Underlay Manager

In this Task

• The Underlay Manager will be used to create an underlay style. This style is a pdf file which will then be inserted into the current drawing.
• Download the sample drawing here.
• Download the Underlay drawing here

 

Before you Start

• An underlay in the form of a pdf is provided for this task.

 

Take Note

• Image files can also be used as a drawing underlay.

 

Using the Underlay Manager

Ribbon : Format | Underlay Manager

This file utility allows a scanned drawing or image to be used as an underlay to an existing drawing.Drawings or images which are inserted as an underlay, if captured in a compatible format such as pdf, allow snap modes to be used so that the object can be ‘traced’ using normal line and circle geometry.This is particularly useful for capturing design intent as the finished sketch can be modified or constrained using the normal Sketch or Modify tools.

 

Start a new drawing using the Student_2D template, then use the Design Director to create a new layer for the drawing underlay, similar to the illustration below. Make the color of the Underlay layer a different color to any which would normally be used.

Creating a new layer for the underlay

The underlay drawing was created on an A4 size sheet and will be inserted to this approximate size.

Download the Underlay.pdf and save to a convenient location.

Select Format | Underlay Manager from the menu options above. To create a new underlay, click onto New, then browse to the download file called 06 Underlay.pdf, shown below.

Opening the drawing underlay

In the Name field, shown above, provide a name for this underlay style. In this example, the name 06 was given. Click OK.

Inserting an Underlay

Ribbon : Insert | Insert From | Underlay

Default Menu : Insert | Underlay

An underlay can only be inserted once it has been defined as a style, shown above.

In the SelectionInfo palette, set the Underlay style to 06.

From the Insert menu, select Underlay, then select the newly created style shown below.

Inserting the underlay into the drawing

Click any point in the graphics editor, then use SHIFT-TAB to access the coordinate fields and input 210 and 297 into the X and Y fields respectively.

Underlay inserted into graphics editor

Double click onto the underlay image, then set the underlay scale to about 33. This will be adjusted later when constraints are added.

Select the underlay, then move it to the newly created layer for this purpose. This allows this layer to be hidden or displayed at various intervals during the drawing process.

Take Note

When a pdf is inserted as the underlay, the objects which form the underlay can be converted to vector-objects, depending on the integrity of the original image. After the underlay is inserted, select Tools | PDF Tools | PDF Underlay to Objects. If you are using the Ribbon menu, select Insert | PDF Underlay to Objects.