• AutoCAD

Hatch objects in AutoCAD

Choose from a variety of hatch patterns to make sure your drawings stand out.


00:03

In AutoCAD, a hatch object allows you to fill existing objects or enclosed areas with hatch patterns,

00:09

solid color fills, or gradients.

00:12

Like most objects, hatch patterns are typically created on the current layer,

00:16

and they take on the current color, linetype, and transparency.

00:20

However, you can specify the layer on which the hatch objects are created,

00:24

so, best practice for hatch patterns is to add them on their own layer.

00:29

That way, you can easily hide hatch patterns by turning off the hatch layer.

00:33

This drawing includes a layer called HATCH.

00:36

From the ribbon, Home tab, Layer panel, make sure that the current layer drop-down is set to 0.

00:43

To add a hatch, from the ribbon, Home tab, Draw panel, click Hatch.

00:49

When you start the HATCH command, the ribbon changes to the Hatch Creation contextual ribbon.

00:55

These tools let you select the hatch pattern you want to apply,

00:58

as well as control its color, background color, transparency, angle, and scale.

01:04

Expand the Properties panel.

01:07

Here, you can specify the layer on which the hatch will be created.

01:11

Expand the Hatch Layer drop-down and select the HATCH layer.

01:15

In the Command window, with dynamic input enabled at the cursor,

01:19

you are prompted to pick an internal point.

01:22

In the Pattern panel in the ribbon,

01:24

you can see the hatch pattern that will be applied.

01:27

When you move the cursor into a closed area,

01:29

a preview of the hatch appears.

01:32

Move the cursor outside the area, and the preview disappears.

01:36

If you click inside that area, the preview is added to the drawing.

01:40

You can still make changes to the hatch.

01:43

For example, you can use the Scale field to change the scale factor for the hatch.

01:48

You can also change the hatch pattern.

01:51

If you select the wrong area or object to hatch, just use Undo to remove the hatch,

01:56

and then select a different object or click inside a different area.

02:00

Keep in mind that this is now a preview of the hatch.

02:04

In the Command window, you can see that the HATCH command is still active,

02:08

and the Hatch Creation contextual ribbon is still visible.

02:11

Once you are satisfied with what the hatch will look like,

02:14

you can either click Close Hatch Creation in the ribbon, or just press ENTER.

02:19

Start the HATCH command again.

02:22

Move the cursor over the part of the drawing where there are two intersecting squares.

02:27

When you move the cursor over the overlapping area,

02:30

the hatch preview displays just inside that area,

02:33

even though it is formed by the two separate objects.

02:36

Click inside that area, and then click Close Hatch Creation in the ribbon to complete the command.

02:42

Alternatively, you can select an object first, and then apply the hatch to it.

02:47

From the ribbon, Home tab, Draw panel, click Hatch to display the Hatch Creation contextual ribbon.

02:53

This time, in the Boundaries panel, click the Select button.

02:57

You are prompted to select objects.

03:00

Use any object selection method to select the hexagon.

03:04

Now, you can see a preview of the hatch pattern to be applied, which fills the hexagon.

03:11

AutoCAD ignores the circle and hatches right through it, because you did not select the circle.

03:17

You are still prompted to select objects.

03:19

When you select the circle now, the hatch pattern no longer fills the circle.

03:24

Again, when you are satisfied with the appearance of the hatch,

03:28

you can press ENTER or click Close Hatch Creation.

03:31

Erase the last hatch of the hexagon by clicking it and pressing DELETE.

03:36

From the ribbon, Home tab, Draw panel, click Hatch.

03:41

Since the last method you used was to select objects,

03:44

that has become the default.

03:46

In the Boundaries panel, click Pick Points.

03:50

You are prompted to pick an internal point.

03:52

Move the cursor into the area inside the hexagon but outside the circle.

03:57

AutoCAD now detects the circle inside the hexagon.

04:01

This is because the Pick Points tool automatically detects closed areas,

04:05

whereas the Pick Objects tool hatches only the objects you specifically select.

04:11

Once again, when you are satisfied with the appearance of the hatch,

04:15

you can either click Close Hatch Creation or simply press ENTER.

