Images

January 2021

Circuit has some basic support for adding images to both Symbols and Sheets.

Tip: Importantly, once you start to build a library of images, do REFRAIN from storing them in any Project Folder - there are reasons for this, and tools, described below, to help manage images across projects.

Add Image

To add images, choose the Images button from the toolbar when a Sheet is opened in Edit Mode...

Next, click on the Sheet where you want the top left hand corner of the image to be inserted, the Image Browser Dialogue will pop up...

Image formats supported are...

Browse to the image you require, select it, then press [Open]...

Tip: Circuit does not include any means to manipulate or resize images - use Windows inbuilt tools such as Paint, or third party apps to get the image to the size that suits, then re-import it.

Once you have imported an image, press the Pointer tool button to stop adding more images...

Move Image

Once an image has been placed, click anywhere on it to select it...

Tip: To see the Insertion Point of any object hit F2...

Using the Arrow Keys will move the image Up, Down, Left or Right upon the Sheet, plus you can select the image with the left mouse key, and then drag it to any position.

If the right hand or bottom edges of the image fall outside of the Sheet width or height, then the image will disappear. And when you let go with the mouse the image will be moved back onto the Sheet once again.

Again, using the resize keys will not work with images - you resize images outside of Circuit.

Image File Paths

Images can be included in Symbols (along with graphical and Node objects) as well as be added to Sheets.

Importantly, whenever an image is involved in Circuit, it's original file path (Windows file location) is maintained - the image is neither copied or moved at this point.

To see the original file location of an image select it, right-click and then choose Properties (or from the menu choose Edit > Properties or press CTRL+O)...

The Properties Dialogue will pop up...

To change the image, click on the image row...

Press the [...] button then browse to a replacement image with the dialogue you used previously... press [Apply] to complete the update, or [Close] to cancel..

Image Tools

There are a number of tools available to help manage images, in particular when images are spread out across your file system, or when you want to move a project and its image resources to another computer.

Localise Project

This feature will copy all images (plus any other resources) from wherever they are through-out your file system and place them into the project folder.

Once all resources are copied, the project folder can be moved (or copied) to another computer.

This method will NOT change the file paths to any image in your project, instead, on the target computer, when the required image cannot be found, Circuit will then resort to the same image name within the project folder.

Copy Image Files

This feature will will copy all images from wherever they are through-out your file system and place them into a folder that you nominate.

Choose Options > Copy Image Files...

You will be prompted...

Follow the prompt, ensure NO images are currently loaded into the Sheet workspace.

Press [OK] to proceed, choose a target folder with the dialogue...

Once the folder is selected, press [OK] to complete.

Renew Image Paths

This feature will renew all the image paths in your project to match the images found in the folder location you specified (as per the Copy Image Files method above for example).

The feature will literally match filenames only - it will not attempt to cross check image dimensions, etc.

Choose Options > Renew Image Paths...

Follow the prompt, ensure NO images are currently loaded into the Sheet workspace.

Press [OK] to proceed, choose a target folder with the dialogue... once the folder is selected, press [OK] to complete.

Suppress Image Errors

Should an existing image not be resolved by Circuit an error text will be displayed at the X and Y insertion point of the image, for example...

This could be the case if an image is renamed, deleted, moved or not included when a project is moved using the tools outlined above.

In any event, to prevent these errors from displaying, for example if you still want to print out the project regardless, check Options > Suppress Image Errors...

Finally, ensure the Sheet is refreshed to reflect the suppression by simply clicking the Sheet.

That's all for using the Image Tools for now.