Part 5 of 13 in our How To Use AutoCAD series
After adding custom hatch patterns (PAT files) to AutoCAD, they do not show up as usable hatches within the program. Known causes: The directory path where the PAT files are stored is locked or not recognized as a support path by AutoCAD. The directory path where the PAT files are stored is a cloud service. The PAT files have formatting issues. Ashlar’s pattern and scale ease installation making it perfect for large commercial applications. Nationwide Profiles? Santa Barbara. Buy a Sample. CAD Resources. Get access to our library of Stone & Brick BIM and CAD files. View Library. Choosing the Right Stone.
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.
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.
Generally you can export a drawing with its fonts, texture, materials, references, data links etc using e-transmit but unfortunately, it can’t export custom hatch pattern file (PAT) with the package and you have to add it in the package separately.
But if you did not receive a drawing with PAT file then you can export it from drawing as well using the method shown below.
Exporting hatch pattern
Let’s assume that you have a drawing with custom hatch applied in it with name ZIGZAG. In order to export that hatch, you need to create its PAT file. I am using a LISP routine in this tutorial to extract PAT file from drawing.
Download the LISP routine from this link
Extract it from the compressed package and paste it on the desktop. Also, make sure that your source drawing is copied to the desktop from which you want to extract hatch pattern.
Now open the drawing from your desktop and drag and drop lisp routine to the drawing as shown in the image below.
Now type GETPAT on the command line and click on ZIGZAG pattern present in drawing. This pattern will be exported as ZIGZAG.PAT on the desktop. For some cases the file is exported to C:Users[user name]Documents so if you are unable to find it on the desktop then look it there.
Importing hatch in your AutoCAD
Now you have this hatch pattern all you need to do is import it to your AutoCAD software, for this copy ZIGZAG.PAT file and paste it to support folder of the installation directory.
To locate support folder type OP on the command line then press enter, options window will pop up select files tab and expand “support file search path” tree there you will see the location of support file. See image below for reference.
After pasting the file launch your software if it is already open then close it and launch it again. You will now find ZIGZAG hatch pattern among all the patterns, and you can use it just like other hatch patterns.
Update
Some users are unable to use the original GETPAT.LSP file and they are getting this error
![Cars Cars](http://www.archblocks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/CAD-Hatch-3-Image-02.jpg)
If that’s the case with you too then use this modified routine, all the steps are exactly the same you just need to close your older session of AutoCAD and start a fresh one to use it.
Credits:
Thanks, Paul Turvill for providing access to GETPAT.LSP file, You can find more free LISP routines on his website http://www.turvill.com/t2/free_stuff/
A big thanks to Cooper Francis for providing us access to this modified routine, you can get many free and premium Autodesk tools on his website Paracadd.com