hatch22 - a Revit hatch pattern creation tool

(apologies to Joseph Heller)

Legal

Download

Installation

Use

Examples

Comments/ Feedback

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Legal

• mertens3d.com is providing this software free of charge. By downloading, installing and/or using it, you agree to release mertens3d.com from all liability.
• You may link to this site (please do), but please do not host these files elsewhere.

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Download

Note: this version is obsolete. For the Hatch-2012 (compatible with Revit 2011), click here.

• v.01.02.11.c BETA
  • bug fixes
  • error checking for min/max values
  • import enabled
  • google translation dialog enabled
  • hatch 'dots' added
• v.12.14.10.b BETA
• v.12.14.10.a BETA
• v.12.13.10.a BETA
• v.12.10.10.a BETA
• zip file containing the dll and its associated addin file (v.12.08.10.c BETA)
• zip file containing the dll and its associated addin file (v.12.08.10.a BETA)

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Installation

1. Unzip the zip file to your addin folder.
• In a non-user specific location in "application data"
  • For Windows XP - C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2011\
  • For Vista/Windows 7 - C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2011\
• In a user specific location in "application data"
  • For Windows XP - C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2011\
  • For Vista/Windows 7 - C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2011\

note: these locations must be on your local drive (not on a path drive).

2. Test. When you restart Revit, a "mertens3d" button should have been added to your Revit dialog under the add-ins tab. Under that pulldown should be the hatch22 button.

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Use

This routine works under the assumption that your hatch is going to repeat in a regular grid, or repeating box.

While Revit (and AutoCAD) hatch patterns allow for more variety in the hatch pattern definitions, I've found that this method works for every hatch pattern that I've ever needed.

Just in case...

• It's probably a good idea to run this routine in a separate Revit file so that you can save your hatch source and so that you don't pollute your working files with the line styles that this routine creates.
• Also, make sure you save any currently open files in case this routine generates an error and causes Revit to crash. (Please let me know if it does).

 

1. Draw a rectangle that represents the repeating (or tiling) boundary of your hatch pattern. Revit will repeat this pattern in both the x and y directions (relative to the element being hatched).
   • Detail Hatch: draw at the scale the hatch should appear when plotted. Your boundary will probably be 1/8" to 3" wide.
   • Model Hatch: draw to real world dimensions. These will probably be drawn much larger than detail hatches. For instance the brick in a brick hatch will probably be 8 inches wide (nominally).
   
   
2. Select the add-ins tab --> mertens3d --> "hatch22"


3. In the hatch22 dialog, click on "make subcategories". This will create 4 new line type subcategories in your Revit file.






4. Draw your hatch pattern with detail lines and assign them one of the four hatch22 linestyles. See examples below. Note that hatch patterns only allow straight lines (is that redundant?).. No curves, circles or arcs. You'll have to approximate curved shapes with a series of short lines.



• "hatch22 - Boundary" - use for the boundary of your hatch repeat. These lines will not become part of your hatch pattern and are only used to determine the repeat width and height.
• "hatch22 - Continuous" - use for lines that should appear as continuous from one side of the hatch to the other
• "hatch22 - Dashed" - use for lines that are not continuous and are instead broken or dashed.
• "hatch22 - Dot" - use to draw circles that represent dots. The routine will create small lines at the center of the circle. The length of these lines will be the minimum allowed by revit. The size of the circle has no effect on the dot size.


5. The master pattern above would result in this hatch pattern.



 

6. If you closed the hatch22 routine, start it again. (you can leave it open and off to the side while you work).
7. Select all the detail lines that make up your boundary, dashed and continuous lines. (You can do a crossing selection. Illegal objects such as dimensions, reference planes and headless chickens will be ignored.)
8. Fill out your Hatch Name and Comment.
9. Select the appropriate button for either Drafting Hatch or Model Hatch.
10. Hit the "Make Hatch From Selection" button
11. There are a finite number of legal hatch angles. These angles are based on the width and height of your boundary.
    If your hatch lines don't match one of legal angles the nearest angle will be found and used.
    The routine will ask if you'd like it to modify your lines to match the nearest angle.
    Most of the time it's best to let the routine modify your lines then manually move/trim the modified lines as required.
    As long as you don't change the line angle (and the boundary stays the same) the modified lines will be accepted.
    Re-run "Make Hatch From Selection" after manually adjusting.
    
    
12. If the routine runs successfully, the hatch pattern definition will appear in the white window. You can either copy this definition to your clipboard or save it as a .pat file.

 

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Examples

Pattern		Result