Invalid Input Message (Using Color Render, Placing MLeader Callouts, or Working with Groundcovers)

Issue

You saw an Invalid input error message when:

• Placing a multileader (MLeader) such as a Spot Elevation callout, plant label, Reference Note callout, etc., or
• Using our Color Render tool (and the plants were unable to render in color), or
• Placing or otherwise working with a groundcover

Causes & Solutions

The cause of and solution for this error will depend on what you were trying to do when you saw the error:

• Placing an MLeader callout (such as a Spot Elevation callout, plant label, RefNote callout)
• Using our Color Render tool, or simply working with groundcovers or Shrub Areas

• Placing an MLeader callout (such as a Spot Elevation callout, plant label, RefNote callout)

If you saw the error when placing a Spot Elevation callout, plant label, RefNote callout, or other MLeader, you can ignore this message. As long as your callouts are placing correctly, it won't be an issue.

MLeaders require a series of automated steps. The Invalid input message in the Command line is simply the result of one of these steps.

• Using our Color Render tool, or simply working with groundcovers or Shrub Areas

If you saw an Invalid input error while trying to use Color Render on a groundcover or Shrub Area and the plants were unable to render in color, the issue may be the result of Groundcover hatches with missing boundaries, or stipple hatch areas with missing boundaries or other issues.

In this case, your troubleshooting steps should be:

1. Run the AUDIT command.

2. If you had the issue while trying to use the Color Render tool, run the tool again. Simply running AUDIT can often repair the issue on its own.

3. If AUDIT wasn't able to repair the issue, it's time to check the hatch areas in your drawing for stipple hatches, as well as any hatches with missing boundaries or other issues.

If you find hatches without boundaries, you may need to redraw the boundaries.

Otherwise, your drawing may include groundcover hatch areas with patterns that are too complex for the Color Render tool to work properly. We've commonly seen this issue with planting areas using the Stipple hatch pattern – especially when this pattern is used in narrow areas or in any areas that are not simple shapes.

Check whether any of your groundcovers or Shrub Areas are assigned the Stipple pattern. If you find planting areas that are in fact assigned the Stipple pattern – especially areas that include narrow areas or have irregular shapes – edit the plant and select a pattern besides Stipple.

 

For example, try selecting either a light or heavy sand pattern, which will have a similar appearance to the Stipple hatch but shouldn't cause the error.