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Hatch behaviors and settings


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I've done quite a bit of searching here for this specific answer and haven't found anything that answers the questions specifically already, but pardon me if the answer already exists on this forum, or if it's just a REALLY easy solution that I am overlooking.

Problem: I have designed a curvy path (think: park) made of concrete, with lawn in the center of it. I would like to hatch the path using the standard 'concrete' pattern without hatching the lawn also (essentially, I want to hatch the donut, but not the donut hole). I have no idea how to select the 'island' and remove the hatch from it.

So far, my only work around is to select the inner polygon and fill it solid white, then just arrange the layers/classes to cover the hatch in the unwanted area.

I did read something about the 'island' principle, but that either didn't apply to my situation or was above my level of understanding.

Thanks in advance for any help.

VW 2008 Win7, 64-bit

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Thanks for your response, mar. I'm still not getting it, could you add some description?

After applying the hatch to the larger/outer boundary, I click on the inner boundary or on the hatch itself and 'clip surface' is grayed-out and not selectable.

I'm not sure what that does from there either.

Thanks again for you help.

EDIT: Ok, the 'VW Help' explained it fine and I got it to work. The problem was that I wasn't selecting ALL the objects, just the outer one.

This seems cumbersome, especially for a larger, more complicated set of objects, no? Is there no way to select 'islands' like ACAD?

I guess this works fine, though. Thanks again for you help.

Edited by Steelbreeze10
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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Are you a Landmark user? If so, you could use the Hardscape tool. That would allow you to define a single object that has both main area and border area, both of which can be hatched or tiled separately.

Alternatively, use Clip Surface as described above, but to get it to work, you'll need to select both the object and the object that is to clip it. Then, the command Modify>Clip Surface will be available. The object on top clips the one beneath it.

Hope that helps.

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Thanks all, I'm still getting dialed-in, but I'm well on my way.

Tamsin, yes I'm using Landmark and I tried using the hardscape tool once or twice and haven't warmed up to it yet. It doesn't seem to have the same flexibilities as using poly's to define weirdly shaped areas. I've been joining and trimming arcs and poly's and then hatching them for my hardscaped areas. Btw, trimming and joining poly's and arc's has been a real point of contention, to the point of shutting down the program spontaneously on my more than a few times.

Back to the Clip Surface command, though. It doesn't seem to work with hatches that are implemented by gong through the Modify>Hatch process. Why is that? Is it a difference between Associative vs. Non-associative Hatches? The pont is, one method of applying a hatch allows me to rotate it at inception, but not clip it, the other method allows the exact opposite. What am I missing here?

Thanks

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

An "associative" hatch is a hatch applied as an attribute of the object. It is part of that object. A non-associative hatch is a separate object that sits over the object you are looking to hatch. In fact, it is no longer a hatch at all - but a group of lines generated from the mathematical description built within the hatche definition.

Hardscapes can have hatches and these can be rotated using numbers on the object info palette. The hardscape can be drawn (using exactly the same drafting tools as the Polyline tool. A hardscape object can also be generated by drawing your arcs, lines and other geometry, using Modify > Compose to create a single outline of the desired shape. Then, you can use Modify > Convert > Objects from Polyline. Choose Hardscape. Once created, you can change the hardscape using the Hardscape Settings button on the Object Info palette.

For 2012 users, the Objects from Polyline command is now under the Landmark menu.

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That's all great info, thanks so much.

I really should be using the hardscape too, and after your description, I certainly will on my next project.

Edit: I just messed with it a little and see it's fairly easy to use, at least the converting/hatching part. One more question arises now. Why is the field transparent, but not the border? When I go into 'Hardscape Settings', I can select a color for the background, but there doesn't seem to be an option for 'no background color'?

I'm so glad I learned a little more about these tools and settings. I'm self-taught in VW, after teaching myself ACAD, and am pretty frustrated sometimes with VW's quirks, but always trying to see the light at the end, since I really don't want to switch back. And you all make it a little easier to keep learning.

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