Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Changing the Hatch Area
You may have noticed the Associative option in the Hatch And Gradient dialog box. When
this check box is selected, AutoCAD creates an associative hatch pattern.
Associative
hatches
adjust their shapes to any changes in their associated boundary, hence the name (see the sec-
tion “Controlling Hatch Behavior” later this chapter). The following exercise demonstrates
how this works.
Suppose you want to enlarge the tiled area of the kitchen by one tile. Here's how it's done:
1.
Choose Window
07a-Unit.dwg file from the menu bar.
2.
Click the outline border of the hatch pattern you created earlier. Notice the grips that
appear around the hatch-pattern area.
3.
Click the grip in the bottom center of the hatch area.
SELECTING HATCH GRIPS
If the boundary of the hatch pattern consists of line segments, you can use a crossing window or
polygon-crossing window to select the corner grips of the hatch pattern.
4.
Enter
@12<-90
↵↵ (
@30<-90
for metric users) to widen the hatch pattern by 1´, or 30 cm
for metric users. The hatch pattern adjusts to the new size of the hatch boundary.
5.
Press the Esc key to clear any grip selections.
6.
Choose File
Save from the menu bar or press F-S to save the Unit file.
7.
Return to the Plan file using the menu bar, and repeat the steps in the section “Updating
a Block from an External File” earlier in this chapter to update the units again.
The Associative feature of hatch patterns can save time when you need to modify your draw-
ing, but you need to be aware of its limitations. A hatch pattern can lose its associativity when
you do any of the following:
Erase or explode a hatch boundary
•u
Erase or explode a block that forms part of the boundary
•u
Move a hatch pattern away from its boundary
•u
These situations frequently arise when you edit an unfamiliar drawing. Often, boundary
objects are placed on a layer that is off or frozen, so the boundary objects aren't visible. Also, the
hatch pattern might be on a layer that is turned off and you proceed to edit the file not knowing
that a hatch pattern exists. When you encounter such a file, take a moment to check for hatch
boundaries so you can deal with them properly.
