Make a grouped image back into an image entity

andybot

This may be a plugin question/ request: Is there a way to change an image that has been exploded back into an image. Obviously, I can drop the image back into SU, but scaling is awful with a dropped-in image. I'd like to be able to have the properties of an image (visible even outside of a group edit, etc.) Does that make sense? Anyone have an answer?

Wo3Dan

@andybot said:

.....I'd like to be able to have the properties of an image (visible even outside of a group edit, etc.) Does that make sense? Anyone have an answer?

Makes sense, yes.
Draw an edge on the image. Select both and make the selection a group.
Once the image and edge are wrapped in a group, you can even delete the edge when being in editing context. (but it may not bother you with the edge inside).

This group allows you to do what you want with groups. And in Monochrome you´ll still see the image.
Also, when editing another group or component, the image inside the first group is still visible. It's a "true" image, just wrapped in a group.

andybot

Guess I didn't explain it well... I've exploded the image into a face with a material. Is there a way to make that back into an image.

Rich O Brien

Maybe the dark lord of cookie could reverse this....

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136411#p136411

Wo3Dan

@andybot said:

Guess I didn't explain it well... I've exploded the image into a face with a material. Is there a way to make that back into an image.

For an already exploded image, I doubt it.
I thought it was for general, future purposes. To maintain an image with group's propereties.

andybot

@wo3dan said:

For an already exploded image, I doubt it.

That's what I fear. So far as I know the only way to get the image object is to import again.

@rich o brien said:

Maybe the dark lord of cookie could reverse this....
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=136411#p136411

Yup, I have that plugin, and yeah, it just explodes and groups iteratively. Would be nice if there was some dark magic that could be summoned by certain forces...

Dave R

So maybe you can't un-explode the image but if you think ahead a bit, you wouldn't need to.

Import the image as an image.
Adjust its size as needed. If you know the desired dimensions of the overall image, you can adjust the size in Entity Info quite easily. Or use the Tape Measure tool to do it.
Create a unique layer for the image.
Make a copy of the image. (Ctrl-C)
Put the visible copy of the image on it's layer.
Turn off the visibility of that layer.
Use Edit/Paste in place to paste the copy of the image.
Explode the copy and do whatever it is you're going to do with it.
When you want to see the unexploded image, turn its layer back on.

Sounds harder than it is. With a few keyboard shortcuts, this is a few seconds work.

TIG

If you have an Image in a SKP and you Explode it into a Face with a Material then it can't be 'undone' - at least not later, although an immediate Undo would remake it as it was.

Of course if you still have the image-file you can re-import it and replace the face with it...

BUT if you do not have it [for example it was in a SKP you did not create and do not have the original any more, or you have been overzealous with your spring-cleaning and simply thrown it away ] then you can recreate the Image using the Material found in the Materials Browser...
Find the new Material that was created by Exploding the Image.
Then select it and use the context-menu pop out to 'Export Texture Image'...
Save it somewhere...
Now use Import again on that to get a new Image.
Resize it over the face that was previously created by the Explode.
Move the Image a known axial distance away.
Delete the face [and its edges if they are not needed by another face] and Move the Image back into its location...
The now unused material made from the earlier Explode can also be deleted to keep the SKP 'trim'...

andybot

@tig said:

If you have an Image in a SKP and you Explode it into a Face with a Material then it can't be 'undone'

That's the bottom line I was looking to determine.

Thanks gents, all the other suggestions I already know of and use.