Patterns using Blocks?? (Useful for AutoCAD LT users without Superhatch)

Hi,
In one of my previous posts I had mentioned about MINSERT command. This post will explain how to use a minsert block effectively for creating fill-patterns (like hatch) in AutoCAD. 
AutoCAD LT does not support Superhatch command. So, unless you are good at defining pattern files, I think, this method what I explain here is the best alternative one could think of.


Say, I have a special type of roof tile of 200mm x 300mm, which is like this;

Here is the roof where I want to fill the pattern of this tile;

Let us see how it is done.

Create the block of the Roof tile. (Here I created it by naming it as "Roof Tile") Keep the basepoint at the lower
Create polyline boundaries for the four slopping sides of the roof.
Use MINSERT command and create a minsert block. (Don't know? Please see my previous post).
Here is my command window for your reference;

The minser block now should look like this;

Use the XClip command to clip the minsert block. For this, type XC and press Enter key. Pick the minsert block, rightclick and choose the option "New Boundary" and again choose the option "Select Polyline", now pick the polyline boundary for the slopping side. Done...

Now copy the same minsert block and rotate it by 90 degree and place it over the next slopping side of the roof. Use the polyline to clip the block. Now take copies of the block and rotate then and do the clipping for the other two sides too.

Wait for more... Have a nice day friends…!!

--

Harilal M. N.

harilalmn@gmail.com

Bangalore, India.

Data Fields

Today’s trick…

Text objects could be linked to some properties of objects in AutoCAD, so as to enable them to update automatically when that property of the object changes.

Lets look at it...

Assume that this is a wall.

You can see the length of the wall mentioned below.

Did you see what happened to the text? Yes..!! the five (5M) has changed to Seven (7M)..!!

Cool...!!! Here is how it is…

This is the magic of “Insert Field” option in AutoCAD.

What is a field?

In simple words, it is a text. But how it differ from text? It can update the data automatically. That is the difference.

How does field help us?

Look at the picture above. Assume that you have a drawing and all the wall lengths have been mentioned inside a table in the same drawing. You are changing the length of one wall. How should it reflect in the table?

Unless you use Field, you will end up updating the table manually.

How to create a field.

Go to the MText command and right click in the editor window. You will see this list shown below;

Do you see “Insert Field (Ctrl+F)” there?

Click that. You will see this window.

Click on Field Category, you can see some items there. You can select an item from this category.

Below the Field Category, you can see the items in the selected category. See the Formats of the selected item towards the right.

Now, do you know how I updated that wall length without touching that text? Go  to the Field Category and select “Object”.

In Field names, Select Object Again. Do you see a pick button Next to Object Type? I clicked it and selected the center line of the wall.

Once you select the line, you can see these options.

You can insert to the text, any of these properties of the selected line shown in the list. Select one and just click OK. You are done with it..!!

It will not update the field immediately after you change the length of the line. Just do a 'Regen' and see….. Is it not working now????

Now find out a lot out of the field option. Remember that it is not only in the MText editor that you can insert a field. Inside a block, for an attribute too, you can insert field. Like this, many places, field becomes a useful tool.

Explore each item in the field category, field names, and Property.

Note:

            Don’t worry about that grey background seen behind the field. It won’t print...

Wait for more... Have a nice day friends…!!

--

Harilal M. N.

harilalmn@gmail.com

Bangalore, India.

Minsert Block - 'Multiple Inserts' of a Block

Today we will see the "Minsert" Command in AutoCAD. This is a rarely used command in AutoCAD and most of the people do not know about such a wonderful command. Lets see...


Minsert command is simply "Multiple Inserts" of a block. This is similar to that of arraying a block into rows and columns. But, the main difference is that all the instances which are arrayed would behave like a block, with properties of a normal block and something extra. 


For creating a minsert block, you should have a block first. Lets create a block. I made a dining table with four chairs around it .

Lets try the Minsert command on this..


