APPLYING TRANPARENT FILL TO BMP FILE

[Michelle Gibson]

WE'VE CREATED A BIT MAP OF AN OLD SITE PLAN THAT WE NEED TO ADD A COLOUR TONE OVER TO "LOCATE" THE BUILDING. WE'VE DONE IT DIRECTLY ONTO THE BMP BUT THE COLOUR FILL IS NOT ALLOWING US TO READ THE INFORMATION "UNDER" THE FILL, EVEN THOUGH IT IS SET TO TRANSPARENT. WE TRIED MAKING A CALLOUT AND INSERTING THE BMP BUT THE COLOUR FILL WILL NOT SHOW FOR THE EXTENT OF THE BMP.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO WHAT I ATTEMPTING - COLOUR TONE OVER A BMP AND STILL READ THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE BITMAP...

THANKS!

[Dimitri Harvalias]

The only method I've found that works well involves a few steps

Create a drafting view and import the site bitmap
Resize the image as required to match the plotted view scale needed.
Define a special slab type with a material in the color you want and make sure to set it to have a level of transparency. You'll need to play with degree of transparency to get the best effect relative to the bitmap.
Go to a plan view and model a slab that is the shape of your building footprint. If possible put the slab on a workset that is off by default
Create a specific 3D view and turn everything off except your colored slabs
From the view menu orient the view to TOP. You now have a plan view that wil permit transparency
Go to a sheet view and place the drafting view that has the site image first.
Place the 3D slab view over the image view and locate appropriately
Ta Da!Remember that the order you place your views on the sheet will affect whether the image shows through.