Video transcript

00:03

In AutoCAD, a hatch object allows you to fill existing objects or enclosed areas with hatch patterns,

00:09

solid color fills, or gradients.

00:12

Like most objects, hatch patterns are typically created on the current layer,

00:16

and they take on the current color, linetype, and transparency.

00:20

However, you can specify the layer on which the hatch objects are created,

00:24

so, best practice for hatch patterns is to add them on their own layer.

00:29

That way, you can easily hide hatch patterns by turning off the hatch layer.

00:33

This drawing includes a layer called HATCH.

00:36

From the ribbon, Home tab, Layer panel, make sure that the current layer drop-down is set to 0.

00:43

To add a hatch, from the ribbon, Home tab, Draw panel, click Hatch.

00:49

When you start the HATCH command, the ribbon changes to the Hatch Creation contextual ribbon.

00:55

These tools let you select the hatch pattern you want to apply,

00:58

as well as control its color, background color, transparency, angle, and scale.

01:04

Expand the Properties panel.

01:07

Here, you can specify the layer on which the hatch will be created.

01:11

Expand the Hatch Layer drop-down and select the HATCH layer.

01:15

In the Command window, with dynamic input enabled at the cursor,

01:19

you are prompted to pick an internal point.

01:22

In the Pattern panel in the ribbon,

01:24

you can see the hatch pattern that will be applied.

01:27

When you move the cursor into a closed area,

01:29

a preview of the hatch appears.

01:32

Move the cursor outside the area, and the preview disappears.

01:36

If you click inside that area, the preview is added to the drawing.

01:40

You can still make changes to the hatch.

01:43

For example, you can use the Scale field to change the scale factor for the hatch.

01:48

You can also change the hatch pattern.

01:51

If you select the wrong area or object to hatch, just use Undo to remove the hatch,

01:56

and then select a different object or click inside a different area.

02:00

Keep in mind that this is now a preview of the hatch.

02:04

In the Command window, you can see that the HATCH command is still active,

02:08

and the Hatch Creation contextual ribbon is still visible.

02:11

Once you are satisfied with what the hatch will look like,

02:14

you can either click Close Hatch Creation in the ribbon, or just press ENTER.

02:19

Start the HATCH command again.

02:22

Move the cursor over the part of the drawing where there are two intersecting squares.

02:27

When you move the cursor over the overlapping area,

02:30

the hatch preview displays just inside that area,

02:33

even though it is formed by the two separate objects.

02:36

Click inside that area, and then click Close Hatch Creation in the ribbon to complete the command.

02:42

Alternatively, you can select an object first, and then apply the hatch to it.

02:47

From the ribbon, Home tab, Draw panel, click Hatch to display the Hatch Creation contextual ribbon.

02:53

This time, in the Boundaries panel, click the Select button.

02:57

You are prompted to select objects.

03:00

Use any object selection method to select the hexagon.

03:04

Now, you can see a preview of the hatch pattern to be applied, which fills the hexagon.

03:11

AutoCAD ignores the circle and hatches right through it, because you did not select the circle.

03:17

You are still prompted to select objects.

03:19

When you select the circle now, the hatch pattern no longer fills the circle.

03:24

Again, when you are satisfied with the appearance of the hatch,

03:28

you can press ENTER or click Close Hatch Creation.

03:31

Erase the last hatch of the hexagon by clicking it and pressing DELETE.

03:36

From the ribbon, Home tab, Draw panel, click Hatch.

03:41

Since the last method you used was to select objects,

03:44

that has become the default.

03:46

In the Boundaries panel, click Pick Points.

03:50

You are prompted to pick an internal point.

03:52

Move the cursor into the area inside the hexagon but outside the circle.

03:57

AutoCAD now detects the circle inside the hexagon.

04:01

This is because the Pick Points tool automatically detects closed areas,

04:05

whereas the Pick Objects tool hatches only the objects you specifically select.

04:11

Once again, when you are satisfied with the appearance of the hatch,

04:15

you can either click Close Hatch Creation or simply press ENTER.

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