Place, Rotate, and Scale an Image

Use the Place Image command to bring an imported image into the Plan View, making it visible without having to georeference it. In doing so, you can scale and rotate the image using one of various methods. This is useful when you need an image to perform operations that are not geodetically-dependent, such as when performing a quick takeoff, or for which location-specific information is not available.

Prerequisites:

• License; See the Subscription Plans page. For a license matrix by command, see the License page in the TBC Community. Also see View and manage licensed features.
• Imported image
• Active Plan View

To access the command:

• Select Place Image in CAD > Images.
• Right-click an imported image in the Project Explorer, and select Place Image from the context menu.

To place, rotate, and scale an image:

1. In the Plan View, zoom or pan to the general area in which you want the image to be located.
2. Select the imported image in the Image list. Typically, this is an image that you have just imported, but it can also be an image that has previously been placed or georeferenced. By default, the image appears in the center of the Plan View.
3. Select a scale and rotation Method:
   • Known distance - Select method this to specify the distance between two pixels in the image, such as the ends of a scale bar. No rotation can be applied using this option.
   • Line with distance and bearing - Select this to specify the known distance (above) as well as a known bearing (from its current orientation) to rotate the image.
   • Scale bar and known bearing - Select this to specify the known distance (above) as well as a bearing between two pixels , such as the ends of a north arrow, to rotate the image.

     Note: This option does not necessarily require a North arrow; it simply requires a known bearing, such as those provided by a compass rose.

4. To place the image using a Known Distance:
   1. Specify the distance between two points on the image that is either known or indicated in the image. For instance, if your image indicates a length, enter that length in the Distance box.
   2. Pick the point representing one end of the known distance in the image for Point 1.
   3. Pick the point representing the other end of the known distance in the image for Point 2.
5. To place the image using a Line with distance and bearing:
   1. Specify the known distance as described above.
   2. Specify a bearing to rotate the image by typing a value in the Bearing box or by picking two points to indicate the start and end of the bearing line. Positive rotation is clockwise and zero is due north.
6. To place the image using a Scale bar and North Arrow:
   1. Specify the known distance as described above.
   2. Specify the known bearing between two pixels in the image.
   1. In the image, pick the pixel that defines the start of the known bearing. For example, pick the south end of a North Arrow for Point 1.
   2. Pick the pixel that defines the end of the known bearing. For example, pick the north end of the North Arrow for Point 2.
7. Click Compute. The image is scaled and rotated in its current position based on the specified settings.

Note: To graphically select an image once you have placed it, you must enable its selectability. Select View Filter Manager in Home > View. Click the Advanced View Filter Settings icon on the pane's toolbar. Check the Selectable box for Georeferenced Image to make images selectable in graphic views.

Image display styles

There are several options for controlling the appearance of images in the Plan View. These styles can be applied using the Display styles list in the Properties pane for an image:

• Desaturated - Select this to remove all color from the image so it becomes a grayscale image.
• Bluelined - Select this to turn black pixels into blue pixels.
  The purpose of this filter is to convert a PDF plan that has a white background and black lines into an image that resembles a blue print (black background and blue lines). When used on a color photograph, the filter makes the image a bi-chromatic blue and black photo. If the image has a transparent background, you will not see it because it turns blue.
• Inverted - Select this to swap each color for an inverse color.
  Red,Blue,Green (RGB) color values range from 0 - 255 in intensity. The inverse color is calculated by subtracting the current RGB value from 255.
• Dimmed - Select this to reduce the brightness of the image.

Each style modifies the original image, not a styled image. When images are styled, the changes are saved in the project.

Related topics

Georeference an Image