Overview The Background object allows you to place an image over the icon grid. This object is used to provide a backdrop picture of your port for a realistic look or for layout accuracy. After adding a background, it will also appear in the [Berth Layout tab](Berth_Layout.html) of the Berth Planner, allowing you to accurately create your berth. Background Drawing Wizard The Background Drawing Wizard allows you to go through a few steps in order to create your Background drawing. Additionally, you can press the Skip Wizard button to edit the Background's Properties directly.  Properties There are many Properties that can be customized for the Background. More information about each individual option is found in the [VisualTool](Flexsim_Users_Manual.html) topic in the standard FlexSim users manual. The most common properties used by the background are: General Tab:  3D Shape (Background Drawing Filename)- This parameter defines a shape, or 3D wire frame, and is typically defined in a "wrl" file. A background drawing is a flat 2D surface, so only a simple plane is needed. Shape Factors - Click the Edit button to bring up the [3D Shape Factors](Flexsim_Users_Manual.html)window to adjust the size and position of your image. The 3D Shape Factors window is used to position, rotate, and scale an object. Position is set with the X, Y, and Z values. Rotation is set with the RX, RY, and RZ values. Scale is set with the SX, SY, and SZ values. 3D Texture (Background Texture Filename)- This parameter defines the texture, or skin, that goes on the object's wire frame. For a background drawing, this may be any kind of image file, such as a jpg, bmp or AutoCAD drawing. Color - This value changes the default color of the Background Drawing. Since you are applying an image over this shape, this parameter is not typically used in this context. Display Tab:  Luminous - This checkbox applies a luminous translation to the image before it is drawn. No Select - This checkbox locks the background drawing into place on the model. If this box is checked, you cannot click on the background in the model view to move it around. If this box is unchecked, you can move the background like any other object, even after other objects have been placed on top of it. Once you have positioned and sized the background correctly you should immediately check this box to prevent yourself from accidentally moving the image again. Note: After completing your selections on this screen, you may not see the background image you selected. To reload the image, on the main toolbar select File > System > Reload Media. Additional Details Scaling Gridlines For the purposes of accurately scaling a background image, it is useful to know how the gridlines in FlexSim's model view work. When you click on an empty model view (with no objects) and move the mouse scroll wheel back and forth, the view zooms in and out and the gridlines expand and contract accordingly. If you continue to zoom out, you will notice that every so often the gridlines adjust - they change from being tightly contracted to fully expanded. The reverse occurs as you zoom continually inward. These adjustments represent changes in the scaling of the gridlines. To understand how the grid scale works, follow these adjustments starting with the smallest scale. Begin at the origin. To do this, right click on the view and select "Reset View." This centers the view at the origin. Next, zoom in until the dark crosshair that represents the origin is quite large in the view. You are now viewing the smallest scale of the grid. As you continue to zoom in, there won't be any more adjustments in the scale. You can tell when you are at the smallest scale of the grid by looking at the Mouse Position in the lower left hand corner of the window. If you move your mouse, the mouse position will stay at 0.  The smallest scale represents 1 square unit, according to the units you have selected in the [Model Units Window.](Model_Units.html) For instance, if your model is in meters, then each square is 1 square meter.  As you zoom out, the origin and grid squares get smaller and smaller. You can still see the origin at the center, but now it is fairly small.  When you have zoomed out a certain amount, the grid adjusts its scale. This is the second scaling level. Each square now represents 10 square units. You can check this by observing the Mouse Position coordinates when moving your mouse across the grid. Again, if you are using meters, then each square is 10 square meters.  <a name="ZoomLevelThree">As you zoom out again, the origin continues to shrink and at some point the grid adjusts its scale. In the third scaling level, each square represents 100 square units. Using our example, squares now represent 100 square meters.</a> <a name="ZoomLevelThree">This pattern repeats itself. Each time the grid adjusts by zooming in or out, the scale changes by a factor of 10.</a> <a name="ZoomLevelThree">Scaling an Image</a> <a name="ZoomLevelThree">One of the main purposes of using a background image is to create a properly scaled model. If you are using an AutoCAD drawing, the scaling is accurately imported with the image (see </a>[Importing AutoCAD Drawings](Flexsim_Users_Manual.html) in the standard FlexSim Users Manual). If you are you using a jpg or bmp, then you should follow these steps: 1. Include a scale in your image with an order of 10 magnitude, such as 10m, or 100ft, or 1000in, etc. Make sure that the units of your background image are the units you want to use throughout your model and that you set those units in the [Model Units window](Model_Units.html) before you begin. 2. Adjust the gridlines in FlexSim to represent the same order of magnitude shown in your image. For instance, if your image shows a 100m scale, zoom out to the third scaling level as described above. 3. Open the [3D Shape Factors window](Flexsim_Users_Manual.html) of the background object and change the size parameters (SX and SY). 4. Click "Apply" and observe how closely the image's scale matches the length of the gridlines. 5. Continue to adjust the size until the scaling matches. 6. When the size is correct, be sure to lock the image in place.