HATCH (Command)¶

Fills an enclosed area with a hatch pattern or solid fill. You define the boundary by picking points to form a closed shape, and VektorCAD fills it with the active hatch style.

Quick start

Toolbar > Draw > Hatch, or type HATCH in the Command Panel

Prompts¶

Prompt	Description
Specify start point	Starting point of the hatch boundary
Specify next point	Additional boundary points — continue until the shape is defined

Keywords¶

Keyword	When available	Description
Entities	At start point and next point prompts	Create hatch from existing closed entities instead of picking points

How to Use¶

Select the desired hatch style in the Format Panel before starting
Start the Hatch command
Click or type coordinates for the first point of the boundary (or type Entities to select existing geometry)
Continue adding boundary points to define the enclosed region
Press Enter to close the boundary and apply the hatch

Command: HATCH
Specify start point [Entities]: 0,0
Specify next point [Entities]: 100,0
Specify next point [Entities]: 100,50
Specify next point [Entities]: 0,50
Specify next point [Entities]: (Enter)  --> closes to start and fills with hatch

Options During Creation¶

Entities¶

Type Entities at any prompt to switch to entity-based hatch creation. This allows you to select existing closed entities (polylines, circles, etc.) to use as hatch boundaries:

Command: HATCH
Specify start point [Entities]: Entities
Select objects: (select closed entities, then Enter)

Note

The boundary must form a closed shape for the hatch to fill correctly. When using point-based input, press Enter to automatically close the boundary back to the first point.

Hatch Style¶

The active hatch style determines the fill pattern. Set it before starting the command:

Open the Format Panel and select a hatch style from the dropdown
Manage styles in the Hatch Style Manager

Common Patterns¶

Pattern	Appearance	Typical use
Solid	Filled color	Area highlights, solid sections
ANSI31	45-degree lines	General cross-sections (metals)
Concrete	Dots and triangles	Concrete sections
Brick	Staggered rectangles	Masonry walls
Earth	Irregular lines	Soil and earth fill
Insulation	Wavy lines	Insulation material

Input Methods¶

All boundary points accept:

Method	Example	Result
Mouse click	Click on the sheet	Point at cursor position
Absolute coordinates	`50,100`	Point at X=50, Y=100
Relative coordinates	`@100,0`	Offset from last point
Polar input	`50<45`	50 units at 45 degrees from last point
Snap to geometry	Click with Osnap enabled	Precise boundary aligned to existing entities

Precision Aids¶

Aid	Effect
Ortho	Constrains boundary segments to horizontal/vertical
Grid Snap	Snaps points to grid intersections
Entity Snap	Snaps to Endpoint, Midpoint, Center, Intersection, etc.
Entity Track	Alignment guides from reference snap points

Editing Hatches¶

Grip Editing¶

Select a hatch to display boundary grips:

Drag a grip to reshape the hatch boundary
The fill pattern updates automatically to fit the new boundary

Properties Panel¶

Property	Description
Hatch Style	The pattern used for filling
Scale	Pattern scale -- larger values spread the pattern wider
Angle	Override rotation of the pattern
Color	ByLayer or explicit color
Layer	Layer the hatch is placed on

Tip

Adjust Scale to match your drawing size. Small drawings need smaller scale values for visible patterns; large drawings need larger values to avoid overly dense fills.

Examples¶

Hatch a Rectangle¶

Command: HATCH
Specify first point: 0,0
Specify next point: @80,0
Specify next point: @0,40
Specify next point: @-80,0
Specify next point: C

Hatch a Triangle¶

Command: HATCH
Specify first point: 0,0
Specify next point: 60,0
Specify next point: 30,50
Specify next point: C

Hatch Aligned to Existing Geometry¶

Enable Endpoint snap in the Status Bar
Start HATCH
Click on the corners of an existing closed shape -- snap to each vertex
Type C to close and fill

Best Practices¶

Practice	Benefit
Set hatch style before starting the command	Avoids needing to change it afterward
Use ByLayer color	Manage hatch appearance through layer settings
Place hatches on a dedicated layer	Toggle hatch visibility for clean prints
Adjust scale to drawing size	Readable patterns at any zoom level
Snap boundary to existing geometry	Hatch aligns precisely with the drawing
Always Close the boundary	Ensures proper fill without gaps

Quick Reference¶

Task	Input
Start hatch command	`HATCH` or Toolbar > Draw > Hatch
Define boundary	Click or type coordinates for each point
Hatch from entities	Type `Entities` at any prompt
Close boundary and fill	Press Enter
Change hatch pattern	Format Panel > select hatch style
Adjust pattern density	Select hatch > Properties > change Scale
Rotate pattern	Select hatch > Properties > change Angle
Edit boundary shape	Select hatch > drag boundary grips