Hot Tip Harry
11 Feb, 2004 By: Bill KramerTips from our Readers
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"Yeah," came the voice from under an old familiar hat. "Heard you're back on the team. Here you go."
He handed me a package that contained a set of tips with comments and a new challenge for Cadalyst readers. There now is some serious money on the table for the best tip of the year. I looked up to ask Harry a question, but I was again alone in the room.
THE PRIZE INSIDE
The tip package is wrapped in a chain of some sort, but fortunately, it's just the result of a linetype with an associated shape file for drawing chains. The file, CHAINS.ZIP (Tip #1924, by Steve Corder), contains three files that you should decompress and place in AutoCAD's search path. Use the Linetype command and select the Load button to bring in the custom chain linetypes.
The chains are holding back a pile of flat rock rubble drawn using a custom crosshatch pattern by Watson Kilbourne (Tip #1925). The C-RUBBLE.PAT file contains the required definition to draw a pile of flat rocks as a cross-hatch pattern when located in the AutoCAD support search path (figure 1).
![]() Figure 1. Tip #1925 draws a nice pile of flat rocks. |
This excellent crosshatch requires a sizable scaling factor (set the scaling value in the Bhatch dialog box) for most model space applications.
The next tip is from M. A. Floyd, who supplies an AutoLISP function set to draw a break line (Tip #1926). You can't model a break line using a normal linetype in AutoCAD. Different types of break lines exist for different applications, and Mr. Floyd's inserts a sharp break joined by 90
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