Can I create a new fill pattern?

[cris_scotti]

When I need a new pattern, I first search Revit itself for fill patterns, or download one from Revit City, they have tons of them. However, sometimes I wish I could create one of my own. Is it possible? If so, does anyone know how to do it? I could not find any information on either the Revit tutorials or help.
Cristina

[hugh.69031]

If you find and open the file Revit.pat you will find some comments describing the slight differences between Revit patterns and AutoCAD patterns and how to change a pattern to a model pattern before loading the pattern into Revit.

Some links you may find useful:

ANYONE HELP (With Fill Pattern Questions)? (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=13609)
Downloading Fill Patterns (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=13859)
http://forums.augi.com/images/icons/icon10.gifHatch editor, interim solution (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=19493)
http://forums.augi.com/images/icons/icon5.gifTool(s) for Creating Custom .pat files? (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=22639)

:arrow: hatch pattern collections (http://www.cadro.com.au/hatchkit/HatLinks.html)


hope this helps,

Hugh Adamson
www.cadro.com/hatchkit (http://www.cadro.com/hatchkit)

[cris_scotti]

Hugh, thank you for answering so quickly. From what you say, I need this Hatchkit software to do it. I just downloaded the demo and will play with it.
As for opening the Revit.pat file, when I try I get the "Failed to open document" message from Revit. How can I open it? I would like to read the comments you mentioned.
By the way, this file is still a Revit 7.0 type even with Revit 8.1.

Cristina Scotti

[Joef]

The .pat file is a simple text file and can be opened with Wordpad. If you are looking for a specific hatch pattern post a description and there is a strong possibility that someone here will have it (or something like it).

Joe

[hugh.69031]

Joef's right. My apologies for failing to mention that Revit.pat is a plain text file that can be viewed and edited with Notepad or Wordpad.

And right again by mentioning that posting a description can win a you a quick result, to which I suggest adding a posted sketch.

Some further links about Revit.pat from this forum

Revit.pat question (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=21915&highlight=revit.pat)
Masonry surface pattern (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=7394&highlight=revit.pat)
Hatch Patterns - Drafting to Model type (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=476&highlight=revit.pat)
Concrete Hatch Pattern too light? (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=19421&highlight=hatch)

Any version of HatchKit can be used as a viewer for hatch pattern files. When inspecting patterns in files containing multiple patterns use the pattern name pulldown list to select a pattern to view.

Hugh Adamson
Cadro Pty Ltd
www.cadro.com.au/hatchkit/ (http://www.cadro.com.au/hatchkit/)

[SCShell]

Hey there,

To answer your question, yes. When you go to select a fill pattern, you can either add or edit a pattern there. (Both model and/or drafting)

Good luck
Steve

[tonyisenhoff]

If you have ever had AutoCAD, hatch pattern creation is covered in the customization guide... It doesn't seem like the best use of time, because it's HARD!!... Too much thinkin for me - but it's do-able.

As already stated, once you have a .pat file, you just have to add the required line of text for Revit to understand & use.

If you don't have the customization guide, I can post the help file.

Tony Isenhoff

[cris_scotti]

Hugh, Joe, Steve and Tony,
Many thanks to all of you! I'm overwhelm with the response I received. I don't have a particular need right now, but in many a times I have found myself wishing I could create a pattern. I should be able to do it now following some of the recommendations. Thanks again.

Cristina Scotti
Goodyear, Arizona

[dgraue]

This does not refer to customizing hatch patterns, but if you have a particular hatch pattern in autocad you want to use in Revit, there is a quick way to load it. In autocad draw a rectangular polyline and fill it with the hatch pattern you want (you may need to adjust the scale of this hatch), save it and import this dwg file into Revit...then explode the dwg. Now this hatch pattern can now be found in the model pattern type of your Fill Patterns in Revit.

I've found this to be helpful when I need a new hatch pattern on the fly.

[cosmickingpin]

There are a few pattern editors that make pattern creation very easy, some allow for graphic editing (sketching and drawing) they sell for 35-50 USD, but well worth the money if you are doing it a lot. They create autocad patterns, but all you have to do is edit the first three lines in the file and it can be either a drafting or model pattern. google them up and you will see the options, I am sure this topic has been covered here in augi so search old threads and you will find some recommendations.

[tonyisenhoff]

Nice tip for a quickie!


This does not refer to customizing hatch patterns, but if you have a particular hatch pattern in autocad you want to use in Revit, there is a quick way to load it. In autocad draw a rectangular polyline and fill it with the hatch pattern you want (you may need to adjust the scale of this hatch), save it and import this dwg file into Revit...then explode the dwg. Now this hatch pattern can now be found in the model pattern type of your Fill Patterns in Revit.

I've found this to be helpful when I need a new hatch pattern on the fly.

[Steve_Stafford]

Nice tip for a quickie!Right! We've added it to Tips n Tricks...

[dbaldacchino]

I've used dgraue's tip several times, but now I'm faced with a little problem....I need the pattern to be a drafting pattern :( Is there any workaround to do this? Revit adds these patterns to the project file and I don't know of any way to write them out to a pat file which I can then edit to make them drafting patterns.....maybe I can go directly to the Acad pat file and cut-n-paste to a new file and import that instead.

EDIT: Yep, going directly to the pat file is the way to go if you want to have control over whether a pattern is drafting or model based.

[Teresa.Martin]

And another tip as well..
Remember that if you bring the pat file in from Autocad, you have a chance to change the scale which can be very usefull in a pinch!

[dbaldacchino]

Good point. I really wish Revit could change the scle on the fly without having to re-import (like creating new types of patterns from existing ones). I've gotten used to how linetypes and patterns can be scaled in Acad, but then those don't scale automatically according to your view scale (like drafting patterns in Revit). It's easier to maintain standards if you can't change certain parameters. Something's gotta give!