AC>PM problem with fills used as 'patches'

[Anonymous]

I use fills with a white pen to cover unwanted items - it has been a practice of mine since AC introduced 'Display Order.' (6.5?)

Since I installed build 2256, Plotmaker will not recognize these 'patches' unless I use Solid Fill with a white pen. Before 2256 I could, say, cover an unwanted door in an elevation with the 'Stucco' fill with the background pen set to a white pen, 'Bring to Front' the fill and the door would be covered in AC and plotmaker - perfect for showing quick concept alternatives without unlinking the elevation to erase something.

This does not seem to be an option anymore. Everything looks OK in AC, but when I open in PM, all white-penned fills are transparent except 'Solid' fill.

If this is a new "feature," it will torpedo my productivity - is it a bug? Did 2256 reset something in AC or PM that I haven't had to worry about since it's inception in V6.5? Please help.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Greg wrote:
This does not seem to be an option anymore. Everything looks OK in AC, but when I open in PM, all white-penned fills are transparent except 'Solid' fill.

If this is a new "feature," it will torpedo my productivity - is it a bug? Did 2256 reset something in AC or PM that I haven't had to worry about since it's inception in V6.5? Please help.

Did you try updating the drawings in PM? I use fills to 'screen' items behind them - such as foundation walls - typically using the 25% dot fill or diagonal line fills with several thicknesses of white pen.

I opened a completed LBK from 8.1R1 in PM R2 and saw the same problem that you describe - my fills were gone/invisible and the foundation walls in my elevations were showing in their full and ugly glory... but after updating the drawing, all is fine.

Karl

[vfrontiers]

Could be loosely related, but make sure that the preferences are set correctly in Plotmaker...

You don't want the one shown below if you intend to use the background color as white.

[Anonymous]

Greg wrote:
I use fills with a white pen to cover unwanted items - I could, say, cover an unwanted door in an elevation with the 'Stucco' fill with the background pen set to a white pen, 'Bring to Front' the fill and the door would be covered in AC and plotmaker - perfect for showing quick concept alternatives without unlinking the elevation to erase something.

Wow, I like this. Mind if I "borrow" your technique? I hadn't thought of this before, but sounds like a good way to keep elevations connected while also fully correct. And on a semi-related story (hope this is acceptable in... this thread), does AC preserve object order between saves? It didn't seem to be the case, but I could be wrong.

[Anonymous]

Sergio wrote:
Wow, I like this. Mind if I "borrow" your technique?...And on a semi-related story (hope this is acceptable in... this thread), does AC preserve object order between saves? It didn't seem to be the case, but I could be wrong.

I use this technique all the time with the Air Space fill to cover and/or fix unwanted lines in plans & elevations - it's a quick and effective patch - you can draw on top, place library parts etc. as well, as long as the Display Order is correct - I never use the Patch Tool anymore.

In my experience, AC has always preserved the object order [Display Order] between saves and when placing in PM.

Thanks Duane and Karl - yes it was a preferences thing - all of these upgrades/versions/patches we've had to install and only now (2256) do the preferences change. Hmmm...what else have I missed/overlooked?