Consultant using true color solid hatches for masks - printing black

[David_Knight]

We have a consultant that uses the Autodesk Civil Package... and when they export their files to us to use, there is always a piece of hatch color 0,0,0 that is behind the text.

This unfortunately is on the same layer as the text, and is in each block.  He exports it to a file i can open in ADT 2012 and it converts every block to a unique anonymous block.  This of course means that (for example) for every tree that will be in my printing area, the text associated with it prints as a black box.

So I've had to go in and refedit each and every block and kill the solid hatch that's there.  Aside from exploding all of the blocks then mass erasing the solid hatches, is there a way to setup the pentable to print a "true color" as a different color then specified?

I double checked, and did not see a way to tell that to print any different color since the pentable only controls non-true colors.

I suspect there isn't anything i can do except:

1) explode it to hell and delete the hatch

2) contact the consultant and get them to stop using a hatch (and use a wipeout instead)

3) groan and remove it from each block

Anyone have any insight on this issue?

[MarySeufert · Accepted solution]

I'll give you a little background on what you are seeing. Civil 3D labels styles use hatches (not wipeouts) for background masking. The color is defined by reading what the drawing background color is, in your case black. No getting around this.

I would contact the consultant and tell them to change their label styles to not use the Background Mask before sending you the file. I've attached an image so you can point them to it if need be.

Another thing is that they do not need to export the file to you. Install the Civil3D Object Enabler and you can open drawings with C3D AEC objects in it.

Good luck ~ Mary

[David_Knight]

Thanks for that!

I'll pass it along.