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Shareware Extravaganza - Disc 4
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Shareware Extravaganza - Over 25,000 Programs (The Ultimate Shareware Company)(Disc 4 of 4)(1993).iso
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1990-09-25
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HAT hatch utilities version 1.4 (c)1990 Michael E. Ross
This program is distributed as Shareware. You are allowed
to try the HAT hatch utilities FREE, but if you decide to
keep the utilities, you MUST register. See the registration
form at the end of this document. Your evaluation period
must not exceed 2 weeks.
HAT is a group of programs designed to make using the hatch
utility of AutoCAD easier.
Feel free to distrubute HAT, as long as you include:
HAT.DOC this file
HAT.LSP the program
HAT.MNU icon menu accessed by hat.lsp
HAT.MNX compiled version of HAT.MNU
HAT.DWG sample drawing to try HAT (try it!)
Even if you decide not to register, please fill out the
comments portion of the registration form to let me know what
you thought and any suggestions you may have.
Finally, please don't abuse the Shareware system, it has been
a real boon to thousands of computer users, and has provided
fantastic macros and programming. It provides you with the
opportunity to try software out BEFORE you buy it.
----------------------What is HAT.LSP?-----------------------
HAT.LSP is an AutoLISP program which enhances AutoCAD's hatch
command.
If you use AutoCAD's hatch command extensively please read
on...
Have you ever created a hatched area only to decide you don't
like the scale or rotation angle, or you wish you could just
move the pattern slightly? If so, you most likely erased the
pattern and rehatched the area, possibly repeating the
process several times until you were satisfied.
Another common situation encountered with the hatch command
is trying to find out the pattern name, scale and angle of an
existing hatch pattern, possibly in order to match it.
AutoCAD's "list" command doesn't tell you this info.
If you have wished for an easy solution to these problems,
then HAT.LSP is for you!
page 1 of 6
----------------------WHAT HAT.LSP DOES----------------------
HAT.LSP works much like the AutoCAD hatch command, but also
allows you to dynamically RESCALE and ROTATE, and MOVE hatch
patterns.
In addition, HAT.LSP records hatch information about each
hatch pattern it creates. This information is stored with the
drawing and may be REFERENCED at any time.
If you want to hatch an area with the same pattern, scale and
angle as an existing pattern, there is also a SELECT option
to match existing patterns.
HAT.LSP can only extract reference information from hatch
patterns which were created with the HAT command.
---------------------INSTALLING HAT 1.4----------------------
Installing HAT is easy. Simply copy the files, HAT.LSP,
HAT.MNU, HAT.MNX, HAT.DWG and HAT.DOC to the directory you
use for AutoCAD. See example below.
If you use a special directory for lisp programs you may
put HAT.LSP there, but the file HAT.MNU must be in the
AutoCAD library path (see AutoCAD Reference Manual R.10, page
54).
example:
Your acad.exe file is on the D: drive, \acad subdirectory.
The HAT files are on a floppy diskette in drive A:.
simply type:
copy a:*.* d:\acad
and hit return
Now when you are in AutoCAD drawing editor, you can type:
(load"hat")
and hit return. You must type the parenthesis and quotes
exactly as shown. When you have done this you will see the
message: Loaded HAT lisp routines. (c)1990 Michael E. Ross.
You may now type:
hat
and hit return. The HAT program will take it from there!
AutoCAD & AutoLISP are registered trademarks of AutoDesk Inc
page 2 of 6
----------------------HOW TO USE HAT.LSP---------------------
Load the HAT programs by typing (load"hat") from the
AutoCAD drawing editor, (the hat files must be in the ACAD
search path such as the directory where ACAD.EXE is). For
more information on the load command, see page 89 of the
AutoLISP Programmers Reference Release 10.
(see "Installing HAT 1.4" above)
Type the word 'hat' from the command: prompt. That's all
there is to it. Follow the prompts as you would the regular
hatch command:
1. Pattern name / [S]elect / [U]ser / ? / <default>:
a. you can type the name of the pattern you want to use.
b. type S and you may Select an existing hatch to match
it (as long as it was created with HAT.LSP).
c. type U and create a user defined hatch just like the
user option of the standard hatch command.
d. type a ? and you can use the icon menus to select
your pattern. (see the section of this document
titled "INSTALLING HAT 1.4")
e. hit return to accept the default pattern.
