AutoCAD/LT Hatch, commands and variables

There is more to HATCH command than most users are familiar with: this list is here to explore commands, options and settings well outside the single pop-up.

New in AutoCAD/LT2011 and later is a feature that launches a new portion of the screen RIBBON, instead of the traditional pop-up, when you start the HATCH command. On some PCs this is quite taxing to the video card. Below are two command to explore and turn off if your system is having a hard time with the newer versions of AutoCAD/LT:

• HPDLGMODE variable controls the display of the Hatch and Gradient dialog box and the Hatch Edit dialog box.
• HPQUICKPREVIEW variable controls whether to display a preview when specifying internal points for a hatch.

Want to avoid having your running Object Snaps selecting hatch points?

• OSOPTIONS variable automatically suppresses object snaps on hatch objects.

The following Commands allow you to manage and edit hatches outside the dialog pop-up box:

• HATCHEDIT command Modifies an existing hatch or fill.
• HATCHGENERATEBOUNDARY command creates a non-associated polyline around a selected hatch.
• HATCHSETBOUNDARY command redefines a selected hatch or fill to conform to a different closed boundary.
• HPBOUND variable controls the object type created by HATCH and BOUNDARY commands.
• HPBOUNDRETAIN variable controls whether boundary objects are created for new hatches and fills.

Active Hatch Display variables and settings you can use with your customizations, or personal preferences, without invoking the HATCH command:

• HPCOLOR variable sets a default color for new hatches.
• HPLAYER variable specifies a default layer for new hatches and fills.
• HPBACKGROUNDCOLOR variable controls the background color for hatch patterns.
• HATCHTOBACK command sets the draw order for all hatches in the drawing to be behind all other objects.
• HPDRAWORDER variable controls the draw order of hatches and fills.

Hatch command has many Variables associated with it, explore this list and experiment:

• HPANG variable sets the angle for new hatch patterns.
• HPDOUBLE variable specifies hatch pattern doubling for user-defined patterns.
• HPSPACE variable sets the hatch pattern line spacing for user-defined patterns.
• HPSCALE variable sets the hatch pattern scale factor.
• HPANNOTATIVE variable controls whether a new hatch pattern is annotative.
• HPASSOC variable controls whether hatches and fills are associative.
• HPGAPTOL variable treats a set of objects that almost enclose an area as a closed hatch boundary.
• HPINHERIT variable controls the hatch origin of the resulting hatch when using Inherit Properties in HATCH and HATCHEDIT commands.
• HPMAXLINES variable sets the maximum number of hatch lines that are generated in a hatch operation.
• HPNAME variable sets the default hatch pattern name.
• HPOBJWARNING variable sets the number of hatch boundary objects that can be selected before displaying a warning message.
• HPORIGIN variable sets the hatch origin point for new hatch patterns relative to the current user coordinate system.
• HPORIGINMODE variable controls how the default hatch origin point is determined.
• HPSEPARATE variable controls whether a single hatch object or separate hatch objects are created when operating on several closed boundaries.
• HPTRANSPARENCY variable sets the default transparency for new hatches and fills.
• HPISLANDDETECTION variable controls how islands within the hatch boundary are treated.
• HPISLANDDETECTIONMODE variable controls whether internal closed boundaries, called islands, are detected.

Note this control for PUBLISH command:

• PUBLISHHATCH variable Controls whether hatch patterns published to DWF or DWFx format are treated as a single object when they are opened in Autodesk Impression.

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AutoCAD/LT Hatch, commands and variables