scale background image

Hi,
Using SW2005-SP5, would like to use the background image as a trace.
However when I bring in the TIFF file it is badly distorted. Is there
a way to manipulate the image to make it useable?
Thanks,
Brad

 

Do a <print screen> (key on your key board) of your SW screen and then
paste it into windows paint or other bitmap editor like PhotoShop,
Corel Draw etc. Now with the solidWorks screen in your editor, crop it
to just the SW viewport window. Now you have the correct aspect ratio
for image for you to paste in the image you want to use. Then save
as .tiff and then Menu>Insert>Picture.

In SW2007, you can use Menu>View>Screen Capture and use this clipboard
image to paste into your image editor.

Regards

Mark

 

hmmmmmmmm, yes, that works.....but it is the side view of a 21' long
aircraft that I want to trace.
Was able to do it in SolidEdge.

I am having to learn Solidedge (for real this time) and am finding
that there are aspects of SW and SE that I like and dislike, what a
trip.

Brad

 

Mark B's advice is dead on, if you want to put it into a background.
If that HAS to be your goal, you can always split the viewport to
change the aspect ratio.
Look at your work window - on the upper right and the lower left there
are some rectangular bars that sort of stand out from everything else
(they are just above or to the left of the scroll arrows,
respectively.)
You can use these to split the viewport into multple regions (Nice tip
for others, by the way, especailly for PWx test renders). You can set
one region of the split viewport to the aspect ratio of your image.
The easiest way to set a region to your target aspect ratio is to draw
a rectangle in a sketch to the aspect ratio of your image, then resize
a viewport to caress the edges of that rectangle. It takes a few
tries, but you will get it.

However, I have to ask why you aren't just putting an image into a
sketch (tools>sketch tools>sketch picture)? that is the easiest way,
and the aspect ratio is preserved.
if that, for some reason, bugs you, also look at tracing a decal in
PhotoWorks (which shows up in SWx, at least in 2007). put a decal on
a planar face and you are good to go.

 

Edward,
You were right, the insert sketch picture was what I wanted. I did not
know the poper term and the help menu got me to the first method.
Which I see is really handy for decals.

I tried very succesfully to add a sketch picture, it works great.

Thanks,
Brad