2. Scale for pattern <default>:
a. type in a scale
b. hit return to accept the default
3. Angle for pattern <default>:
a. type in an angle (or you can pick an angle on screen)
b. hit return to accept the default
4. Select objects
pick the border(s) for your hatch pattern using any of
the standard Select options.
HAT.LSP hatches the selected area and prompts you for
rescaling and rotating options:
5. Do you want to REscale / ROtate / Move? <No>:
a. type the first letter(s) of the option you want.
Hat will reprompt you for new value required, then
rehatch the area automatically, and return to this
prompt. You can keep adjusting the pattern until you
are satisfied.
b. hit return to accept the scale angle and position.
(cont)
page 3 of 6
(cont)
6. Do you want to make a Hatch Reference Block? <Yes>:
a. hit return to store the info about the hatch you just
made. An invisible reference block will be inserted
into the drawing. The reference block takes about 400
bytes.
b. if for some reason, you don't want the reference
block to be inserted, type n. If you do this, you
won't be able to get the pattern info (name, scale,
and angle) at a later time, it will be just like a
hatch created with the 'hatch' command.
That's it! Not only does HAT.LSP make creating hatch patterns
easier but it enables you to find out what pattern, scale and
angle was used at any time in the drawings life.
After having created a hatch pattern using HAT, you may now
reference that pattern at any time to find the pattern's
scale and rotation angle. To do this, HAT.LSP must be loaded
as above, then:
HATREF.LSP
Type 'hatref' from the command prompt. You will be prompted
to select a hatch pattern. When you do, the pattern name,
it's scale and angle will be printed to the screen.
If you try this on a pattern with no reference block, such
as a hatch pattern created with the standard hatch command,
you will be so informed.
------------------ENHANCEMENTS FOR HAT 1.3-------------------
HAT 1.2 has been improved! The following is a list of the
improvements:
User defined hatch patterns are now allowed and fully
supported by HAT and HATREF. User defined hatch patterns
may even be matched with the Select option of HAT 1.3.
The Move option now works more like the AutoCAD Move
command. Absolute and relative points may be supplied
as well as Displacement.
page 4 of 6
Hatches created with HAT 1.3 may now be changed to
different layers and the hatch will adopt the
characteristics of that layer (color linetype etc.).
HAT 1.3 and HATREF will report the actual scale and angle
of a hatch pattern created with HAT even if it has been
scaled or rotated using AutoCAD editing commands.
| ------------------ENHANCEMENTS FOR HAT 1.4-------------------
| HAT 1.4 represents further enhancements made to the program
| in response to registered user suggestions.
| A problem with text styles defined with a fixed height is
| fixed. HAT is not affected by either fixed or variable
| height text.
| Reference blocks are now given unique names so that block
| redefinition does not occur if a drawing with HAT reference
| blocks is inserted onto another.
| The color of HAT patterns is now changeable as are normal
| hatch patterns.
| HAT now reads the ACAD.PAT file with more versatility. If
| a customized ACAD.PAT file is used, the pattern header does
| not require the pattern description as required by HAT 1.3.
---------------------HAT TECHNICAL INFO----------------------
HAT searches the ACAD.PAT file to determine if pattern names
typed in are valid. Custom hatch patterns, not supplied in
the ACAD.PAT file should be appended to ACAD.PAT so that HAT
will recognize the pattern name. Custom hatch patterns
must not be named the same as the capitalized option keywords
used by HAT.
Only the capitalized letters of the option keywords used in
HAT should be supplied. For example, to initiate the Select
option, an s or S are all that should be supplied. This is
necessary since a custom hatch patterns may have names
similar to the option keywords. If you make a custom screen
menu to supply responses to HAT requests, limit the response
options to only the necessary letters (such as S U RO).
If you find the performance of HAT to be inadequate, please
let me know by filling out the comments on the ORDER FORM.
I have found HAT to work best on AutoCAD 386 or Extended
lisp.
page 5 of 6
-------------------------ORDER FORM--------------------------
To register your copy of HAT hatch utilities, print out and
complete this form. Send it with check or money order for
U.S. $15 (CA residents add 6.25% sales tax) to:
Michael E. Ross
610 E. Canon Perdido #6
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Name ____________________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _____________________________________________
Phone (______) _______________ Date _______________________
Title ____________________________________________________
Company ____________________________________________________
AutoCAD version/machine type _______________________________
Number of copies _____
How did you hear about HAT 1.4 _____________________________
Comments on HAT 1.4 (use back if necessary) _________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
page 6 of 6