Scaling a background imported image

I have been given an incomplete plan view of a site with access roads and have been asked to extend the roads to meet up with a main road off site. Not having any survey points I figure the most accurate thing to do was to screenshot a google map image, import it into my drawings and trace it. Unforturnately I'm struggling to scale the map image to my existing drawings.

The problem I'm having is when i click the image to scale, it obscures the view of the drawing, so I can't see anything to reference. Is there a way to make the image transparent? Or to have it permenantly at the back.

Thanks,

James

i don't know a way to see the image wqhen you scale it but if you right click - basic modify tools - display order you can send it to the back

ps it may help you to draw some reference lines which you can then use SCALE command with Reference option, selecting points you created to scale accurately - maybe image will help!

I have evolved a system for inserting a Google Map image into a drawing.

First of all, in Google Map, make sure that you have the Scale Legend turned on (in the View menu). Then I get the image that I want on the screen and e-mail myself the image (saves having to muck about with a screen grab).

In AutoCAD, I make a new layer, and then insert the raster image to that layer, and send that image to the back. I find that Align is very useful, and I can near enough scale the image using the Scale Legend bar. Then if there is enough common detail in the existing drawing and Google image, again I use the Align command. At any time, if the image obscures the linework, a Regen sorts it out.

ps it may help you to draw some reference lines which you can then use SCALE command with Reference option, selecting points you created to scale accurately - maybe image will help!

This is what I also do. Insert the image, copy some reference lines for scaling (make them a good color and a large polyline width so you can see them easily) and then scale it using reference points on the image.

AutoCad 2012 also has a 'fade' property for images which seems to work quite well. I don't think 2010 has that though.

Brilliant advice guys, thanks! I've tried to work the reference lines and found that the drawing isn't actually all accurate (I shouldn't be suprised). I tried the send to back feature, but it pops right back to the front as soon as you click it to scale. What's a Regen?

type command REGEN or RE or better still REGENALL or REA to refresh everything in the drawing.

I tried the send to back feature, but it pops right back to the front as soon as you click it to scale. What's a Regen?

That is curious, because my image stays behind. I wonder what makes your's behave differently

REGEN regenerates the entire drawing and recomputes the screen coordinates for all objects in the current viewport. It also reindexes the drawing database for optimum display and object selection performance.

I thought 2010 had the ability to fade images.

I use similar to eldon when I need a presentation image or now that I have the Google Earth extension for AutoCAD from Autodesk Labs (as long as you do not need a real good image), it will insert to your location scaled, if your drawing is 1:1.

If the image has a known Dimension on it then you can Scale Reference and input that number. The crosshairs are always visible above the image.