Look at the image of command window where you can see the command in progress. (Click the image to enlarge)

Lets get into details of the step by step procedure...
Type MINSERT and hit Enter Key.
It will ask the block name. Enter the block name. In our example it is "Dining Table"
From here the process is same as inserting a normal block, till it asks from details about the rows and columns. From here it is similar to that of Rectangular Array command. Enter the number of Rows and Number of Columns. Specify the Row Distance and Column Distance, or go for the Unit cell, where you pick two corners of a rectangle to specify the row height and column width. To use the Unit Cell method, you shouldn't type in a value, but just pick one point on screen using your mouse. AutoCAD will ask you to pick the next corner. By this method, the horizontal distance between the points will be taken as Column Width and Vertical Distance between the picked points will be taken as Row Height. Now, see the result below...

Lets see the properties of this block. Select it and go to its properties. You will see something like the image below.

See the highlighted part... That is the advantage of using Minsert Blocks. You can control the Number of Rows or Columns or the spacing at any time in the properties of a minsert block.
Now try changing these values and see it yourself...

Wait for more... Have a nice day friends…!!

--

Harilal M. N.
harilalmn@gmail.com
Bangalore, India.

Arrange blocks on a path

Most of the people are familiar with the Divide or measure command. But less would have noticed that these commands have an option "Block".
Lets see how it works.
Here is an ellipse and a block with a Rectangle in it. But I have the Block's base point exactly at the center of the rectangle. This is critical, as the command would place the block instances on the path at their basepoints.

I want to arrange the block on this elliptical path, dividing the ellipse into 30 equal segments, placing the block perpendicular to the path at each point.

This is where you would use divide command. 

Activate the divide command by entering DIV in the command window. 

Pick the ellipse and press Enter.

You will have an option "Block" available now. Type B and press Enter.

Enter the block name. (This case, it is "Block1")

Say "Yes" for the prompt for aligning the block instances. 

Provide the number of divisions (This case, it is "30")

You should have something like this...

If said "No" for the prompt for aligning the block instances, you will get this;

Try this method on various paths (plines, lines, circles, ellipse or splines) using different blocks.... 


Wait for more... Have a nice day friends…!!

--

Harilal M. N.
harilalmn@gmail.com
Bangalore, India.

Controlling Hatch Objects

Hello Everyone,
This is my first post. The intention of creating such a blog is to share some tricks in AutoCAD which would make your life much easier. I know there are thousands of other blogs. Still, I would be happy and would consider my effort is paid, if someone gets benefited out of this post. Ok... enough of talking...!! So let me just start with my first post.
Here we go....

You have to create an RCP for a building. The tile size what you are using is 600 x 600 mm. Drawing the grid manually would consume too much of time. So, what is the solution? Did you say that??….Yes..The Hatch.

But, while using the hatch command, there are certain things which you need to take care.

What is my tile size? It is 600 x 600. Lets see….. Look at the hatch below.

 This hatch has been made using the hatch scale factor 1. This has been done with scale factor set to 1, to know the measurement the person who created this pattern, has considered for the tiles. But how will you measure the tile size now? You can’t dimension a hatch right..?? No… You can…!!
Go to Options by typing OP <Enter>, Go to Drafting Tab. Go to Object Snap Options and check off “Ignore hatch objects”. This will enable you to dimension a hatch object.

Now, Dimension a tile and see the value.

Ah… now that we got the real size of the tile. It is 0.1250 here. Your required tile size is 600 x 600. So, divide 600 by 0.1250 which is 4800.

So you got your hatch scale. It is 4800.

Now do a normal hatch. Assume that your result is something like this below.

Now, measure a tile and see…

Yes…. We got it….!!!

But, there is a small problem, Look at the corner….

You want to start with a full tile at this corner. What to do….??? No idea…..??

Select hatch and go to edit. In the hatch edit dialogue box, you will see an option to set the origin.

Click on “Specified Origin” and click on the button below.

Click at the corner and press enter key. You did it…!!! See the result below. 

You can set any hatch to any origin point this way..!! Enjoy and hatch is no more a headache…!!! 


Wait for more... Have a nice day friends…!!

--

Harilal M. N.
harilalmn@gmail.com
Bangalore, India.