ImagePlacer

User Guide — Mapsoft ImagePlacer Plugin for Adobe Acrobat

Overview

ImagePlacer is an Adobe Acrobat plug-in that places and positions images on PDF pages with precise control over positioning, scaling, rotation, transparency, and page selection. It is designed for workflows where logos, watermarks, signatures, stamps, or other image assets need to be added to existing PDF documents consistently and accurately.

The plug-in supports common image formats and provides a live page preview so you can see exactly where your image will appear before applying the change. Images can be placed as a foreground overlay or as a background watermark behind existing page content, giving you full control over how the image integrates with the document.

ImagePlacer includes additional features such as image borders, horizontal and vertical flipping, aspect-ratio locking, absolute width/height sizing, JPEG quality control, PDF blend modes, a Fit-to-Page command, and a clipping area option. All settings can be saved as named configurations for reuse, and the plug-in exposes a COM automation interface for scripted and batch workflows.

Getting Started

After installation, ImagePlacer adds a menu item under Extensions › Mapsoft › ImagePlacer in Adobe Acrobat. Click this to open the ImagePlacer dialog. You can also access ImagePlacer from the Acrobat toolbar if the toolbar button has been enabled.

Open a PDF document in Adobe Acrobat.
Go to Extensions › Mapsoft › ImagePlacer.
Browse for the image file you wish to place.
Set the position, scaling, rotation, and transparency as desired.
Select which pages should receive the image.
Click Apply to place the image, or OK to place and close the dialog.

Tip: Use the page preview panel on the right side of the dialog to see a live representation of where your image will be placed on the page. You can also drag the image in the preview to reposition it visually.

The ImagePlacer Dialog

All placement options are controlled from a single dialog. The sections below describe each part of the dialog in detail.

Image File

The Image field at the top of the dialog shows the path to the image that will be placed. Click Browse… to open a file picker and select your image. Supported formats:

Extension	Format
`.jpg`	JPEG
`.tif`	TIFF
`.bmp`	Windows Bitmap
`.gif`	GIF
`.pcx`	PCX
`.png`	Portable Network Graphic
`.pcd`	Kodak Photo CD
`.tga`	Targa

Non-JPEG images are automatically converted to JPEG before being embedded in the PDF. An Image dimensions label appears below the file path showing the pixel size and the printed size at the current scale (in the selected unit).

Placement

The Placement group controls where on the page the image will appear.

Control	Description
X Position	The horizontal distance from the reference edge to the left side of the image, expressed in the currently selected unit.
From: left / right	Selects which horizontal edge the X Position is measured from. Choose left to measure from the left edge of the page, or right to measure from the right edge.
Y Position	The vertical distance from the reference edge to the bottom of the image, expressed in the currently selected unit.
From: top / bottom	Selects which vertical edge the Y Position is measured from. Choose top to measure downward from the top of the page, or bottom to measure upward from the bottom edge.

The default position is 0.0, 0.0 from the top-left corner.

Units

Use the Units drop-down to choose the measurement unit used for the position and size fields: Inches (decimal, e.g. 1.25), cm, or mm. Changing the unit automatically converts the current values so that the intended position on the page is preserved.

Resize Image

The Resize image group controls the size and rotation of the placed image.

Control	Description
Scale	Sets the size of the image as a percentage of its original pixel dimensions. The default is `100`, which embeds the image at its native size (one pixel per PDF point). Enter a lower value to shrink the image or a higher value to enlarge it. Use the spin buttons to adjust by 1% at a time.
Rotation	Sets the clockwise rotation angle of the image in degrees. The default is `0` (no rotation). Enter any value from 0 to 360, or use the spin buttons to adjust by 1° at a time. The rotation is applied around the centre of the image.
Width / Height	Enter the desired printed width or height of the image in the currently selected unit (inches, cm, or mm). When the Lock aspect ratio button is pressed (default), changing one dimension automatically updates the other to maintain the original proportions. The Scale percentage is also updated to match. Conversely, changing the Scale field updates the Width and Height fields.
Lock aspect ratio	A toggle button between the Width and Height fields. When pressed (default), width and height are constrained to maintain the image’s original aspect ratio.

