Change Sketch Hatch/Fill Layer?

[gerhick]

Hi all,

I can't help but think I'm overlooking something simple here... But I want to create multiple Hatches/Fill Regions (for a sketch in a drawing) on multiple layers. Hatch1 goes on Layer 1, Hatch 2 goes on Layer 2 and so forth.

From what I can tell, the only control we have over the layer is by means of changing the 'Object Defaults' in the Styles Manager. But that means that all hatches will be on the same layer.

Can anyone confirm or correct this for me?

Regards

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi gerhick,

You can place your hatches in the sketch, and then switch over to the Annotate tab, and then select each hatch, and then select the layer to place it on from the Layer drop down list.

If you need to do a lot of this, you might consider adding a Layer button to your Sketch tab. You can do this by right clicking anywhere on the sketch tab and select Customize USer Commands:

Then select the Annotate tab and select the Layer tool. This will add a button the sketch tab that will allow you to change layers more easily:

I hope that helps.

Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,

Curtis

http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com/

[gerhick]

Okay... Good point, that works well.

I should have tested hatches before I made my original post. My issues was actually related to Colour Fill, I just assumed hatches would be the same since they use the same tool...

Can you repeat those steps for Colour Fill?

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Ahhh, I see. You're correct it doesn't work with Colour Fills. At least I could not get it to. It seems that we can't select the Fill object unless the Hatch/Fill tool is active, unless I missed something in the selection filters.

[gerhick]

Yeah, thats the same behaviour I'm getting. I couldn't even see any layer properties etc for the Colour Fill in the VBA side of things...

I think we might just go with a hatch that has a very small scale...

Thanks for your help.

[scottmoyse]

Another example of consistency issues with Autodesk Software! :o(

[dominiek_vanwest]

Hi,

I have the same problem. I'm using Inventor 2015. I see this post is from 2011.

Is it really true that this is still not possible in 2015?

Is there a workaround for this (putting a very small number as scale is not an option as Inventor seems to have problems with that, too many lines probably)?

Thanks in advance,

Dominiek

[dominiek_vanwest]

Does someone have an answer to my question above?

Thanks in advance,

Dominiek

[scottmoyse]

---

@dominiek_vanwest wrote:

Is there a workaround for this (putting a very small number as scale is not an option as Inventor seems to have problems with that, too many lines probably)?

---

I've done this a lot in the past and havent noticed any issues. Maybe you did it too tight? There are some hatch enhancement requests on the ideastation, make sure you vote for them.

[dominiek_vanwest]

With putting a small number as scale, the file size increases, which is something I'd like to avoid.

Many times the idw files need to be saved as autocad file or pdf, which also increase in file size.

I'd search through the ideastation, though that's rather crappy organized, everything together, a bit of sorting would have been better.....

[bruce.willisSHVV7]

2018

Has this been fixed yet?

I want to use filled symbols to highlight features, and I want to be able to turn them on or off, depending on who is using the drawing.

Surely by now this feature has been added?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I am not 100% sure your issue is the same as this old thread. Solid Fill hatch has been implemented for a few releases. You can predefine the solid fill color or you can change it within a sketch based hatch. Could you try it and see if your workflow works? Or, please describe the exact workflow or result you are looking for.

Many thanks!

[bruce.willisSHVV7]

Yes it is an old thread, and one that, from what I've seen, has not yet been adequately resolved.

The company for which I work sends that same drawing to different departments for manufacture.

Traditionally, these drawings would have different features highlighted for specific attention by the different departments, and these features were added manually.

What seek to to is to but the different symbols on different layers, so that these drawings do not need post printing attention.

This much I can do, and has been a longstanding feature.

Traditionally we would use coloured highlighters to make these individual symbols stand out.

I can put a hatch on the appropriate layer of the symbol (I can click on the hatch and change the layer through the Annotations menu.)

Is there a way to change the layer of a solid fill?

I believe that this was the gist of the original enquiry all those years ago..

Thank you

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Indeed, the ability to change individual hatch layer is not available yet. This sounds like a workflow AutoCAD can handle easily. AutoCAD actually can create associative drawing views of Inventor assemblies and parts. The command is called VIEWBASE. Have you tried it before?

Many thanks!

[bruce.willisSHVV7]

Hatch layers can be changed.

Fill layers cannot be changed.

We have thousands of legacy drawings.

We do not wish to recreate them.

Can this feature be added to Inventor.

We have been asking for it for many years.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! The closest idea on the forum is the following.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/sketch-hatching/idi-p/6323068

This is about the ability to define solid hatch. However, the ability to change layer has not been well defined. Currently, you can change Sketch Hatch layer color so that all the Solid hatch color will be changed. However, it cannot be done on a per hatch basis. Do you mind elaborating the exact requirement you are looking for?

Many thanks!

[bruce.willisSHVV7]

I want to change the the layer of a colour fill in an idw sketch.

I know that I can change the layer of a hatch, but I want to change the layer of a colour fill.

kelly.young has embedded your image for clarity.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Many thanks for the additional information! Indeed, the ability to designate one hatch to a different layer is not yet available. I will work with the project team to understand the request better and see what we can do.

Thanks again!