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Background images?

Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 8:08 pm
by The_Tudders
Hey guys just wondering is it possible to set an image (i.e. a picture of my theatre) as a background to my plot.

Thanks

Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 9:24 pm
by admin
Yes, this is probably best done on a separate layer. You could think of this like placing a drawing under a piece of tracing paper on a drafting board (if you remember those that is...). Adding and re-arranging layers is done in the Inspector's document tab. You can start with importing a file on one layer and then adding another on top to use for drawing positions and lights.

You can import several types of graphics files.

You can use the File->Import->Import DXF command to import an ascii type AutoCAD dxf file. (DXF import preserves the layers of the DXF file and adds them to the plot).

You can use Format->Insert->Graphic From File... to import a JPEG, PNG or PDF file. (The bitmapped types available depend on the operating system. Some systems support TIFF or BMP as well.)

If you start out with the default document size, you may find that the graphic you import is larger and "runs" off the page. You can make the plot larger using the Document tab of the Inspector. The "Match Size to Contents" shortcut from the popup menu in this tab is particularly useful when you are starting out and have only imported a ground plan graphic. You'll find this about halfway down the Document tab, just above the layers table. What this does is to set the plot document's size to encompass all of its contents. When there's only a ground plan, that will make the plot the same size as the ground plan.