Do you have an image you need to place in your 2D drawing space or Paper View? Have you received a PDF file with a base plan that you need to use? The Load image tool can import both image files (.jpg or .png) and PDFs alike.

There are a few methods to insert images:

• Drag-and-drop an image file from your File Explorer in the drawing area in CET.

  

• Drag-and-drop an image file from your internet browser into the drawing area in CET.

  

• Insert an Image Component by:
  1. Going to the Tools component tab.
  2. Under Image and Text, select the Load Image component.
  3. Move the cursor to the drawing area. An image component is now attached to the cursor.
  4. Place the frame in one of two ways:
     Left-click once to set a starting point, then move the cursor until the frame is the desired size (without holding down the mouse button) and click once to set the ending point.
     OR
     Click-and-drag the frame to make it the desired size.
  5. Release the component by moving the cursor outside of the drawing area or pressing Esc on your keyboard.
  6. Double-click the frame. An Open dialog appears.
  7. Browse for the desired image or PDF file, select the file and click Open. Alternately, you can drag a file from your computer and drop it within the frame.
  8. Images will be loaded immediately. If you are loading a PDF, the PDF import window opens:
  9. In the PDF import window, you can choose to place an entire page of the PDF, or click Images at the top to select an individual image from a page. Click to select the content that you wish to import, and then click the Insert button, or double-click on the page or image.
     You can click Load PDF to select a different file, or if you're done, close the PDF import dialog window.

Click and drag the yellow snap points to adjust the size. If the image must be at a specific scale, you can use the Measure and scale tool. 

Select the image/page to bring up the green Quick Properties box where you have the following options:

• Lock position: Locks the image’s position to prevent it from being moved accidentally.
• Keep aspect: Locks the aspect ratio of the image; preventing it from getting distorted when stretched.
• Show in 3D view: Shows the image as a flat surface in the 3D drawing view.
• Elevation: Height above the floor.
• 2D Position: Set the image visibility in the 2D drawing view. Front means that it will always be on top, while Back will set the image behind all other 2D objects.
• Brightness: Increases or decreases the brightness of the imported image in the 2D drawing view.
• Measure and scale: If the scale is unknown, you can use the Measure and scale tool to determine and set the scale.
• Scale: If the scale of the imported image/drawing is known, you can enter it in this field.
• Activate 2D: When checked, you can snap certain tools (lines, walls, dimensions, etc.) to some lines within the image.

Using dimensions with the Image component

Adding dimensions to an imported image, you will notice that they behave differently depending on the status of the image component.

1. If the Activate 2D option in the Quick Properties box is deactivated (default), dimensions will only snap to the border of the image component:
   
2. If the Activate 2D option in the Quick Properties box is activated, dimensions will also detect and snap to 2D lines within the image border: