Ezigrade and CDS can display a background bitmap. However your job data needs to be georeferenced. ie It needs to be in a coordinate system that we recognize. At present this incudes WGS84 (ie like google Earth) or State Plane coordinates. If you are using local coordinates then we have no way of finding out where the job exists in lat/longs.

 

For Example: Lets assume we haveyou have a job in UTM coordinates and we are based in Australia. We know we are in zone55 and in the southern hemisphere. Click on File -> Geoid and make sure we have the following set:

 

 

At this stage I often export to Google Earth to make sure we are georefenced properly. In thsi job I went Export -> Google Earth. Note that once we fill in the File -> Geoid dialog the coordinate system is filled in automatically.

 

 

and we get this:

 

 

So we know that we are in the right georeferenced position.

 

To create a background bitmap zoom up your job:

 

 

and then click on Tools -> Background and then Show.

 

 

Then click on "Add in Image"  and we should see this:

 

 

Displaying more than one background image.

 

Ezigrade / CDS can display more than one background image at a time. This way you can get a higher detail background. Simply zoom up a portion of the job, go into Tools -> Background and click "Show" and then "Add in Image". Repeat as many times as necessary. Here is an example with 2 background images:

 

 

Transparent background image:

 

If you relook at the background dialog you will see the transparency slider bar: Slide it back and forth and you can choose a transparency level that is suitable. For example.

 

 

If the bitmap is already defined then simply go back into Tools -> Background and select the appropriate bitmap in the drop down combo box. Move the slider and click on "Exit Dialog". This still gives you an idea of where your background is but not overwhelm your job data. In this shot we have the top transparent but haven't adjusted the bottom. In real life you would adjust both of them.