Dear Community,
This month’s tip came from a happy accident: @Laszlo Nagy selected a Fill along with lines and hotspots while defining a Symbol Fill, and Archicad accepted it without any issue. While it’s not documented as a standard use case, it opens some useful new options in custom fill pattern design.
What this means
Symbol Fills are often used for hatching and 2D detailing. Being able to include Fills inside them lets you create richer, more expressive patterns.
You can use this to:
- Add solid areas or textures within Symbol Fills
- Combine linework and filled shapes in one pattern
- Simplify documentation by embedding more visual detail directly into a single Fill
A few things to keep in mind
- All parts of a Symbol Fill—including any Fills you add—will use the same Fill Pattern Pen, regardless of the original pen settings.
- For complex patterns, especially those with curves or dense geometry, adding Fills may slightly increase file size or slow redraw in large projects. Use it where it adds value to your output.
Here’s how to do it
- Draw your pattern
In floor plan or any 2D view, use the Fill tool (or other 2D drawing tools) to create a pattern combining Lines, Arcs, Hotspots—and at least one Fill element you want included. Make sure all elements are selected and grouped if needed. - Copy the pattern
Select the entire pattern (all lines, arcs, hotspots, and fills) and copy it to the clipboard - Open Fill Types dialog
In Archicad, go to Options > Element Attributes > Fill - Create a new Symbol Fill
Click New, then choose Symbol Fill as the fill type. This opens the Symbol Fill editor. - Paste the pattern
In the Symbol Fill editor’s drawing area, paste your copied pattern. The full pattern will appear. - Adjust settings
Set the Fill Pattern Pen and other parameters as needed (scale, angle, etc.). Keep in mind all parts of the pattern will use the same pen. - Save and apply
Click OK to save the new Symbol Fill. Now you can apply it like any other fill to elements in your project.
Thank you, @Laszlo Nagy , for sharing this simple but practical tip—it’s a good reminder that even tools that have long been in use can still surprise us.
Click here to see the original forum discussion.
If you’ve come across a clever workflow or small improvement like this, post it in the Graphisoft Community—it might be featured next month!
Cheers 🎉
