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We use hatch pattern in almost all of our drawings. But sometimes working with hatch can be very slow and annoying. Since many versions ago, Picking a point doesn’t always work. AutoCAD often fail to find the boundary automatically.
Let’s see some workaround we use to work with hatches faster.
1. Turn off HPQUICKPREVIEW
In newer version, AutoCAD has hatch quick preview. You can see live preview of hatched area before you click your mouse. In simple drawings, it is nice to have. But when we work with complex drawings, it can be annoying. It makes the cursor freeze and jumping around when AutoCAD is trying to find the boundary.
If you have that problem, you may want to turn off the preview. You can turn off the HPQUICKPREVIEW system variable.
Type HPQUICKPREVIEW in AutoCAD command line and press enter.Type OFF then enter again.
You may also want to try working with hatch preview but lower the HPQUICKPREVIEWTIMEOUT to 1.
2. Use object as boundary
AutoCAD can quickly create hatch if you select object, instead of picking a point. Sometimes it is faster to create a closed polyline as boundary than trying to find where is the gap and fix the drawing.
3. Create separation lines
If creating polylines seems tedious, we might want to try an alternative first. Sometimes AutoCAD fail to find boundary, even we know the area has no gap. It can be because the boundary has too many objects.
You can try to divide the area by creating lines on non-plot layer, to divide it to smaller areas. Then try to pick a point again. Remember, if you click in multiple areas before you end the hatch command it will be created as one instance.
4. Erase and OOPS!
This is my colleague favorite workaround. The idea is the same with no. 3: to make the boundary simpler. He will erase objects near the boundary and other objects that will not be calculated when creating hatch.
After the drawing has become simpler, he creates hatch. Then he restore the objects by using OOPS command.
OOPS will restore last deleted objects. But will not cancel objects you drew after erase command.
Remember, only last erased objects are restored. So you need to erase them in one go.
I am currently working with Autocad 2005 at a small land surveying co. and when I hatch even the simplest of objects (brick/concrete patios, concrete walks/porches whatever the case) I wait for the hatch while the command box shows “analyzing the selected data” and it takes 15 sec. to a minute for the hatch to appear. Is there a property setting to bypass this thing It only happens with certain plat formats ie. “Landscape” layout for instance whereas it works fine with “Portrait” layout. Very strange. Thank you for your time
Hi Edwin,
Thanks very much for your useful post.
On question. Why is ACAD taking so long to “think” even if the hatch is a very basic rectangular shape in a 100% enclosed and flat rectangle? even when I am selecting a simple rectangular hatch it take up to 45-50 seconds.
I am using ACAD2016 and a fairly powerful BOXX workstation, with a lot of added RAM
Hi Eugen,
It’s always been the issue for decades. I don’t understand why Autodesk can’t fix it. I usually try to create a line to split complex drawing or hide layers to make it faster. Sometimes I just delete objects then use OOPS to restore them.
Why it’s slow, also a big mystery to me!
thank you for your help…I am 51 and have been designing and drafting since I was 14. I hate CAD and more so hate it when I know I can draft so much faster and prettier…yes the old time artistic look. However I do use it for some things… but you know I have never had issues with older CAD versions. CAD 2008 and older.
Thanks much for the Erase and OOPS!
Hi there,
Thanks for your tips.
I am hoping you can help me with another question… I have just started using AutoCAD 2015 & when I create a hatch for example in a closed polyline, & then come back & try & select just the hatch again, I get the hatch & the hatch boundary in my selection set.
Can you tell me how to stop this happening, please please pretty please?
It is driving me nuts.
Thank you :)
Hi Sez,
Try to change the PICKSTYLE variable to 1.
Edwin you are my hero
…..when it comes to disable HATCH preview. HPQUICKPREVIEW doesn’t work in 2010
…and in AutoCAD 2010 use PREVIEWFILTER = 16 :-)
Good day Sir,
Can you show how it works? video / clip as your example? thank you sir!
Many thanks for those tips! HPQUICKPREVIEW = OFF is a thousand times faster than ON or even timeout set to 1. I also set the advanced options to gap tolerance 48mm (hatching large plans) and that helped as well. You have saved me many many hours!
I'm glad that this tip can help you :)
Don't forget to share it to your colleagues if they have the same problem!
Thank You VERY MUCH for the first tip!!! It helped a lot (: