AutoCAD - Hatches in this program are not working (and it's 2022)

[sascari]

What is the secret to getting hatches to work in this program? I have a closed polyline boundary but no matter what I do, the hatch bleeds out into adjacent boundaries regardless of what zoom level I'm at. Please, can anyone tell me how to get hatches to work here? Microsoft Paint has figured this out. What's going on?!?!

[ The subject line of this post has been edited to include the product name by @handjonathan ]

[RobDraw]

Post your file here as this is probably not a problem with the program.

[3wood]

Can you trace over the polyline and redraw it? Sometimes there are redundant vertex or overlapped segments. 

[imadHabash]

Hi,

Try to isolate the boundary that you want to hatch and take it far from the adjacent objects.

[sascari]

@RobDrawI've worked on hundreds of projects in CAD and hatches has always been a challenge. In fact, it's such a common problem that it's such an established fact in my industry that we have running jokes about it. There's no need to run defense for Autodesk just because their 30 year old software has some glitches here and there. I have to hatch about 300 different closed areas with the pick point option and every 3rd or 4th hatch "Boundary could not be determined" even though I can clearly click inside a closed polyline that I'm working with and AutoCAD tells me it's a closed polyline. Is there something I'm missing? I'm also working on an AMD Ryzen 5 with a GTX 1050 and 32gb of RAM.

[RobDraw]

---

@sascari wrote:

@RobDrawI've worked on hundreds of projects in CAD and hatches has always been a challenge. In fact, it's such a common problem that it's such an established fact in my industry that we have running jokes about it.

---

An entire industry doing the same thing for that long and expecting different results? That hardly sounds like it's true. I think you're exaggerating.

---

@sascari wrote:

@RobDrawThere's no need to run defense for Autodesk just because their 30 year old software has some glitches here and there. 

---

Don't put words in my mouth. I was merely pointing out that most people that need to work with hatches have found ways to work with them.

---

@sascari wrote:

@RobDraw I have to hatch about 300 different closed areas with the pick point option and every 3rd or 4th hatch "Boundary could not be determined" even though I can clearly click inside a closed polyline that I'm working with and AutoCAD tells me it's a closed polyline. Is there something I'm missing?

---

Yeah, when hatching a closed polylines it is best to select the boundary. Using pick points is known to have unexpected issues.

BTW, this is a user help forum. You'll get much better traction by stating your real problem, describing what you are doing, and sharing an example file to illustrate your problem. There are some very intelligent people here that can tell you how to get what you want. Saying the program is the problem means nothing more than you don't think it can be done. The fact that you chose to respond to me in the manner says you don't want help, you just want to rant.

Two people offered possible solutions based on the limited information but you didn't even acknowledge them.

What's up with that?

[timothy_crouse]

You mentioned you have a closed polyline.  Does it look closed or did you close it?

As a reminder when things like this happen try:

pedeit

select the polyline

c  to close the polyline

See if it still bleeds through, my guess is there is a gap someplace.  Make sure it looks physically closed in with no gaps and you tie it all together with pedit close.

Best Regards

-Tim C.

[pendean]

@sascari Share your problem DWG file here please, identify where you are trying to hatch, let's all try it.

if you cannot share the DWG file, then Open a support case with Autodesk if you are on subscription to seek out Autodesk Support's help, remote help from fellow users is likely not suitable for your issue: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/customer-service/account-management/users-software/support-options/we...

HTH

[sascari]

@timothy_crouse  It's a closed polyline 100%. I even drew it and closed it.

[jaiganesh.venkatesan]

Hi boss,

Explode the polyline first and using the join command try to make a closed loop, if not try to filet the edges and the do hatch.

If you are OK with my solution, Please ACCEPT SOLUTION

Thanks

JAIGANESHGV

[nrz13 · Accepted solution]

Your question has already been answered.  Do you need help implementing one of the solutions?  We're all users here just like you and can't do anything about the program's woeful ability to hatch (which I think actually got worse from the 2020 to 2022 version).

Because our firm doesn't deal exclusively in polylines, I find the best solution is to isolate the layer (or objects if hatching between multiple layers) using the LAYISO command and then use the HATCH command.  In your case with a closed polyline, using the edge selection should work, but if not just isolate the object first and then pick the edge.  That's the secret.

[sascari]

thank you @nrz13 appreciate the response. I'm already on layiso, unloaded all xrefs, etc. One trick I found that seems to work is increasing the scale of the hatch. Either way, let's keep praying and maybe some day this too will get resolved. Or maybe we'll get another useless BIM 360 product. Who knows.

[RobDraw]

Or maybe you will stop using pick points.

[sascari]

@RobDrawI really wish I could. I was gifted a file from a client with some 300 areas that need to be hatched. The design is drafted already... the quickest would be to use pick points in all the areas. The alternative would be to go over every single area and trace over with new closed polylines...which would take hours. Is there something I'm missing?

[RobDraw]

Yeah, why can't you select the polylines?

[sascari]

Because the file I inherited are not closed polylines. They are lots of overlapping lines though!

[RobDraw]

Why did you say you have closed polylines in your first post?

Pick points is the most problematic option for hatching and has been for decades. You must know that and find alternative methods.

[sascari]

@RobDrawgood question. I wasn't very clear, but essentially I drew some closedy polylines in certain areas to "truth" conditions and verify if there was a gap anywhere, only to find the hatch still bleeding out of the specific area. Hatches and AutoCAD are like oil and water I guess.

[pendean]

@ sascari I'm not sure what you mean by "...verify if there was a gap anywhere...", what AutoCAD-based method did you use exactly?

In our offices the only users that seem to have the most HATCH problems are the ones that are in too much of a hurry to follow some of the excellent tips offered in the posts above from seasoned AutoCAD users.

[sascari]

@pendeanis this ...trolling? I've explicitly and clearly stated the problem. And it's been determined that pick points method is problematic by many users. Just to restate: there is a closed polyline, I click inside with pick points option to hatch the area, and the hatch bleeds out. Now, I ask you, is this a user error or a software problem?