I’ve been looking through the docs but can’t find the info about a way to create a custom hatching pattern. How do you approach it in Rhino? Can you create those using Rhino alone?
Rhino supports importing hatch pattern from Autocad style “PAT” files, or importing them from other Rhino 3dm files.
From the Help file article for Hatch:
Hatch patterns
- Hatch patterns that are loaded in a model are saved with the model. Hatch patterns can also be included in template files or loaded from an AutoCAD .pat file.
- Use Hatch properties to change an existing hatch pattern, rotation, or scale.
- Remove unwanted hatch patterns from the file with the Purge command.
To use hatch patterns defined in another Rhino model
- Import a model that contains the hatch pattern definitions (this can be a blank model).
- Define hatch patterns in the template files.
- Copy an object with the hatch pattern and paste it into your current model.
- In Hatch Document Properties, click the Import button to load hatch patterns from a Rhino file or a .pat file.
Chiming in more as an AutoCAD expert here. Creating a custom hatch definition in an AutoCAD .pat file can be a bit daunting. But it’s achievable. The attached image shows a couple hatch patterns I made (for Revit actually, hence one for each angle; there were ways around that even but I’m risking going off on a tangent here). There’s a website called cadhatch.com… but I want to express a caveat that I have never downloaded anything from that site. It looks super useful… too good to be free… there must be some catch?
My advice would be that if your hatch pattern is very simple (just lines) you can create it yourself. If it’s complex, you’ll have to dig something up on an internet search. There are a few different ways to get a hold of a ‘.PAT’ file, it doesn’t have to be straight from AutoCAD necessarily (small chance I could be wrong here). Vectorworks also uses .PAT files I believe and has many hatches not included with AutoCAD. If you knew someone with Vectorworks, you could have them export to CAD, and then import that CAD into Rhino (hopefully it works - best to import into a blank file and not a file that’s dear to you).
I’ve used a bunch of hatches from cadhatch, they’re fine. Not an incredible variety, but there are some useful ones.
Hi,
okay but still the question of making a customized hatch in rhino? Is it possible? Or a drawing which is a dxf/dwg format into a .pat file?
There’s an AutoLISP program that makes custom hatches. The program will work in AutoCAD and maybe other CAD’s as well (BricsCAD, GstarCAD, etc…) but I haven’t tried it in anything but ACAD. You have to follow the directions very precisely, which means a bit of reading. You’ll also need a bit of an eye for how patterns repeat or the pattern won’t look good. But after that it’s quite easy. I used it to make my own concrete hatch:
Here’s the link:
You have to click the little “download this tip” button to actually download the LISP file.
Hatches can be created from raw text files but it’s brutally hard. Even with the hatch LISP it’s time intensive. I would personally send this task to Upwork or Freelancer if I didn’t already know how to do it.
Great, thank you i’ll give this a try.
Importing hatch patterns does not work in Rhino 7.23.
That’s odd. It’s listed as supported in the Help file, and I’ve tested it years ago.
I’ll have a look when I can come up for air…
It’s only drag and drop that is not supported, importing via the Options>Hatch works fine. This is still the case with the WIP as well. Still listed as “Future”. https://mcneel.myjetbrains.com/youtrack/issue/RH-29081/Hatch-add-PAT-files-by-drag-and-drop
I just downloaded a free pat file imported it using the Import button in Options > Hatch.
It worked just fine.
Depending on exactly what you are looking for I would actually have time to make a hatch tomorrow - well one try at it at least. I’ll be taking a sick day from work tomorrow 
. In the near future I’m planning to make my own custom wood grain hatch.
“MakeHatch” by @SamPage is always what I’ve used to make my own hatches.
makeHatch.rhp (85.5 KB)
3 Likes
Yes please let me attach the dxf file i have.
Hatch Kit - Rev01.dxf (3.2 MB)
Is it a command which just works when i download it? thanks let me go on to their page to find out more.
I won’t have time to create all of these, nor match them exactly. In order for the hatches to repeat, it’s a bit of an art, getting things to line up and all. I’ve created one hatch very similar to one of the 6. All those hatches are achievable it will just take time, as well as compromising some of the details.
I’m going to wait and see how that Rhino plugin works before I bother creating anything else. That might be a better solution.
Important Note: This hatch appears to be working fine, but when I tried to over-write it in my working file it didn’t cooperate. Make sure you test it out in a new/empty file first. Also: It seems like I can’t upload a .PAT file anyways. The 3dm file should work.
kcs_FieldStone Hatch.3dm (234.3 KB)
Hi @snak It’s a Plugin that can be Installed via Options > Plugins, and then you can use the command line to call it.
I made another one just to see if a different method worked faster. It took the same amount of time, but I think this hatch was harder to create, it’s done so I’ll just post it.
It seems to be taking me about 30 to 45 minutes per each more complex hatch. An easier one would only take 5 to 15 minutes.
kCs_Rubble Hatch.3dm (270.6 KB)