Pictures in AutoCAD

Let's say you go to a site and take some pictures of where your building is supposed to be built, or maybe you have an old set of blueprints that you are using to base a remodel on. Perhaps you have an architects' or engineers' stamp and you are tired of signing your name and stamping all your drawings. In any case, you have an image that you want in your AutoCAD drawing. Now, with r12 and r13 you could do this. I did it myself while working with Pac Bell Mobile Services setting up the new PCS phone systems. However, to do so meant having to spend around an extra $500 to $1500 on software per user to place and view the images in AutoCAD, as well as the need for a scanner that could easily run upwards of another $1000. Luckily with r14 and some cheaper technology, this has changed. Now r14 can directly read, crop, adjust and print images in your drawing. This is something many of use have waited a long time for. It finally means the ability to easily do all sorts of short cut techniques for placing parts of drawings that are already drawn by hand into a drawing on the computer without redrawing them. This can also lead to some philosophical debates on whether it is ok to scan another architects work into the computer, and then add your drawing to it, and call it your own. I have a feeling we will see some heated discussions coming out of the AIA in the coming year as people start to realize this technology. However, it can mean a drastic decrease in the time spent on drawing a set of plans, especially in the case of remodels. There is one local architects' office that currently scanning architects' hand drawings and then placing his drawings into AutoCAD, and charging the client an extra fee for having created CAD drawings. This seems a bit unethical to me, but standards are changing in the office where time is money.

So, how do we work this new marvel? Well, we need three things.

First, you need to have something to scan. Either pencil on paper, a photograph, or anything else that will fit on a scanner bed. You should remember when handling photos that will be scanned to try not to touch the image, but rather only touch the edges, otherwise the scanner might pick up your fingerprints and blur it. Also, whenever possible, get a 4x5 print rather than a 3x4 print and a glossy is better than a matte finish.

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