Hatch pattern error

[JohnRennie]

Is there a way I can identify an error in the acad.pat file?

I've pasted in a heap of legacy hatch patterns into the acad.pat file, but everytime I open a drawings I get an error message that I have to acknowledge before I can continue.

[maxim_k]

Hi John,

Could you please to review this thread at getsatisfaction.com. It is about hatch patterns in AC LT for Mac, but I'm sure that it also applies to full version of AC for Mac.

Maxim

[Leaf.chai]

Hi User,

Thanks for connecting Autodesk.

Can you share you hatch defination to us?

[JohnRennie]

Hi, I haven't managed to try Maxim's suggestions yet but here are my hatch pattern files. I've since reverted to the original hatch pattern file but I'm still getting the error messages crop up when I go to hatch something, or if I switch drawings.

My reseller had a look at the .pat file for me and said it was ok, but I did have a revit pattern in there (I think it was the schist pattern)

The strange thing is it is the same file I used on 2011 and it worked fine. It also waorks fine on the windows version of AutoCAD 2012 too.

I'm unable to attach a .pat file to the forum post, so is there any other way I can get it sent to you?

[maxim_k]

Hi John,
In order to be able to attach .pat file you have to compress it and attach as .zip archive

Maxim

[JohnRennie]

Here are the hatch patterns (old and new)

[maxim_k]

Hi John,

Maybe it is strange, but your modified acad.pat works for me well - no warning messages. Maybe the case is in DWG file?

Maxim

[JohnRennie]

Thanks Maxim,

I'm not entirely sure what is going on really, as I cant get any errors to repeat in the Windows version.

I've attached the dwg file for you if you get a chance to look at this too.

[JohnRennie]

Actually it must be something else as it comes up with a couple of error messages everytime I go into a hatch command in any drawing.

Either way it is very annoying, especially as I have reverted back to the original acad.pat file.

[maxim_k]

Hi John,

It appears that you have some ".pat" (with single hatch definition in it) somewhere on AutoCAD Support File Search Path, and this file have an error. An error message should look like this one:

Check, please, AutoCAD Support File Search Path for additional .PAT files.

Maxim

[GraciMaiO]

Hello I am Having this problem please help me.

[maxim_k]

Welcome to the Autodesk Forums!

Hi,

At what moment exactly do you get this alert - please provide more details.

Maxim

[GraciMaiO]

Well I get this message when i Decide to hatch  something I open the hatch tool and when I click Hatch it appears this message is pretty annoying please help me.

[maxim_k]

Not absolutely sure, but maybe you have this file 3tab.pat somewhere on AutoCAD support files search path (or maybe in the same folder as the opened DWG file). It seems this file have errors in hatch pattern defenition and AutoCAD can not load it correctly to Hatch library.
Try to find this file - 3tab.pat - on your Mac with Spotlight search and move it to some location where AutoCAD will not find it (external flash drive for example). then try to use Hatch command.

Maxim

[eric · Accepted solution]

I have been struggling with this for a while with Autocad mac and have figured out how to make any hatch work. 

The mac version seems to be very finicky when it comes to how the files are written and the naming is case sensative.

One of the following changes is what fixed it, but I am not sure which one did the trick:

Rename the files from

1) MONTANALEDGE.PAT or MontanaLedge.pat --- to --- montanaledge.pat

2) Open the file in Textedit or some rich text program and take out any notes that may look like this:

;-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;-Template=Entities
;-Source =G:\Graphics\Artwork\CAD\Ha...estones\VirginiaLedge\Virginia Ledge.dxf
;-Date =12/22/2009
;-Time =1:53:31 PM
;-HatchKitVersion=2.7.1.1995

3) Change the first line of the file to match the file name.

If it is montanaledge.pat ---- then:

*MONTANALEDGE, Mountain Stone

I include the comma and a description because the default hatches have that. Note that the file name AND extension are all lowercase, but the name in the text file is all uppercase.

4) Remove any spaces and blank lines from the end of the .pat file and then add one blank line (not sure if this does anything). 

Good luck! I have made this work for 5 or six hatches I have tried it on.

[calaudiopile]

Seems like a pretty crazy workaround to the known hatch issues in AutoCAD for Mac... Wonder why they just don't fix the bug? Maybe they think that AutoCAD for Mac users don't need hatches?

[donaldgoerig]

Hi Maxim

I get this Hatch error as well.  I am on ACAD LT 2016 for mac.  Whenever I paste a hatch from another drawing, I am able to copy properties but whenever I try ro start a custom hatch from scratch, I always get the error message.  Any idea on this one?

Don

[maxim_k]

Hi Don,

Can you share problem hatch pattern file?

Maxim

[donaldgoerig]

Yes, here it is.  This actually happens on all 3rd party patterns I have.  If it works for you, list the exact steps you do and I will try it again on my end.  Same thing happens to be both on my macbook and desktop.

Don

[maxim_k]

Works fine on my side.
Here is how I setup custom hatch patterns:
- I created special folder for custom hatch patterns
- Added this folder to AutoCAD Support Files Search path in AutoCAD Preferences
- that is all.

Maxim