DWG export - FILLS to HATCHES conversion

[alexliz]

I am trying to tweak the DWG export translator to ensure that Archicad fills result in hatches when the DWG is opened in Autocad.

Currently, some fills do get translated to hatches; some others end up in thousands and thousands of lines. I need to prevent this from happening.

I have tried setting up a 'fill-hatch conversion' table in the translator, but I need help. Simply picking the Archicad fills I have used (in the drop-down menu) and typing an Autocad hatch name in the corresponding field isn't doing anything, and the fills still get converted to many thousands of lines/arcs. I am suspecting I need to do something with the Template File in the 'Save Options' section of the translator, but not sure I follow how that bit works.

I think that @Podolsky 's post is where the answer lies:

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Collaboration-with-other/How-to-keep-fills-when-exporting-detail...

He states there:

you can set fill/hatch conversion match table in DWG/DXF translator. Fill conversion match table available only if you are using DWG file as template. You need to create DWG file, where all needed AutoCAD hatches are drawn (let say as squares).

However, I am not sure I understand the bit about creating the DWG file (using Autocad? using Archicad?) as well as about the hatches being drawn (as in, drawn using lines and arcs? or placing a sample of an already created hatch?)

Anyone ( @Podolsky please do jump in if you have the opportunity) with any pointers to share, I would be very thankful.

[Podolsky · Accepted solution]

All right, I became retired and very ill and usually I do not reply anyone on the forum anymore. But in this case I will explain how to do it. You open Autocad and draw hatches in model space - all hatches, that you want to use during conversion from ArchiCAD to AutoCAD. You also can set specific layers in DWG file - if you want to convert layers from ArchiCAD to AutoCAD. I think the same happens to fonts - you need to place text with needed font into model view in AutoCAD. And all settings from paper space also will be transferred from this DWG template file into new created DWG in ArchiCAD - for example pen sets for printing and paper sheet size. After DWG file is created - save it, and use as template file in ArchiCAD DWG conversion settings.

[alexliz]

Hi Podolsky,

---

@Podolsky wrote:

I became retired and very ill and usually I do not reply anyone on the forum anymore. But in this case I will explain how to do it.

---

Thank you very much for your kind reply here, much appreciated.

I am very sorry to read you are not well. I wish you a speedy recovery, to the extent possible.

Alex

[runxel]

To achieve fills ending up as hatches in a PDF only Symbol fills can be used, not Vector fills.

Sadly, the inverse is true for DWG, which means the usage of an appropriate template is key, as suggested by Podolsky.

This also explains why some of your fills seem to work while others don't.

[alexliz]

Thanks, @runxel .

So, to confirm: when exporting to PDF, Symbol fills will be fills within the PDF.

And only Vector fills can be translated to hatches in a DWG conversion which is not using a .dwg template.

Am I understanding your message correctly?

[runxel]

Yes, exactly.

You can try to open a PDF with a Vector fill and a Symbol fill in Adobe Illustrator. The Vector fill will be exploded into all lines (and arcs if present), but the Symbol fill should retain to be a fill.

However in a DWG without any translator settings done a Symbol fill will always end up to be lines and arcs.

The last time I checked has been a while but I don't think this has changed.

[Laszlo Nagy]

Maybe just to add this about the DWG Template file:

The reason it is good to use a DWG Template file is that when you are creating a new pair in the Fill-Hatch Conversion table, and you select an Archicad Fill, you can select a Fill available in the DWG Template Fill to be its DWG counterpart. You don't have to type its name or something; you can select it from the "'AutoCAD Hatch Pattern" list, which is populated with the Fills available in the selected Template file. This is why Podolsky recommended to place all those Fills in your DWG file so they will be available for selection on that list and thus you can make sure you are specifying AutoCAD Fill names that will be available in the generated DWG file.

Normally, if you are sending DWG files to another stakeholder, you can ask them for such a DWG Template File. That way, you can ensure that by properly setting the Fill-Hatch Table, you will convert your Archicad Fills to the Hatches they use in their Projects.

 

[alexliz]

Thanks, @Laszlo Nagy  . Yes, I had already tried his recommendation and saw the drop-down list with the DWG file I had already pointed to. Seems to be working well now.