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Manual / Block & Symbol

Images and PDF Underlays (IMAGE, PDFATTACH)

Insert pictures and logos (IMAGE, INSERTOBJ) and a PDF as a background (PDFATTACH), with clipping and fading.

What it does

Command Alias Syntax Meaning
IMAGE IM, IMAGEATTACH IMAGE <Attach [file]|List|Detach> Attaches a PNG/JPG/BMP picture. The picture is stored inside the drawing, so it is not lost when you send the file elsewhere.
INSERTOBJ IMAGEATT – Inserts a picture or logo from a file (same as Picture / Logo on the Ribbon).
PDFATTACH PDFUNDERLAY PDFATTACH [file] [page] Places the chosen PDF page as a background image. Then click the position.
PDFCLIP – PDFCLIP [Delete] Select a PDF underlay and a closed shape to clip it so it shows only inside the boundary.
PDFADJUST – PDFADJUST <0..100> The fade of the PDF underlay (%).

Where to find it

  • Ribbon: Insert › Blocks & Media › Picture / Logo, Insert › Reference › PDF Underlay, Draw › Block ▾ › Picture / Logo
  • Right-click a picture › Picture Properties...

Steps for a PDF underlay

  1. Click Insert › Reference › PDF Underlay (or type PDFATTACH) and choose the PDF file.
  2. The prompt bar shows the page size (mm). Click the position to place it.
  3. PDFADJUST 60 fades it so you can draw over it.
  4. Check a distance with DIST. If the scale is wrong, use SCALEREF.

PDF underlay faded to 40% (PDFADJUST 40)
PDF underlay faded to 40% (PDFADJUST 40)

Insert tab, Reference group, with PDF Import and PDF Underlay
Insert tab, Reference group, with PDF Import and PDF Underlay

Note: If you want editable lines from a vector PDF, use PDFIMPORT instead. See Import.

Try it: Trace a junction-box bracket from a PDF sketch

An electrician on site sends a scanned A5 sketch of an L-shaped junction-box bracket, 120 x 80 with three holes. Put the PDF under your drawing and trace it into real geometry. Any PDF sketch of your own works the same way.

  1. Insert › Reference › PDF Underlay (or PDFATTACH), choose the PDF and click 0,0. The prompt bar shows the page size, here 210.1 x 148.1 mm.
  2. PDFADJUST 60 fades the sketch so your lines stand out.
  3. Check the scale: DIST along the bottom edge of the bracket should read about 120, the size written on the sketch. If it does not, fix it with SCALEREF.
  4. Trace the outline with Polyline - Closed Loop: 40,30 160,30 160,50 120,50 120,110 40,110, Enter.
  5. Holes: C radius 5 at 55,40, 145,40 and 55,100.
  6. Give the traced objects a strong colour such as red (right-click › Properties) so you can see them over the sketch.

Faded PDF sketch of the bracket with the traced outline and holes in red
Faded PDF sketch of the bracket with the traced outline and holes in red

Challenge: When the tracing is done, draw a rectangle round the bracket, select it with the underlay and run PDFCLIP so only that part of the page stays visible.

See also