viewports & bitmaps

I have been stuck on this for two days. I think that JD may have answered this on a 06/20 post, at least something similar. I'm trying to use a bitmap of a floor plan on a details layout. I have scaled the bitmap to fit viewport area but when I want to draw plines they are behind the bitmap. I have tried Draworder command several times with no success.

This is a function I will need to do often and need a clear understanding on how to proceed. When I initially started this I had scaling issues in modelspace & bitmap covered all other layouts as well.I pasted the bitmap to layout & scaled to fit but I'm still stuck & way behind schedule.

Thanks in advance for helping this stressed out newbie!

I do a lot of drawing over tiffs and bitmap files.

One thing I should warn you about is to make sure your bitmap file is not too large. Depending on the capability of your workstation, you might wind up with a drawing that you won't be able to plot. (bitmaps can be HUGE memory hogs when plotting).

Second, do you have the frames for the image file set at 2? That will allow you to select the image object, but the frame will not print.

Really, the bitmap should be in model space and the the viewport in the layout should be scaled appropriately.

If you are having issues of the bitmap covering other items in model space, why don't you simple save it as a new file and get rid of the other layouts. (have two files, one with the other layouts, and one with the bitmap).

Also, try "regen all" as sometimes, you think the lines are behind the image, but they are not.

I see you are using Map 3D. I've never done any map drawings but I do have to trace over scanned drawings once in a while. So, this may or may not help you. My images are line drawings so using background transparency makes most of the image invisible. Also, setting the elevation of your image to a negative Z value might help.

If you are using Map3D there are a few extra commands for images that regular (Vanilla) Autocad does not have. What I suggest is bring in the image into model space, use an insertion point away from any other object you may have created already. Then use the image commands to scale or align the image as need and draw over top of it as you need. Then in the layouts scale the viewport so the images and autocad objects fit as you wish, use the zoom and pan commands if you don't need a known scale.