Datasheet

Working with Pictures 171
Importing pictures
Pictures that can be imported into DrawPlus can belong to one of two groups:
• Bitmapped pictures, also known as bitmaps or raster images, are built
from a matrix of dots ("pixels"), rather like the squares on a sheet of
graph paper. They may originate as digital camera photos or scanned
images, or be created (or enhanced) with a "paint" program or photo
editor. As with other object fills, you can add these bitmaps to the
Bitmap fill gallery to be used as fills for other objects. For details, see
Changing bitmap gallery fills on p. 160.
• Vector graphics, are resolution-independent and contain drawing
commands such as "draw a line from A to B." These are like DrawPlus
drawings, made of many individual objects grouped together, and you
can edit them in the same sort of way. You have the choice of
ungrouping the objects in order to edit them further, or leaving them
as a group. Vector graphics such as Windows MetaFiles (.wmf) and
Serif MetaFiles (.smf) can be imported; both combine raster and
vector information, the latter being Serif's proprietary metafile format
(great for sharing between Serif applications).
Any imported picture ends up as an object you can select, move, scale, shear,
rotate—and even cut or crop using the Knife or Crop Tool on the Drawing
toolbar.
To import a picture from a file:
1. Click
Insert Picture on the Drawing toolbar.
2. From the dialog, locate and select the file to import, then click Open.
The dialog disappears and the mouse pointer changes to the
Picture Size cursor. What you do next determines the initial size,
placement, and aspect ratio (proportions) of the picture.
3. Either:
• To insert the picture at a default size, simply click the mouse.
- or -