How to control the view of a Hatch Thumbnail

[compusam]

Does anyone know how to control the scale of a hatch thumbnail in the Resource Browser? When I create or import a complex hatch pattern (a StoneCad stone hatch, for example), some times the thumbnail of the hatch pattern shown in the Resource Browser is so full of lines that the hatch appears all black in the thumbnail. Is there a way to create a thumbnail of the hatch that is zoomed in so I can actually see the hatch lines in more detail? I have tried different zoom levels in the hatch creation window, but this has no affect.

Thanks

[Ozzie]

Scale of file hatch lives in?

[CipesDesign]

Easy, in any open file which contains the texture resource, Option Click the thumbnail which will open the Edit Texture Dialog. In the Edit Texture Dialog, in Preview Options change the Image Size to something that looks correct to you. Exit the dialog and the the thumbnail should look just like the preview you just set. Let me know if it works for you.

EDIT: oops, I was thinking you wanted to do this with a Texture Resource. Unfortunately I do not know of a way to change the thumbnail size of Hatches... Anyone have a suggestion?

Edited January 26, 2010 by CipesDesign

[Ray Libby]

Have you used the hatch? I would think if it is that small in the thumbnail it would need to be scaled up to use it.

[CipesDesign]

Hi Again, OZZIE is correct. Open the actual file where the hatch lives, then option double click the hatch resource, then scale by a factor of 2 (or more). Both the hatch and the thumbnail will show a larger (scaled up) image. This will also adjust the thumbnail of the hatch in any other other active file. Of course you will still be able the scale the hatch itself on a file by file level (by adjusting scale of hatch in another active file, NOT the parent file). Scaling in this way will leave the thumbnail unchanged. Hope that helps, and sorry for the previous (incorrect) responses!

[compusam]

OK. This sort of works. I can increase the "scale" of the hatch by a factor of 2 which makes the thumbnail scaled up and readable, however, this also makes the actual hatch bigger by a scale of 2 (ie. 100% bigger). This would wreak havoc on a hatch like a siding texture or a stone texture, however, by going back and scaling the texture again, by 0.5 (50%), the actual hatch goes back to its original intended size and the thumbnail is more useable.

This seems convoluted. It works, but is there some magic relationship between drawing scale, hatch scale, or whatever? that is more predictable in terms of thumbnails?

Thanks for your help?

[compusam]

OK, with your help, I think I have answered my own question.

If I set the drawing scale for a design layer to "1/4" = 1'-0," for example, then enter the edit hatch window and select "scale" and leave it at "1", the thumbnail will be recreated as an appropriate thumbnail for that design layer scale of drawing. If I change the design layer scale to say 1/8" = 1'-0" and enter the edit hatch window, the thumbnail will be recreated again at an appropriately smaller scale.

The key here was your suggestion to look at the hatch scale, but the layer scale at the time of editing the hatch is also a factor. So, the trick is to set the "design layer" scale at the time of editing the hatch to a scale most likely to be used in the drawing for that specific hatch. As long as the hatch scale is left at "1" the actual hatch will not be modified, only the thumbnail.

Thanks, this little detail has been bugging me? now I can get some sleep.