The −90 and +90 quick-rotate buttons in the preview toolbar (to the right of the alignment buttons) let you rotate the image in 90-degree steps with a single click.

Tip: When the image is rotated, the auto-fit logic takes the rotated bounding box into account. If the rotated image would exceed the page dimensions at the current scale, the scale is automatically reduced to fit.

Flip / Mirror

Two checkboxes below the Resize image group let you mirror the image: Flip horizontal mirrors the image left-to-right, and Flip vertical mirrors it top-to-bottom. The image position on the page is unchanged; only the image content is flipped. Both options can be combined, and they work together with rotation. The preview updates instantly to reflect any combination of flip and rotation.

JPEG Quality

The JPEG quality control sets the compression quality used when embedding the image in the PDF. The value ranges from 1 (lowest quality, smallest file size) to 100 (highest quality, largest file size). The default is 75. Use the spin buttons to adjust by 5 at a time. This setting applies to all images, including non-JPEG images that are automatically converted before embedding.

Tip: For photographs, a quality of 75–85 is usually sufficient. For images with sharp lines or text (such as logos), use a higher value (90+) to avoid visible artefacts.

Fit to Page

The Fit button in the preview toolbar calculates the largest scale at which the image fits entirely within the page and sets the Scale, X Position, and Y Position fields accordingly. The calculation accounts for the current rotation angle, so a rotated image will be scaled to fit its rotated bounding box.

Use Clipping Area

Tick Use clipping area to position the image relative to the page’s crop box (the visible area after cropping) instead of the media box (the full physical page). This is useful when your PDF has been cropped and you want the image to align with the visible content area rather than the underlying page boundary.

Apply As

The Apply as group controls how the image is layered relative to the existing page content:

Option	Description
Overlay	The image is placed on top of the existing page content. This is the default. The transparency option is available when Overlay is selected.
Watermark	The image is placed behind the existing page content, so the page text and graphics appear in front of the image. Transparency is not available in Watermark mode.

Transparency (Overlay mode)

When Overlay is selected, tick the Transparent (Acrobat 5 +) check box to make the image semi-transparent. Use the slider below the check box to set the degree of transparency: drag towards Opaque (left) to make the image more solid, or towards Transparent (right) to make it more see-through.

Note: Enabling transparency means the PDF will only display reliably in Adobe Acrobat 5 or later. Earlier versions of Acrobat may not render the transparency correctly.

Blend Modes (Overlay mode)

The Blend drop-down selects the PDF blend mode used when compositing the image with the page content:

Mode	Effect
Normal	Standard compositing (default). The image simply covers the content beneath it, subject to any transparency setting.
Multiply	Multiplies the image colours with the underlying content. Produces a darkening effect; white areas become transparent. Ideal for placing dark logos over coloured backgrounds.
Screen	The inverse of Multiply. Produces a lightening effect; black areas become transparent.
Overlay	Combines Multiply and Screen. Dark areas darken, light areas lighten, and mid-tones blend.
Darken	Keeps the darker of the image and the underlying content at each pixel.
Lighten	Keeps the lighter of the image and the underlying content at each pixel.

Note: Blend modes (other than Normal) use the PDF extended graphics state and require Acrobat 5 or later, the same as transparency.

Border / Outline

Tick the Border checkbox to draw a rectangular outline around the placed image. When enabled, the Width field sets the stroke width of the border in PDF points (default 1 pt, accepts 0.1 to 20), and the small coloured square opens a colour picker for the border colour (default black).

The border is drawn in the PDF as a stroked rectangle around the image. It follows the image’s rotation and flip transformations, and it is also shown in the page preview.

Page Range

The Page range group specifies which pages the image will be placed on:

Option	Description
All pages	The image is placed on every page of the PDF document.
Specified pages only	The image is placed only on the pages listed in the text box. Enter a comma-separated list of pages or page ranges, for example `-3,5-7,10,20-` to include pages 1–3, 5–7, 10, and 20 onwards.
Current button	Automatically fills in the page number of the page currently displayed in Acrobat, and switches to Specified pages only mode.

Page Spread

The Page spread group lets you restrict placement to odd or even pages within the chosen range, which is useful for double-sided documents: Odd and even pages (default), Odd pages only, or Even pages only.

