Attaching Raster Images

You can attach a reference to a raster image file to a drawing file using a linked image path. The image file can be accessed from the Internet.

Images can be referenced and placed in drawing files, but like external references (xrefs), they are not actually part of the drawing file. The image is linked to the drawing file through a path name. Linked image paths can be changed or removed at any time.

By attaching images using linked image paths, or by dragging images using DesignCenter™, you can place images in your drawing and only slightly increase the drawing file size.

Once you've attached an image, you can reattach it multiple times, treating it as if it were a block. Each insertion has its own clip boundary and its own settings for brightness, contrast, fade, and transparency.

Note: AutoCAD 2000, AutoCAD LT 2000, and later releases do not support LZW-compressed TIFF files, with the exception of English language versions sold in the US and Canada. If you have TIFF files that were created using LZW compression and want to insert them into a drawing, you must resave the TIFF files with LZW compression disabled.

Access Raster Images Using the Internet

Designers and manufacturers store images of their designs or products on the Internet. You can easily access image files from the Internet. URL image file names are stored in the drawing.

Accessing images from the Internet saves time and provides for rapid distribution of designs. For example, an architect who needs to show a client what custom cabinets will look like has the manufacturer create a rendered image of the cabinets, post it to a website, and then attach the image to the drawing file as a URL; any design changes can be updated immediately.