecting on an object, or they can be used
as interesting backgrounds in logos.
5. 1 Hatch
A) Type
Sets the pattern type. See figure 5-1 Figure 5-1
a) Predefined: Specifies a predefined AutoCAD pattern. These patterns are stored in the
acad.pat and acadiso.pat files. You can control the angle and scale of any predefined
pattern. For predefined ISO patterns, you can also control the ISO pen width.
Note:  When you use the Solid predefined pattern, the boundary must be closed and must not
intersect itself. In addition, if the hatch area contains more than one loop, the loops must not
intersect. These limitations do not apply to standard hatch patterns.
b) User Defined: Creates a pattern of lines based on the current linetype in your drawing.
You can control the angle and spacing of the lines in your user-defined pattern.
c) Custom: Specifies a pattern that is defined in any custom PAT file that you have added to
the AutoCAD search path. (To use the patterns in the supplied acad.pat and acadiso.pat
files, choose Predefined.) You can control the angle and scale of any custom pattern.
1 Pattern
Lists the available predefined patterns. The six most recently used predefined patterns appear at
the top of the list. AutoCAD stores the selected pattern in the HPNAME system variable. The
Pattern option is available only if you set Type to Predefined.
The [...] button displays the Hatch Pattern Palette dialog box, in which you can view preview
images for all predefined patterns at once to help you make a selection.
2 Swatch
Displays a preview of the selected pattern. You can click the swatch to display the Hatch
Pattern Palette dialog box. When the SOLID pattern is selected, you can click the right arrow to
display a list of colors or the Select Color dialog box.
3 Custom Pattern
Lists the available custom patterns. The six most recently used custom patterns appear at the top
of the list. AutoCAD stores the selected pattern in the HPNAME system variable. The Custom
Pattern option is available only if you set Type to Custom. The [...] button displays the Hatch
Pattern Palette dialog box, in which you can view preview images for all custom patterns at
once to help you make a selection.

4 Angle
Specifies an angle for the hatch pattern relative to the X axis of the current UCS. AutoCAD
stores the angle in the HPANG system variable.

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5 Scale
Expands or contracts a predefined or custom pattern. AutoCAD stores the scale in the
HPSCALE system variable. This option is available only if you set Type to Predefined or
Custom.
6 Relative to Paper Space
Scales the hatch pattern relative to paper space units. Using this option, you can easily display
hatch patterns at a scale that is appropriate for your layout. This option is available only from a
layout.
7 Spacing
Specifies the spacing of lines in a user-defined pattern. AutoCAD stores the spacing in the
HPSPACE system variable. This option is available only if you set Type to User Defined.
8 ISO Pen Width
Scales an ISO predefined pattern based on the selected pen width. This option is available only
if you set Type to Predefined and set Pattern to one of the available ISO patterns.
Defines how AutoCAD creates and hatches or fills boundaries.

9 Advanced
10 Island Detection Style
Specifies the method used to hatch or fill
objects within the outermost boundary.
If no internal boundaries exist,
specifying an island detection style has
no effect. Because you can define a
precise set of boundaries, it's often best
to use the Normal style. See figure 5-2
A) Normal
Hatches or fills inward from the outer
boundary. If AutoCAD encounters an
internal intersection, it turns off hatching
or filling until it encounters another
intersection. Thus, areas separated from
the outside of the hatched or filled area
by an odd number of intersections are
hatched or filled, and areas separated by
an even number of intersections are not. Figure 5-2
You can also set the Normal style by adding ,N to the pattern name in the HPNAME system
variable.
B) Outer
Hatches or fills inward from the outer boundary. AutoCAD turns hatching or filling off if it
encounters an internal intersection. Because this process starts from both ends of each hatch or
fill line, AutoCAD hatches or fills only the outermost level of the structure and leaves the
internal structure blank. You can also set the Outer style by adding ,O to the pattern name in the
HPNAME system variable.
C) Ignore
Ignores all internal objects and hatches or fills through them. You can also set the Ignore style
by adding ,I to the pattern name in the HPNAME system variable.
Note: Hatching concave curves with the Outer and Ignore styles can cause hatching
discrepancies.
The Normal, Outer, and Ignore options are also available from a shortcut menu by right-
clicking in the drawing area while you specify points or select objects to define your
boundaries.

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11 Object Type
Specifies whether to retain boundaries as objects, and the object type that AutoCAD applies to
those objects.
D) Retain Boundaries
Adds the temporary boundary objects to the drawing.
E) Object Type
Controls the type of the new boundary object. AutoCAD creates the boundary as a region or a
Polyline. This option is available only if you select Retain Boundaries.
12 Boundary Set
Defines the set of objects AutoCAD analyzes when defining a boundary from a specified point.
The selected boundary set has no effect when you use Select Objects to define a boundary.
By default, when you use Pick Points to define a boundary, AutoCAD analyzes all objects
visible in the current viewports. By redefining the boundary set, you can disregard certain
objects when defining boundaries without having to hide or remove those objects. For large
drawings, redefining the boundary set can also produce the boundary faster because AutoCAD
examines fewer objects.
F) Current Viewport
Defines the boundary set from everything visible in the current viewport. Selecting this option
discards any current boundary set and uses everything visible in the current viewport.

