To start with... you need to mention units, type ...checkout some existing pat file and
you can understand requirement...
;%UNITS=MM
;%TYPE=MODEL
;%UNITS=INCH
;%TYPE=DRAFTING
Read this out to get some basics right if you want to edit pat files and
customize it for Revit
; Fill patterns are also known as hatches and fills.
;
;;; Model vs. Drafting patterns
;
; There are two types of fill patterns in Revit: model and drafting. Model patterns are used to
; depict real-world elements, such as bricks, shingles, tiles, etc. They are defined and display
; in model units. An 8x16 inch brick pattern will show exactly 12 courses on an 8-foot-tall wall.
; A 2-meter-tall wall with a 200x400 mm brick pattern will have 10 courses. Model patterns appear
; denser at coarser view scales and sparser at finer ones.
;
; Drafting patterns are defined in paper units. If you import the pattern at scale 1 and print at
; 100% zoom, the pattern's dimensions on paper will be exactly as specified in the file,
; regardless of view scale. Drafting patterns are used to symbolically denote materials such as
; steel, concrete, sand, etc.
;
; Drafting patterns are typically defined with smaller numbers than model patterns. Drafting
; patterns usually contain sizes from 0.04 to 1 inch (1 - 25 mm); model patterns usually contain
; sizes from 2 to 20 inches (50 - 500 mm). These are guidelines only, not enforced by Revit.
; Revit's existing restrictions limit the maximum size and density of the patterns, and a review
; of these restrictions is planned for a future release.
;
;;; Pattern files
;
; Revit pattern files contain custom fill pattern definitions. They are modeled after the AutoCAD
; hatch pattern files, with a few additions. The file extension is .pat. A file may contain an
; arbitrary number of patterns. To use the patterns, import the file using the Fill Patterns
; dialog. See Help for detailed instructions.
;
; If a pattern file contains an error, Revit will not import it. An error message will indicate
; the erroneous line. Revit may consider a pattern to be too large or too dense. If it does,
; modify the import scale or the pattern definition. Once a pattern is imported, it is stored in
; the project, independent of the original file.
;
;;; Pattern file format
;
; All lines must be less than 4096 characters long. Lines beginning with ;% are Revit directives.
; Lines beginning with ; are comments. Lines beginning with * begin new pattern definitions.
; Blank lines are ignored.
;
; The file consists of a prologue followed by pattern definitions. The prologue may contain the
; following directives:
;
; ;%VERSION=3.0
;
; This identifies the file as a Revit Fill Pattern file of the specified version. The version
; described here is 3.0. Include this directive in your files for future compatibility.
;
; ;%UNITS=INCH or
; ;%UNITS=MM
;
; This describes the units in which patterns are defined. Specifying units in the file is
; preferred to modifying the import scale. If neither directive is present, Revit will assume that
; the patterns are defined in inches.
;
;;; Pattern definition format
;
; A pattern definition consists of the name header, type directive and line families. Each one is
; placed on a separate line. The entire pattern is terminated by the following header or the end
; of the file.
;
;;; Header format
;
; *name, comment
;
; The name may contain any ASCII characters except for comma. They are shown in the list of
; imported patterns. The comma and comment are optional. They are ignored by Revit. The header
; may be followed by one of the following type directives:
;
; ;%TYPE=DRAFTING or
; ;%TYPE=MODEL
;
; If neither directive is present, Revit assumes that it is a drafting pattern.
;
;;; Line families
;
; Each line family is a set of parallel lines that build one "direction" of a pattern. A complete
; pattern may be defined by several families each defining part of the final, such as the vertical
; joints of brick coursing. The lines are described in the two dimensions of a face as follows:
;
; angle, x-origin, y-origin, shift, offset, dash, space, dash, space ...
;
; Angle specifies the direction, in degrees, of a set of lines relative to the x-axis. The first
; line in the set starts at the specified x,y-origin. Parallel lines are drawn as specified by
; Offset and Shift to fill the entire face. Offset defines the distance between parallel lines.
; Zero Offset is not allowed. Shift moves the pattern of dashes and spaces along the length of
; each new parallel line. Shift is ignored if the line is solid. Distances are expressed as
; decimal numbers (using peroid as the decimal separator) in the units previously specified.
;
; The dash-space sequence defines a repeating pattern of dashes and spaces for a line. If it is
; omitted, the line is solid. Positive numbers define dashes, negative numbers define spaces, and
; zero specifies a dot. If you begin a pattern with a space, do not alternate dashes and spaces,
; or do not end with a space, Revit will introduce tiny dashes or spaces to compensate. Revit
; expands dots and very short dashes into dashes of a minimum size.
;
;;; Worked example
;
; ;%UNITS=INCH
; ;%VERSION=3.0
;
; *Block 8x16, 8 x 16 blocks running bond
; ;%TYPE=MODEL
; 0, 0, 0, 0, 8
; 90, 0, 0, 8, 8, 8, -8
;
; This pattern is called "Block 8x16"; you will see this name when you import it into Revit. It is
; a model pattern. It has two families of lines. The first family creates the horizontal coursing:
;
; angle = 0 => lines are horizontal
; x,y-origin = 0,0
; shift = 0 => line pattern is not shifted
; offset = 8 => consecutive lines are 8 model inches apart
; no line pattern => the line is solid.
;
; The second family creates the vertical joints:
;
; angle = 90 => lines are vertical
; x,y-origin = 0,0 => the pattern begins at the same point as the horizontals
; shift = 8 => line pattern is is shifted by 8 model inches for consecutive lines
; offset = 8 => consecutive lines are 8 model inches apart
; dash = 8 => each line is built of 8" dashes and 8" spaces
; space = 8 => this pattern repeats until the face boundary
;
; The shift makes the vertical segments appear between alternating pairs of horizontal lines,
; which appears as 16 inch bricks in interlocking bond.
;
;;; Differences from AutoCAD
;
; - AutoCAD has an 80-character line size limit, Revit's is 4096.
; - AutoCAD allows arbitrary sequences of dashes, spaces and dots, Revit coerces them into dash-
; space format by inserting zero spaces and dashes.
; - AutoCAD has a notion of dots, Revit expands them (including the zero dashes it inserted) into
; short dashes.
; - AutoCAD has a maximum of 6 components to a line pattern, Revit has no limit.
; - AutoCAD does not allow spaces in a pattern name, Revit does.
; - AutoCAD allows only one pattern per a custom file, with pattern name matching file name, and
; with the file residing in a known location. Revit has none of these restrictions.
; - AutoCAD and Revit utilize different logic to decide whether a pattern is acceptable.
;
; Note that when Revit exports its models into AutoCAD formats, such as DWG, it makes sure to
; comply with the more stringent AutoCAD requirements.
Corsten
Building Designer
