The CAD magnager at our firm said that to alleviate corrupt autocad files due to hatching you should make the hatch nonassociative. Apparently lots of complex associative hatches=corrupt file.

Yes, I second sahar. We've had those problems esp. on large site plans. But is there a way to get it to default to nonassociative so you don't have to check that option every time? (other than inherit properties)

make sure you're not hatching on layer zero. this, especially, will corrupt your drawing. you will also have fewer problems while drawing if you turn your hatch off, by typing 'fill' and 'off' and then do a regen

R.A.,

There probably is, but I don't know it. Our version is so specialized, with special menus and panels that create project sheets with correct layers automatically, that I am only have to be a CAD drone. Ahh, mindlessness.

to create a nonassociative hatch, simply use 'HATCH' rather than bhatch. it won't give you a dialog box (command line inputs), but it does remember the previous hatch pattern selected from the bhatch command.

the simplest way to calculate the area is to draw a boundary of the area and then look at its properties.

I hate hatching for that one reason alone. What I do is outline the area with a polyline on a layer like hatchline or something. I then use the select objects button to hatch instead of an selecting the area. That way, I can just freeze the layer I don't need, but have the polyline to select for area calculations later.

To default to non-associative type hpassoc and enter 0 - zero

if you are doing rectangles and squares.. use the solid command