how to_ add custom hatch pattern to autocad _ cad notes

8.3.2014 How to: add custom hatch pattern to AutoCAD | CAD Notes

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How to: add custom pattern to AutoCADBy Edwin Prakoso, published on April 18, 2012

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 personally will recommend the last one. You may loose 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

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You can find acad.pat in support folder. It should be something like

C:\Users\YOURWINDOWSACCOUNT\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD XXXX

English\RXX.0\enu\Support. Find acad.pat and open it with text editor like notepad or notepad ++. Do not

use Microsoft Word. I suggest you to 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 properly.

However, I still avoid this method.

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

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Add support file search folder

If you place all your custom hatch in your own folder, you can simply 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 cant find it, you may need to change pattern type to user defined.

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

I always use the last method, and avoid the first one. So I never really have 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



What is this?

last method?

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Filed Under: AutoCAD Tutorial

Tagged With: AutoCAD, custom, Hatch, pattern

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About Edwin Prakoso

I work as an Application Engineer in Jakarta, Indonesia. I have 4 years experience

in construction industry before I decided to work for Autodesk reseller.

I'm a Revit Architecture 2010 and AutoCAD 2013 certified professional.

I started to write on CAD notes blog since 2009 with intention to help fellow CAD users.

If you want to connect with me, you can follow me on twitter: @EdwinPrakoso or connect with

me on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinprakoso

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Simon Weel says

April 19, 2012 at 8:38 am

There are actually two PAT files: acad.pat and acadiso.pat. Which file is used by AutoCAD is

controlled with the MEASUREMENT system variable. If it's set to 0, then AutoCAD will use

acad.pat (imperial units). When set to 1, AutoCAD uses acadiso.pat (metric system).

The same applies to line type files acad.lin and acadiso.lin.

Reply

Edwin Prakoso says

April 19, 2012 at 1:38 pm

Thank you Simon,

I never realize this before.

Reply

Kay Afie says

May 31, 2012 at 10:36 am

thanks for the tutorial Edwin. Worked for me

Reply



homestilo says

August 30, 2012 at 6:23 am

Adding support file worked- thanks a lot!

Reply

Saw Thiri says

October 4, 2012 at 10:17 pm

So thanks Edwin :)

Reply

Abhay Panchasara says

March 20, 2013 at 12:07 am

thank you edwin..

Reply

khem says

April 26, 2013 at 3:34 pm

thanks

Reply



jason says

July 26, 2013 at 8:05 am

great information! both with the patterns and the 'iso' files. i NEVER knew they were metric

system versions of the others, and that "MEASUREMENT" controlled which were used.

but what about when you have a hatch pattern not the code, but the actual elements? How can

I saw that? my situation is this: there is the default gravel pattern, but i would like to save this

custome made one, which is also identified with "LIST" as "gravel". i suppose i can save it as

"gravel 2" (i prefer the way it looks compared to the default "gravel"), but how? thank you for

any assistance.

Reply

jason says

July 26, 2013 at 8:31 am

i apologize for my poorly written post.

there is the "gravel" hatch pattern.

for some reason, i have a pattern that lists as "gravel", but it appears differently in my 2D,

AutoCAD 2011 file. this one looks better, so i would like to save the elements as a hatch

pattern.

can i do that?

note that if i were to hatch an area and 'inherit properties" with the 'better looking' pattern, it

will hatch the area using the OTHER, default-type gravel. (if it did NOT do that, i can simply

cut/paste the desired hatch pattern from file to file, and use it to match properties, rather

than spend all this time trying to find out how to save it with a unique name!).

thanks

Reply



TreeLove says

August 23, 2013 at 8:14 pm

I do not think you will save time this way : let's suppose you keep copy-pasting this

custom 'hatch' regularly, it'a a lot of time and boring repetitive tasks. Let's suppose you

spend a horrendous 10h finding how to integrate it for good in your program, and you

never have to waste time on that thing again ;)

You can then even make more customs hatches to your own satisfaction. Forever ;)

Reply

Edwin Prakoso says

July 26, 2013 at 11:32 am

Hi Jason,

You can't save existing hatch pattern to .pat file. There is a program that can do that, but you

need to purchase it.

AutoCAD itself can't do that.

Reply

Jas says

July 27, 2013 at 1:31 am

i thought so, but held on for hopethanks, mr. prakoso.

Reply



Jason says

July 27, 2013 at 7:23 am

i did find a roundabout way to succeed in using a modified or alien pattern without

having to save it to a .pat file. i will type it out if anyone would like to hear about it.

Reply

mitch says

February 20, 2014 at 7:07 pm

Nice tip, thanks! Any idea where I can get free geological hatch patterns?

Reply

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