imported images print or not without rhyme or reason

[tom brown]

I have been trying to import jpg versions of scanned drawings into a drawing and it looks fine until I print. I'm talking simple line drawings.

Sometimes the image prints and sometimes its blank, but I can't tell why. I've tried setting the image to 72dpi to match the preferences and I've tried giving it a solid or pattern attribute. Isn't there some sure way of knowing that I can scale an imported image and actually get it to print?

[Guest]

When something prints out a blank page, that usually means there is not enough memory to contribute to the output function.

What OS are you using?How much built in memory (RAM) do you have?Do you have any other programs running?How large are these VW files when a JPG has been imported into them?

[tom brown]

I use Windows98 on a PC with 128mb RAM. The images I'm importing are around 200-400k each in .jpg format. I've been experimenting with a test file with four layers, with a different image on each layer. The total file size is around 4mb but I don't know how much memory is taken up printing just one layer view. Usually there is some linework in the drawing created in Vectorworks, with the image added to the drawing. Everything in the drawing prints except the image itself. There is just a big blank spot where the image should be. The printer passes that section by as if there is nothing there and resumes printing where any of the other drawn stuff is. Sometimes I'll import an image which is too large for the drawing area and it will print successfully in the drawing area bounds like anything else. If I scale the image in Vectorworks, it doesn't seem to print. When I resize the image to fit within the drawing area, using PaintshopPro or Adobe, before importing it into the drawing, it still won't print. Sometimes I get lucky and an image will print, but when I duplicate the import the next time it won't. It would be nice to know if there were some basic rules, such as resolution of imported image, whether its attribute should be solid, pattern or none, etc. The line weight/type attribute is blanked out when I check the image's attributes.

[M T S]

Hey Tom-

Have you tried importing this image file and or operating this vw file on a faster new system with more RAM and read/write capabilities.....?

Image files have been a long time problem here at our office, I find my system at home works just fine.........

However, now we like to import images into VW-and then export as pdf's.........the pdf files of the image becomes marred!