How do you add an image in pcbview kicad 7?

Layout
1

I saw from the update note that the function was added, but I can’t understand, or rather I can’t find docs about how to place (and likely resize/move) such image

2

Recategorised to Layout assuming PCBs are the subject of the question.

3

You find or create an image then place that image somewhere on your computer in a format “Add Bitmap Image” will accept.

Click “Add Bitmap Image” (the formats acceptable are now listed across the bottom of the “Choose Image” window that has now opened.

Using the “Add Bitmap Image” window, navigate to your stored image then click open.

Once the image is on your worksheet, double left click the image to select the layer you wish the image on from the “General” tab and the scale and monochromization :slightly_smiling_face: (if required) from the “Image” tab or alter the image size by dragging corners of the image.

The image will now respond to any normal PCB functions ie. R rotate, M move etc.

Hint: place the image on an empty part of your worksheet before altering.

4

Images are natively resizable by dragging corners. TransformIt doesn’t support images because there is no API to manipulate images internally so it’s impossible to do anything that kicad doesn’t already do.

1 Like
5

@qu1ck

Thankyou kind Sir, I edited my post.

6

alright thanks, but I have a little issue
I trace a 5cm line to use as a guide, then pick up the photo, which then I try to adjust the scale, knowing that one edge of the board is 5cm, but when I select the image, the lines do disappear, unselecting the lines are back, I though it was about the image opacity, but it’s pointles

7

This is a somewhat annoying limitation indeed.
I think I once made a remark about this on gitlab, and the response was that it was a limitation of the graphics library. I guess transparency can not be applied to a selected object.

I can see three workarounds.

  1. The quickest is to use the Footprint alignment marks. These small purple crosses show on top of the imported image, even when the image is selected.
  2. The paper outline also shows on top of the bitmap. You could draw a custom paper size or add other graphics to the paper size for reference locations.
  3. Use KiCad’s measurement tools to measure some reference on your graphics, manually calculate a scale factor, and then edit the properties of your graphics and directly enter the number there.
8

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