Autocad Question- How to bind images?

[Jackson]

I'm currently (unfortunately) getting back into Autocad v.2008 and the simplest thing has got me (and my colleagues and Autocad's help file and Google) baffled: How do you "bind" images into a dwg file, i.e. make them part of the file rather than just linked paths? I remember doing it 10 years ago in R.14, but for the life of me I can't work out how to do it in v.2008. Autocad's ever-useless "help" file explains that they can be bound via the "externalreferences" command and right-clicking on them to bind them... but as usual this information is inaccurate/out of date as "bind" isn't available in the right-click xref menu.

[HFM]

http://rkmcswain.blogspot.com/2005/04/binding-raster-images.html

@unknownuser said:

So what's this article about? You probably came here because you want to "bind" a raster image. Here are a few ways:

1. Insert the image as an OLE object

   [*] In AutoCAD, run the INSERTOBJ command.
   [*] Choose "Create New", then choose "Bitmap Image".
   [*] Next, Windows Paintbrush should open up.
   [*] In Paintbrush, choose the Edit menu, then PasteFrom
   [*] Select your existing image file (JPG, BMP, PNG, TIF, etc.)
   [*] While still in Paintbrush, choose File, then Exit and Return to AutoCAD
   

2. Use the IMAGE BIND command in Dotsoft ToolPac. This command reads the image (either an image on disk, or one that exists in the drawing) and creates AutoCAD geometry to represent the image.

3. Use an standalone program such as Img2CAD. This program will accept most raster images as input, and then output one of the following: DXF, EMF, WMF or HPGL. I tested a 132,000,000 pixel TIFF file and converted it to a DXF. Depending on the options selected, the output DXF was anywhere from 52MB to 96MB in size. Quite large, but the program was able to perform the conversion in about a minute. Not bad for such a large image.

If you know about other options, let me know.

UPDATE:Raster Design 2008 allows you to embed (or bind) an IMAGE into a DWG. See this post for more details.

[jenujacob]

jackson,
i havent tried this yet.. but have a go at this...
http://rkmcswain.blogspot.com/2005/04/binding-raster-images.html

HFM.. u were faster....

[HFM]

1 minute Must be my 'super speed' internet connection

[Jackson]

Thanks guys! Jeez, it says a lot about Autocad/Autodesk that placing an image in a dwg file and saving it should be as complicated as that!

Thanks again,