Transferring bitmap data from Allplan to other programs

Module(s): Animation

For presentation purposes, it may be necessary to transfer data from Allplan to an external program such as Word, PhotoShop, QuarkExpress or Freehand. Allplan offers various methods; the options that are actually available to you depend on the module you used to create the data.

Note: Make sure that the external program can import the selected format. Consult the documentation first or contact the hotline of the provider.

Data from the Animation module (pixel data)

You have various options to save models as bitmaps in animation:

• You can save the current contents of the animation window as a bitmap in one of the common formats at any time.
  Select Save Contents of Viewport as a Bitmap on the File menu, set the resolution and specify the file format, name and path of the bitmap.
• Using Render, you can save the resulting image As a bitmap in the common formats. You can set the Image resolution (that is, the size of the bitmap) higher than the resolution of the screen.
• Using Record Movie, you can save the scenes separately as bitmaps in a common bitmap format. Select the Keep images option if you want to save the scenes in addition to the AVI movie. You can use every single image for presentation purposes. Keep the data volume in mind.
• The Edit Bitmap tool includes a number of other tools you can use to display bitmap files, convert them to other formats, print and edit them.

Data from CAD – drawing files

Contents of viewport as a bitmap

Using Save Contents of Viewport as a Bitmap (File menu), you can save the contents of the current viewport or animation window as a bitmap in a common format. You can set the resolution.

Copy to Clipboard

Using Copy to Clipboard (View menu), you can copy the elements in the current viewport to the Clipboard.

You can copy the contents of the Clipboard to an image processing program such as MS Paint by clicking Paste on the Edit menu or by pressing CTRL+V. This produces a bitmap you can then edit and save in the image processing program.

Note: Bear in mind that vector data are converted to pixel data, which are then transferred using the screen resolution. This means that the quality deteriorates.

Special feature of Microsoft Word: When you paste the contents of the Clipboard in a Word document, vector data are created. You can then edit, resize, delete etc. these data using the graphics program integrated in Word.

Alternatively, use PRINT or ALT+PRINT to copy the current contents of the screen as a bitmap to the Clipboard (Windows standard). The contents of the Clipboard can then be transferred to and saved in an image processing program as described above. Note, however, that this approach also copies the border of the viewport.

Note: Pressing the PRINT key copies the entire contents of the screen to the Clipboard. When you press ALT+PRINT, only the contents of the active viewport are copied.

Data from CAD – layouts

There are several ways of transferring layouts or drawings to external programs:

• You can use Export HPGL File, Bitmap File to create data in a common bitmap format or in HPGL/2 format, which can then be imported into external programs.
• If possible, consult the manufacturer of the graphics program and ask which Windows printer driver can be used. Set up this printer as the Windows printer and create a print file.
• The PDF format is often a useful alternative to bitmap files. Using the Export PDF Data tool, you can save and archive one or more layouts or the elements displayed in the print preview as a PDF file, which you can then open using the associated application. Transparency settings and layers from Allplan are taken into account (except when using the PDF/A archiving format).