Q.  How do I insert an image into a drawing?

Inserting an image into a drawing can be performed by using the "imageattach" command which is not currently documented in the online help.  The process is done in two stages.  The first is inserting the image, and the second is registering, or aligning and sizing, the image to the drawing.

Inserting the Image

1. Type the command, imageattach, and then press the enter key.
2. A file selection dialog box will appear on the screen.  Browse to the image file you would like to insert into the drawing and then click on the "Open" button.  The file selection dialog box will then disappear.
3. You will then be prompted: "Insertion point: ".  Click on the point where you would like the lower left corner of the image to be inserted or type in the coordinates and press the enter key.
4. The image will then appear in the drawing.  The width of the image will be one drawing unit.

Registering the Image

The process of registering the image involves moving, scaling, and rotating the image so that it is aligned properly with the drawing.  Here are the steps necessary

1. Determine the necessary scale factor.  
1. Using the distance tool, (select the Tool menu, then Inquiry, then distance) to measure the length of a known feature in scanned image or picture.  Say for example if the measured distance is 0.8 drawing units, and the feature measured should be 16 feet, then the image scale factor should be 16. / 0.8 = 20.  This assumes the existing image factor is 1.0.  If the existing image scale factor is not one then multiply the result by the existing scale factor.  
2. Change the image scale factor to the value calculated above using the instructions shown below under "Manipulating the Image", or you can use the scale command on the modify menu.
2. Set the image rotation angle
1. Measure the angle of a horizontal or vertical line in the image.  This can be done using the distance tool (select the Tool menu, then Inquiry, then Distance).  The most recent version of AirplanePDQ will show the angle directly.  Older version will show only the distance plus Delta X and Delta Y.  The angle can be calculated as the arctangent of Delta Y divided by Delta X.
2. Change the image rotation angle so that is the negative of the angle measured in the step above.  You can set the rotation angle using the instructions shown below under "Manipulating the Image", or you can use the rotate command on the modify menu.
3. Move the image to the correct position.  
1. Identify a reference point on the image.  
2. Press the Escape key to ensure that nothing is selected.
3. Click on the image to select the image.
4. Select the Move command on the Modify menu.  You will then be prompted "Move from point:" and you should click on the reference point you identified in the image.
5. You will then be prompted "Move to point:" and you should click on the correct drawing position for that reference point, or enter the coordinates and press the Enter key.

The image should then be positioned correctly on the drawing.

Manipulating the Image

If you click on the image, two selection boxes will appear--one in the lower left corner and one in the upper right corner.  If you click and drag the lower left box, you can move the entire image.  If you click and drag the upper right box, you will adjust the scale of the image.

You can adjust the scale, rotation angle, insertion point, width or height through the entity properties pane.  If you click on the inserted image, the properties of the image will be displayed on the Entity Properties window (initially this window will be docked on the right-hand side of the main window).  To adjust one of these properties, click in the appropriate box and enter the desired value.  Note that the Height, Width, and Image Scale properties are all interdependent.  The aspect ratio of the image is always maintained.