Hatching around Objects

[fletch97]

Help.....trying to make our Interior Design group more efficient!

Here's the scenario.....

Let's say you have cafeteria with hatching to define the type of tile and than furniture blocks to designate where all the tables will be placed. Now sometimes we need to show just the tile (hatching) without the furniture, so we turn off the furniture layer but now you have all these gaps in the hatching were the furniture was. So to solve the visual issue, we created a second hatch layer, one with the cutouts for the furniture and the other one is the full room hatching. Now this works but when things change often and they do change often, it takes a lot of time to redo the hatching. According to my interior design group, they waste a lot of time dealing with this and they are looking to me for an easier solution but I really can't think of a better way...........does anyone out there have any suggestions?

Before someone actually suggests it....... I am afraid to have a wipeout built around each of my furniture blocks. Mostly because I have seen the wipeout command cause issues when creating pdf's or printing to color plotter. Where the wipeout box is......it prints out a solid black box. Even know the wipeout would solve my issue, i am really hesitant to use it.

Let me know what you guys think?

Thanks a bunch!

Steven Fletcher
CAD Manager

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Maybe look into adopting a little bit of 3D to accomplish the task -

I assume everything is drawn at Elevation 0 (Zero).

Place Hatch Pattern so it covers the complete area.

Recreate your Blocks, associating a Region or 3D Face Object with each one (think different Z Elevations).

Insert Blocks as required.

Then use the Hide command or the Hide Option associated with Floating Viewports (Layout / Paperspace).

The above is just a very brief outline, if you require additional information please shout....

Have a good one, Mike

[fletch97]

Thanks Mike!

Yes, everything is drawn at a 0 elevation but i'd hate to introduce blocks into the drawing at a different Z axis. I feel it might confuse and cause problems for the intermediate drafters in the office. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks again,
Steve

[jaberwok]

Steve,
I don't think Mike meant that you should insert the blocks with a positve z-value but that each block should contain a face or region with z-value. Each block would still be inserted at z=0.

[Glenn Pope]

Try using a solid hatch with the color 255 in your blocks. In your pen settings, set the screening to 0.

[Rick.B]

Try using a solid hatch with the color 255 in your blocks. In your pen settings, set the screening to 0.
This is how we handle the very same issue. Just make sure the block ends up on top of the hatch.