Name Configuration

The Name Configuration group allows you to save and recall complete sets of ImagePlacer settings so that you can quickly reuse a particular combination of image, position, scale, page range, and transparency.

Control	Description
Configuration drop-down	Shows saved configurations. Select an existing name to load its settings, or type a new name to create a new configuration.
Save	Saves the current dialog settings under the name shown in the configuration drop-down. If a configuration with that name already exists you will be asked to confirm the overwrite.
Remove	Deletes the currently selected named configuration.

Tip: Saved configurations persist between Acrobat sessions. Give each configuration a descriptive name (for example Logo top-right or Watermark A4) to make them easy to identify later.

Page Preview

The right-hand side of the dialog shows a live Page preview panel that gives you instant visual feedback of where the image will appear on the page. The preview updates automatically as you change any placement setting, including rotation. A toolbar above the preview area provides alignment and quick-rotate buttons.

Element	Description
Preview area	Shows an aspect-correct representation of the current page with the image drawn at its configured position, scale and transparency. You can drag the image to reposition it, or drag its corner handles to resize it.
< and > buttons	Navigate between the pages that match the current page range and spread settings. The preview displays the actual page dimensions of each page, so you can verify positioning on pages with different sizes.
Page indicator	Shows the current page number and total document page count (e.g. Page 3 of 12). If no pages match the current range and spread settings, the text No matching pages is shown.
Page dimensions	Displays the width and height of the current page in PDF points (e.g. 612 × 792 pt).
Alignment buttons	Six small buttons that snap the image to the left, centre, right, top, middle, or bottom of the page with a single click.
−90 / +90 buttons	Quick-rotate buttons that subtract or add 90° to the current rotation angle. Useful for rotating an image to landscape or portrait orientation.
Fit button	Calculates the largest scale at which the image fits the page (accounting for rotation) and sets the scale and position accordingly.
Show page content	Toggles the rendering of existing page content in the preview. When enabled, the preview shows a simplified rendering of the page content behind or in front of the image (depending on overlay/watermark mode).

Tip: Use the page navigation buttons to check how your image placement looks on different pages, especially if your document contains pages of varying sizes.

Buttons

Button	Action
OK	Validates all settings, places the image on the specified pages, and closes the dialog.
Cancel	Closes the dialog without placing an image. Any images placed using Apply during the current dialog session are automatically removed.
Apply	Places the image immediately using the current settings without closing the dialog. This lets you inspect the result in the actual PDF and adjust settings before committing. Use Undo to remove an applied placement.
Undo	Removes the most recently placed image (whether applied with Apply or OK). Can be used multiple times to undo successive placements.
Help	Opens this user guide in your default web browser.

Step-by-Step: Placing an Image

Open the PDF document in Adobe Acrobat.
Go to Extensions › Mapsoft › ImagePlacer to open the dialog.
Click Browse… and select the image file you want to place.
Set the X Position and Y Position, and choose which edges to measure from.
Select the Units (Inches, cm, or mm).
Enter a Scale percentage if you want the image resized.
If you need the image rotated, enter a Rotation angle in degrees, use the spin buttons, or click the −90 / +90 buttons in the preview toolbar for quick 90° steps.
Optionally tick Flip horizontal or Flip vertical to mirror the image.
Adjust the JPEG quality if you need to control file size vs image clarity (default 75%).
Choose Overlay or Watermark. If using Overlay, optionally enable transparency and set the slider. Choose a Blend mode if you want the image to interact with the page content.
Optionally enable a Border and set the width and colour.
Specify the Page range and Page spread.
Watch the Page preview panel on the right to see exactly where your image will appear. Use the < and > buttons to check different pages.
Click Apply to place the image into the real PDF without closing the dialog. Use Undo to remove it if you need to adjust the settings.
When satisfied, click OK to apply and close the dialog.
Save the PDF in Acrobat as normal (File > Save).

