How to make custom hatch pattern in AutoCAD View Larger Image Generally, to fill an area with a pattern hatches are used and there are plenty of ready-made hatch patterns available in AutoCAD but if you want to use your own custom hatch pattern then you can make it using a type of simple code and also using an express tool called Superhatch. There are 2 commands: 1) DRAWHATCH creates a 1X1 square in which you draw your custom hatch pattern. After you have drawn your hatch pattern: 2) SAVEHATCH lets you name your hatch Pattern and save it as a.pat file. Saving the.pat file (hatch pattern) allows you to copy the contents and save it in your support file or even add.

One can easily add custom hatch patterns to the acad or acadlt.pat file so that they are available in the hatch command.

AutoCAD 2019 custom hatch pattern issues Hi if you see my screen print, you will see the downloaded hatch pattern i added, while I see in the list of hatches I can't seem to select nor can I seem to select or see other hatch patterns I added in my support folder. Installing your Hatch Patterns is very simple. Detailed instructions are included with your order. A Hatch directory is copied to your hard disk, then this directory then must be added to the AutoCAD search path using the AutoCAD Config command. Simply access the patterns loaded using the AutoCAD Hatch or H command.

Part 5 of 13 in our How To Use AutoCAD series

One of the great things about AutoCAD is that it can be used to design drawings meant for different types of industries. And because AutoCAD designs can be intended for any structure under the sun, the material being used or involved in the design’s construction can vary greatly.

This poses an interesting situation when AutoCAD users need to fill in the hatches of their drawings. These hatches represent the real material to be used. So getting the hatch patterns just as accurate as the drawings themselves is important.

Now, although AutoCAD offers plenty of hatch patterns on its own, sometimes we may want to personalize our drawings and implement our own hatch patterns. You can do this by following these simple steps:

1.In your AutoCAD document, draw a desired pattern using a tool from the Draw panel.

2. In the Block panel, click on the “Create” command, located in the top right corner.

3. Name your pattern and click “OK”. On the pop-up, choose “Select objects”.

4. Click on your drawing until it gets light blue, and hit Enter.

5. Now select “Pick point” and place the cursor on the bottom left corner of your pattern drawing.

6. Hit “OK”.

7. Go to the “Express Tools” tab > Draw panel > Super Hatch.

How To Add Custom Hatch Patterns In Autocad 2017

8. Choose “Block” as your desired pattern type, select your block by name and hit “OK”.

9. Fit your pattern by following instructions. When you’re satisfied hit Enter.

10. Click on the desired area that you want to hatch and once selected, hit Enter.

All done! For advanced users who are interested in more hatch pattern customization options, check out this tutorial from Ellen Finkelstein.

So you have downloaded or created your own AutoCAD pattern. Now you want to use it. But how?

There are two ways to do this: you can combine your custom pattern with acad.pat or add a support file search path. I will recommend the last one. You may lose your custom pattern if you somehow need to reinstall AutoCAD or your Windows account corrupts. Or you may just make your acad.pat corrupt.

Combine with acad.pat

You can find acad.pat in support folder. It should be something like C:UsersYOURWINDOWSACCOUNTAppDataRoamingAutodeskAutoCAD XXXX – EnglishRXX.0enuSupport. Find acad.pat and open it with text editors like notepad or notepad ++. Do not use Microsoft Word. I suggest you make a backup of this file before you start to work.

Open another instance of Notepad and open your custom hatch. Select all, then copy it using [Ctrl] + C. I use chainlink pattern from DotSoft website.

Paste it at the bottom most of your acad.pat file.

There is a comment that if you add user-defined hatch below that section, then when you upgrade your AutoCAD this file will be migrated correctly.

However, I still avoid this method.

Now save this file. You should immediately see your custom hatch in pattern list.

Add support file search folder

Custom Hatch Pattern In Autocad Lt

If you place all your custom hatch in your custom folder, you can add support file search path. Open AutoCAD options (type OP then enter).

In files tab, below support file search path, add your folder.

Click OK to accept this changes, then when you activate hatch command, you should see it in your pattern list. If you can’t find it, you may need to change pattern type to user-defined.

How To Make Custom Hatch Patterns In Autocad

If you use hatch dialog box, you can change pattern type to custom or user-defined.

Custom Hatch Patterns In Autocad

I always use the last method and avoid the first one. So I never really have a problem or may be benefits of the first method. If you use the first one, why do you choose to use it? Will you recommend it instead of the last method?