pat_writer

Pat_writer is a grasshopper script that turns any lines into hatch patterns as .pat files for CAD and BIM softwares.

Hatching is a useful tool in CAD softwares for drawing repeating patterns but the default options are often limiting. For more intricate patterns, common workarounds easily trigger performance issues (e.g. superhatch in AutoCAD). As an alternative, this script allows user to custom-define any complicated line patterns into hatch files (.pat) to maintain a light-weight CAD drawing.

demo.mp4

Support Me😃

👆Please feel free if my scripts had been useful for your projects. :)

Usage

1. Download pat_writer.gh and open with Rhino 8.
2. Draw the pattern to be repeated. Curves and polylines shall be segmented and exploded into shorter lines.
3. Reference the lines into the _Lines component.
4. If bound is disconnected, the pattern repeats with the size of its bounding box. Otherwise the size can be custom-defined by connecting and inputting in the format of X,Y.
5. Specify the folder destination and file name at filepath and hatchname.
6. Click write_file to create the .pat file at the designated location.

(for where AutoCAD reads .pat files, see relevant discussions.)

Examples

$${\color{green} Green \space lines}$$ represent the pattern and $${\color{red} red }$$ represent the bounding region. ($${\color{red}Bounding \space region}$$ not required to reference into _Lines).

System Requirement

• Window OS
• Rhino 8