Page Range Syntax

When Specified pages only is selected, enter a comma-separated list of page numbers or ranges in the text box. The following syntax is supported:

Example	Meaning
`5`	Page 5 only
`3,7,12`	Pages 3, 7, and 12
`5-10`	Pages 5 through 10 (inclusive)
`-5`	Pages 1 through 5
`10-`	Page 10 through to the last page
`-3,5-7,10,20-`	Pages 1–3, 5–7, 10, and 20 to the end

Tips and Notes

Coordinate origin: The default origin (0, 0 from top-left) places the image at the top-left corner of the page. Increase X to move right and increase Y to move down.
Non-JPEG images: If you select a file in a format other than JPEG (e.g. PNG, BMP, TIFF), ImagePlacer automatically converts it to JPEG before embedding. The original file is not altered.
Transparency and Acrobat version: The transparency feature uses Acrobat’s extended graphics state and requires the PDF to be viewed in Acrobat 5 or later. If your audience may be using older versions of Acrobat, avoid enabling transparency.
Tryout mode: If ImagePlacer is running as a tryout (unlicensed) copy, a watermark text is added to the PDF. Purchase a licence from the Mapsoft store to remove the tryout watermark.
Rotation and alignment: Alignment buttons and auto-fit scaling take the rotated bounding box into account. For example, centring a rotated image will centre its bounding box on the page, not its unrotated rectangle.
Undo after Cancel: If you click Cancel, any images placed with Apply during that session are automatically removed — you do not need to undo them manually.
Flip and rotation: Flip and rotation can be combined freely. For example, flipping horizontally then rotating 90° produces a different result from rotating first. The preview shows the combined effect in real time.
JPEG quality and file size: Lower JPEG quality values produce smaller PDF files but may introduce visible compression artefacts. For most photographs, 75% is a good balance. For screenshots or line art, use 90+.
Blend modes: Multiply is the most commonly used blend mode for overlaying dark logos or stamps onto coloured backgrounds. Screen is useful for light-coloured images on dark backgrounds.
Border: The border is drawn as a PDF path object and follows any rotation or flip applied to the image. It is a separate element that can be selected independently in Acrobat’s editing tools.
Absolute size: The Width and Height fields give you direct control over the printed size. They are linked to the Scale percentage — changing one updates the other automatically.
Tooltips: Hover over any control in the dialog to see a brief description of what it does.

COM Automation

ImagePlacer exposes a COM automation interface (IImagePlacerAuto) that allows external scripts and applications to place images programmatically. The automation interface can be called from any COM-compatible language, including VBScript, PowerShell, C#, and Python (via the win32com library). The following properties and method are available:

Property / Method	Type	Description
`strSourceFile`	BSTR	Path to the image file.
`fXPosition`	double	Horizontal offset (inches).
`fYPosition`	double	Vertical offset (inches).
`fScaling`	double	Scale percentage (100 = native size).
`fRotation`	double	Rotation angle in degrees.
`bFlipH`	BOOL	Flip image horizontally.
`bFlipV`	BOOL	Flip image vertically.
`bIsContentInsertedBefore`	BOOL	TRUE = watermark (behind content), FALSE = overlay (default).
`bTransparency`	BOOL	Enable transparency.
`fTransparencyPerc`	double	Transparency percentage.
`nBlendMode`	long	Blend mode (0=Normal, 1=Multiply, 2=Screen, 3=Overlay, 4=Darken, 5=Lighten).
`nJpegQuality`	long	JPEG quality (1–100, default 75).
`fromHEdge`	long	Horizontal edge (0=left, 1=right).
`fromVEdge`	long	Vertical edge (0=top, 1=bottom).
`boundsType`	long	Page bounds (0=media box, 1=crop box).
`bPagesAll`	BOOL	TRUE = all pages, FALSE = specified range.
`strPagesRange`	BSTR	Page range string (e.g. `"1-3,5"`).
`nPagesOddEven`	long	0=odd and even, 1=odd only, 2=even only.
`PlaceImage(PDFHandle)`	method	Places the image on the specified PDF document.

System Requirements

Adobe Acrobat: Acrobat Pro or Standard DC (2017 or later). Not compatible with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Operating System: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (both 32-bit and 64-bit Acrobat installations are supported).
Image Formats: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, PCX, PCD, TGA.

Support

If you encounter a problem or have a question not covered here, please get in touch: