Working with Raster Images - SmartSketch - Help

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Images created by lines of pixels are called raster images, and the code that represents the pixels in the raster image is called raster data. The format of the raster data in the document determines how the pixels are arranged when the image is displayed.

Raster data is unintelligent. A line segment in a raster image cannot be manipulated as a line segment. Rather, it must be manipulated as the collection of pixels that form the line segment.

A vector data document is a collection of coherent, geometric elements. Vector data is intelligent. A line segment in a vector file can be manipulated as a line segment.

A vector data object is an indivisible entity. A raster image, by contrast, is composed of pixels, arranged to give the appearance of lines, shapes, and characters. When zoomed out, a raster image appears as contiguous lines and shapes. However, if you zoom in, it becomes apparent that a raster image consists of individual foreground pixels, represented as small squares on the screen.

Displaying Raster Images

Image Integrator allows you to display and manipulate raster images along with the vector data on the drawing sheet. When you save the current document, which contains vector graphics, you can save a link to a raster image along with it.

This structure can be useful in many ways. For example, if a shopping center is planned for a piece of property, and proposals are sought for the design of the shopping center, an aerial photograph may be taken of the property. The photograph can then be converted into a raster image. Proposals can be submitted as vector documents that each contain a link to the original raster image. In this way, different proposals for the shopping center can be easily evaluated, with each proposal starting from the same raster image of the property.

Inserting an Image

To insert a raster image, you must first install Image Integrator using Add-Ins on the Tools menu. If you do not see the add-in listed in the Add-In Manager, you must run the Custom setup to install the Image Integrator option.

After installing Image Integrator, you can then insert the raster image using the Image command on the Insert menu. You can only link the image; you cannot embed it. To edit various properties of the image border, you can select the image and click Properties on the shortcut menu. You can also insert raster images, edit their properties, and make other modifications using the commands on the Image Integrator ribbon.

Positioning an Image

After you insert a raster image into a document, you can use Position to align the image with a vector element or a group of elements. You can move, scale, rotate, and skew a source image to match a target image or vector frame. All alignment modifications are made by placing up to three source points and three target points. You can define source points by clicking and dragging or by a single click on the source image. To use Position, select an image and then click Position on the Image Integrator toolbar.

Defining Source and Target Points by Clicking and Dragging

Clicking and dragging (on the image border or within the borders) allows you to drag the image frame to the needed target location.  When the image is released the source image will reposition, and display a crosshair, representing the location of the first source point.  A second point will be required on the source image to reposition (rotate and/or scale) the image.  Click and drag on (or within) the image border, move to the needed location and release.  The source image will be repositioned, scaled, and rotated about the two points.  The location where the source image is released represents the corresponding target points.  These target points can be another image file, a vector element, or nothing at all.  The source image will be skewed about the two points.   

Defining Source and Target Points Using a Single Click

When you define source points using single clicks, you must also use single clicks to define the target points. Depending on where the source and target points are placed, you can use this method to move, scale, rotate, and skew the source image to match a target image.

See Also

Insert a Raster Image
Adjust the Contrast and Brightness of an Image
Fill an Image Area with Color
Save Changes to a Linked Image
Redo Changes to Images
Invert Colors in an Image