Pattern Files...

[Calvn_Swing]

Hey, anyone ever heard of a utility or a means to make pattern files from the fill patterns loaded in a Revit project. We've got a couple of projects where someone made a nifty custom pattern but neglected to keep the .pat file. The data is in the project somewhere, but I just can't seem to find it.

[wmullett]

Sorry - mis read this

[sjsl]

It's a text file.

[sfaust]

as far as I know, there is no way to extract a pattern from a project file. You may try asking for help from the factory. It may be easy for them to pull out (or maybe not, I don't know). Other than that, you may have to re-create...

[mruehr]

Cant you transfer the fill pattern via Tranfer Project Standards ?
also exporting it to Acad should do the job

[hugh.69031]

Via HatchKit:

Within the Revit project, fill a simple shape with the pattern and zoom in
Export current view as an AutoCAD DXF file
Open DXF file with HatchKit
Assign a pattern name and description
Save in appropriate Revit pattern file format.
regards,
Hugh Adamson
www.cadro.com.au (http://www.cadro.com.au)
www.hatchkit.com.au (http://www.hatchkit.com.au)

[Scott Womack]

Cant you transfer the fill pattern via Tranfer Project Standards ?
also exporting it to Acad should do the job

Yes, You can also transfer this into your template, so it would be available to all future projects.

[Calvn_Swing]

The problem is that:
a) I've got probably 30 to 40 patterns across 20 projects.
b) Once a .pat file is imported at a scale in Revit you're stuck with it, so while yes I can use transfer project standards to bring it into a template or project, what if I want a wonderful wood floor with nails to be for 6" boards instead of 4"? I'm screwed without the .PAT file.
c) I don't have HatchKit nor do I care to pay 2 to 3 dollars per pattern unless it's instant. I don't think that process will save any time over doing them from scratch.

I think I'll e-mail the factory about this, for such a smart app Revit really doesn't handle Fill patterns very intelligently...

[jeffh]

Perhaps this little utility will help.

This LSP file will allow you to draw a graphic using ACAD lines, plines, and points. Then run this LSP file and it will turn this drawing into a PAT file. Now you can import the PAT inot Revit and scale as you wish. Not a perfect solution but it might help. It also assumes you still have ACAD. ;)

[Calvn_Swing]

Thanks Jeff!

How are you doing? Hopefully the 2009 release wasn't too rough on you! That is a great little utility, and unfortunately (thanks to consultants) we do still have CAD laying around (at least for a little while).

Hopefully you can put in a good word at the company for a nice little Revit utility to export the fill patterns as .pat files. I was browsing around an ODBC database yesterday and couldn't find anything in there either, but I know it HAS to be stored SOMEWHERE in Revit's file structure...

Since you're around, I do have a question for you. I assume that Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, and Revit MEP have separate help files? I'm trying to track down some info on a keyboard shortcut but I think the shortcut is only available in one of the flavors. Is there any chance that there is a "Master" help file somewhere for users to get a hold of? Might be nice...

[jeffh]

Thanks Jeff!

How are you doing? Hopefully the 2009 release wasn't too rough on you! That is a great little utility, and unfortunately (thanks to consultants) we do still have CAD laying around (at least for a little while).

Hopefully you can put in a good word at the company for a nice little Revit utility to export the fill patterns as .pat files. I was browsing around an ODBC database yesterday and couldn't find anything in there either, but I know it HAS to be stored SOMEWHERE in Revit's file structure...

Since you're around, I do have a question for you. I assume that Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, and Revit MEP have separate help files? I'm trying to track down some info on a keyboard shortcut but I think the shortcut is only available in one of the flavors. Is there any chance that there is a "Master" help file somewhere for users to get a hold of? Might be nice...

Glad you found the LSP file helpfull. 2009 release was smooth as silk. ;)

I am sure you are correct the PAT definition is in there somewhere, but I have no idea where. I am just a dumb architect, what do I know about computer file structures.

The help files for the different flavors of Revit are developed independantly. There is really not a "master" help file that is used. The writing teams for each product share content, but author different help files all on their own.

[Calvn_Swing]

Yikes!

I bet that makes maintaining consistency across the three products a nightmare. I'll have to open MEP and Structure and see if I notice any differences in their help files...

I know there was a big debate going on recently with certain users about the diverging trend we're seeing with Revit (Arch, MEP, Struct) and I really hope that Autodesk will consider either re-combining them or at least offering a Revit Building that contains everything.

[mruehr]

I don't have HatchKit nor do I care to pay 2 to 3 dollars per pattern unless it's instant. I don't think that process will save any time over doing them from scratch.

I think I'll e-mail the factory about this, for such a smart app Revit really doesn't handle Fill patterns very intelligently...


you should care , i found Hatchkit an invaluable tool with Revit
(and i am not a reseller) not only for this situation
rescaling pattern in excel costs much more time then this

if you can do it faster from scratch, hats off you must be realllly good.

of course your right pattern in revit should be re scalable within
or write them to a pat file.
as for me waiting for the factory is more costly than the 2 dollars

[Firmso]

you should care....
as for me waiting for the factory is more costly than the 2 dollars
If it's just two dollars why can't Hatchkit come with the Revit Package?
My 2 cents.

[mruehr]

i seem to be up against a Scottish Horde
i give up

Cheers

[Firmso]

i seem to be up against a Scottish Horde
i give up

Cheers
Sry, I think i lead you to misinterpret my reply. I was agreeing with you. I was thinking that revit should come with some kind of hatch converter. Why not Hatchkit?

Don't give up.

[scott.neumann]

Another good hatch pattern maker is GlobalCAD's Hatch Manager. I started using it a month or so ago and it works great for about $150.00.

http://www.globalcad.com/system/index.html

[Calvn_Swing]

You're not up against a horde, though I've been called worse things I suppose. If such hordes are anything like in the movies I'm rather flattered to be considered a horde...

I just dislike having to pay for something I won't use regularly. 95% of our patterns are in Revit, and I have a PAT file. It's the odd bunch that a few end users have made and then trashed the PAT file that I need some help with, and blowing 150 dollars (2 dollars is the cost of hatchkit divided by the # of patterns I need) on something I'll use for one day isn't what I'd consider a good expenditure of money. If this was something that I saw potential for every day use interacting with Revit, $150 wouldn't be an issue. We've made due with freeware and lsp routines like Jeff's just fine. It's the Retrieval of completed patterns from within Revit I need help with. Not making new patterns. So, while HatchKit and other suggested software solutions may be fantastic for what you use them for, they don't do what I need them to do, and given the single use situation they aren't worth an investment.

Make sense?

[hugh.69031]

Kelly,

HatchKit licenses do not yet cost $150 :) and there are a good few already in Dallas.

To cut effort (at the expense of creating larger DXFs) by transferring all patterns in each file together:

Via HatchKit, for each Revit drawing

Export drawing as an AutoCAD DXF file
Open DXF file with HatchKit
For each custom pattern in HatchKit pattern dropdown
Assign a pattern name and description
Save in appropriate Revit pattern file format.
Or, via GETPAT (search the web), for each Revit drawing:

Export drawing as an AutoCAD DXF
Open file with AutoCAD
Load GETPAT
For each custom pattern in drawing
run GETPAT
follow prompts
It's moot which approach would be more effort.


hope this helps.

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

[Calvn_Swing]

That is more help. I was still hoping to get at it without exports, etc... Still, not a bad point. I assume I'd have to have all patterns visible in the view I was exporting, or is this a "model" export we're talking about?

Thanks,