G) Existing Set
Defines the boundary set from the objects that you selected with New. If you have not created a
boundary set with New, the Existing Set option is not available.
H) New
Prompts you to select the objects that define the boundary set. AutoCAD includes only the
hatchable or fillable objects you select when it constructs the new boundary set. AutoCAD
discards any existing boundary set, replacing it with the new boundary set defined by the
objects you select. If you don't select any objects, AutoCAD retains any current set. Until you
exit BHATCH or create a new boundary set, AutoCAD ignores objects that do not exist in the
boundary set when you define your boundaries by using Pick Points.
13 Island Detection Method
Specifies whether to include objects within the outermost boundary as boundary objects. These
internal objects are known as islands.
I) Flood
Includes islands as boundary objects.
J) Ray Casting
Runs a line from the point you specify to the nearest object and then traces the boundary in a
counterclockwise direction, thus excluding islands as boundary objects.
14 Gap Tolerance
Treats a set of objects that almost enclose an area as a closed hatch boundary. The default
value, 0, specifies that the objects enclose the area, with no gaps. Enter a value, in drawing
units, from 0 to 5000 to set the maximum size of gaps that can be ignored when the objects
serve as a hatch boundary. Any gaps equal to or smaller than the value you specify are ignored,
and the boundary is treated as closed. ( HPGAPTOL system variable)
Defines the appearance of the gradient fill to be applied.

15 Gradient
16 One Color
Specifies a fill that uses a smooth transition between darker shades and lighter tints of one
color. When One Color is selected, AutoCAD displays a color swatch with Browse button and a
Shade and Tint slider. See figure 5-3
17 Two Color
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Specifies a fill that uses a smooth transition between two colors. When Two Color is selected,
AutoCAD displays a color swatch with a Browse button for color 1 and for color 2.

18 Color Swatch
Specifies the color for the gradient
fill. Click the Browse button [...] to
display the Select Color dialog
boxwhere you can select an
AutoCAD
Index color, true color, or color
book color. The default color
displayed is the current color in the
drawing.
19 Shade and Tint Slider
Specifies the tint (the selected color
mixed with white) or shade (the
selected color mixed with black) of a
color to be used for a gradient fill of
one color.
20 Centered
Specifies a gradient configuration
that is symmetrical. If this option is
not selected, the gradient fill is
shifted up and to the left, creating the Figure 5-3
illusion of a light source to the left of the object.
21 Angle
Specifies the angle of the gradient fill. The specified angle is relative to the current UCS. This
option is independent of the angle specified for hatch patterns.
22 Gradient Patterns
Displays nine fixed patterns for gradient fills. These patterns include linear sweep, spherical,
and parabolic.

5. 2 Additional options:
5. 4. 1 Pick Points
Determines a boundary from existing objects visible on the screen. The objects must form an
enclosed area. How AutoCAD detects objects using this option depends on which island
detection method is selected on the Advanced tab. For example, if the island detection method
is Flood, AutoCAD detects objects within the outermost boundary as islands and includes them
in the boundary definition. The island detection style (which you also set on the Advanced tab)
then determines how to hatch the detected islands.
When you select Pick Points, the dialog box closes temporarily, and AutoCAD displays a
prompt.
Select internal point:  Specify a point within the area to be hatched or filled
Select internal point:  Specify a point, enter u or undo to undo the last selection, or press
ENTER to end point specification and return to the dialog box
While specifying points, you can right-click in the drawing area at any time to display a
shortcut menu. You can undo the last or all point specifications, change the selection method,
change the island detection style, or preview the hatch or gradient fill.

5. 4. 2 Select Objects
Specifies objects for hatching or filling. The dialog box closes temporarily, and AutoCAD
prompts you to select objects. When you use the Select Objects option, AutoCAD does not

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detect interior objects automatically. You must select the objects within the selected boundary
to hatch or fill those objects according to the current Island Detection Style (which you set on
the Advanced tab). Each time you choose Select Objects, AutoCAD clears the previous
selection set.
While selecting objects, you can right-click at any time in the drawing area to display a shortcut
menu. You can undo the last selection or all selections, change the selection method, change the
island detection style, or preview the hatch or gradient fill.

5. 4. 3 View Selections
Temporarily dismisses the dialog box and displays the currently defined boundaries with the
hatch or fill settings that you last previewed. This option is unavailable when no boundary has
been defined.

5. 4. 4 Inherit Properties
Hatches or fills specified boundaries using the hatch or fill properties of one object. After
selecting the associative hatch or fill object whose properties you want the hatch or fill to
inherit, you can right-click in the drawing area and use the shortcut menu to toggle between the
Select Objects and Pick Points options to create boundaries.

5. 4. 5 Draw Order
Assigns draw order to a hatch or fill. You can place a hatch or fill behind all other objects, in
front of all other objects, behind the hatch boundary, or in front of the hatch boundary.
5. 4. 6 Composition
Controls whether the hatch or gradient fill is associative or nonassociative.
Associative
Creates a hatch or fill that is updated when you modify its boundaries.
Nonassociative
Creates a hatch or fill that is independent of its boundaries.
5. 4. 7 Preview
Dismisses the dialog box and displays the currently defined boundaries with the current hatch
or fill settings. Click in the drawing or press ESC to return to the dialog box. Right-click or
press ENTER to accept the hatch or fill. This option is not available when you have not yet
specified points or selected objects to define your boundaries.

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