To Hatch or Fill a Large Number of Closed Objects

Good morning class! Today we will explore hatching and filling closed objects in AutoCAD. Can someone tell me why we use hatching in our drawings?

To make the drawings look more visual and clear?

Exactly! Hatching helps differentiate between different materials and enhances the overall presentation. Can anyone name some types of fills we can use?

I think there are solid colors and patterns.

That's right! We can use solid fills, gradient fills, and predefined patterns. Remember, we can also define our own patterns. Let’s dive into how we can select these closed objects for hatching.

To hatch multiple closed objects, we have various selection methods. Can anyone list a few methods?

We can use window, crossing, or even select similar.

Great! The window selection method lets you draw a rectangle to select objects, while crossing allows selection of objects partially within the area. How do you think using 'Select Similar' might help us?

It would be quicker to select objects that are the same, right?

Exactly! It saves a lot of time. Now let's practice these selection methods with some examples.

Once we have our objects selected, we can apply hatches. What do you think we should consider when choosing a hatch pattern?

The type of material and how distinct we want it to appear.

Exactly! You want materials to be easily identifiable. Remember that we have over 70 predefined patterns and we can also create user-defined ones. Let's discuss the difference between bounded and non-bounded hatches.

Is it that bounded hatches change if the boundaries change?

Precisely! Bounded hatches are dynamic and will adjust if their surroundings change. This is known as associativity. Let's do an exercise to reinforce this concept.

Now, it's time to try out the commands we learned. Everyone, open your drawings and select some closed objects to hatch. Use both window and crossing selection!

What if we want to hatch different areas with different patterns?

Great question! You can simply select each area separately after applying your hatch to the first, and assign different patterns as needed. Let's give it a try.

What if I want to change the pattern later?

You can modify hatches easily using the properties palette. Always ensure your boundary is set efficiently for better results!