You can use bitmaps strategically to help improve your system's performance. For example, if you have a picture with 40 objects located within 1 or 2 screen regions that have no animations attached to them, consider converting the objects to a bitmap. This ensures that the next time that display has to repaint, only one item (the bitmap) will need to be repainted, rather than the 40 separate objects.
Metafile imports, for example CAD drawings, create a large number of objects. Again, one strategy of optimizing a picture created with a metafile import is to convert these multiple objects to a bitmap.
When using bitmaps, remember that the size and the resolution of the bitmaps can impact performance, too. Larger bitmaps and bitmaps at high resolution will take longer to load and will tax your system's resources more than smaller bitmaps at a lower resolution. As a general rule of thumb, you will also achieve better performance if you convert multiple bitmaps within one screen region to a single bitmap.
You should try to minimize the use of full screen bitmaps, too. A full screen bitmap will require all screen regions to repaint, which is also costly to your system's resources.
To copy and paste an object as a
bitmap image:
- Select the object.
- In Classic view, on the Edit menu, click Copy as Bitmap.
-Or-
In Ribbon view, on the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy as Bitmap.
- In Classic view, on the Edit menu, click Paste.
-Or-
In Ribbon view, on the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Paste, and then click Paste.
