Insert Object (image file) behaviour across operating systems

[DJNewman]

I want to update my blog on different methods of inserting images in Mathcad Prime because there is an update in Mathcad Prime 11 that changes it dramatically. Since I wrote that, I'm on Windows 11 now on my work laptop, which has Mathcad Prime 10.0.1.0 and Mathcad Prime 11 installed.

My personal PC is on Windows 10 (many say I need to get a new PC within six months...) and has a copy of Mathcad Prime 10.0.0.0 on it.

Whenever I'm inserting an image via Insert Object (OLE, Ctrl + Shift + O) on my Windows 11 laptop, it no longer actually shows a thumbnail of the image no matter what image type I use and no matter what my default app for images is. It's just the generic box with the file name in it. On Windows 10 for 10.0.0.0 and I'm pretty sure for 10.0.1.0 before my work laptop got upgraded, it would just embed the image file by actually showing the image file.

I don't think anything happened on the Mathcad side to change this, and that it's a Windows thing, but can someone else try and see what happens, and say your operating system and Mathcad Prime version number?

[Werner_E]

Still Win 10 and still Prime 10 and I can confirm that I see the picture itself in the Prime document. Just tried using a Paint as the app.

And yes, I am also told that I would need a new machine soon, but I will try to follow a description on how to install Win11 on machine which M$ thinks are not modern enough. Not sure if it will work out OK, though.

EDIT: I should add that when inserting an already existing picture from a file, no thumbnail is shown in Prime so that's quite useless. Tried it with PNG, BMP and JPG. Only when I create it from anew by choosing the app, the picture is seen after closing the app.

[DJNewman]

Yeah, I've read a guide on how to override Microsoft saying your PC isn't modern enough for Windows 11 because my AMD processor (AMD Ryzen 5 1400 Quad-Core Processor... which is not at all a bad professor) isn't supported for Windows 11.
Sure, my PC is 7 years old, but it still runs perfectly fine. Not slow or anything.

As for the Mathcad Prime, I guess I need to get Prime 11 on my Windows 10 and test it there, as well as I'm wondering if anyone on Windows 11 can get the image files to display in any version of Prime.

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

Windows 10 & Mathcad Prime 11.0.0.0

[terryhendicott]

Hi

Processor AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 16-Core Processor, 3401 Mhz, 16 Core(s), 32 Logical Processor(s)
OS Name Microsoft Windows 11 Pro
Version 1 0.0.22621 Build 22621

Prime 10.0.1.0

Result depends on file type

*.png gets box with name using Ctrl Shift O

using insert image shows the same image

*.jpg get image using Ctrl Shift O

Cheers

Terry

[terryhendicott]

Hi,

I'd like to refine my answer. after a bit of research.

Ctrl Shift 0 gets up a dialog box with two radio buttons: Create New and Create from File.

Create from File gets the box with a name..

Create New then select Paint Brush Picture, Select from file,  Close Paint Brush gets the picture.

Cheers

Terry

[DJNewman]

So this workflow works to use an OLE Object to insert an image and have it display:

Insert Object -> Create New -> Paintbrush Picture -> [opens up Paint] -> File -> Import to Canvas -> From a File -> Choose your file from the file browser -> Exit

But this also no longer allows for the object to be "linked" to your file system, which is the only benefit to Insert Object for an image file instead of just using the Insert Image (right-click menu) / Image (ribbon) command. If that just no longer works in new versions of Prime and/or new versions of Windows, then... ouch?
Edit: Unless you really want to draw an image in Paint and don't want to have whatever you saved on your file system, but that doesn't sit well with me.

[MartinHanak]

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@DJNewman wrote:

So this workflow works to use an OLE Object to insert an image and have it display:

Insert Object -> Create New -> Paintbrush Picture -> [opens up Paint] -> File -> Import to Canvas -> From a File -> Choose your file from the file browser -> Exit

But this also no longer allows for the object to be "linked" to your file system, which is the only benefit to Insert Object for an image file instead of just using the Insert Image (right-click menu) / Image (ribbon) command. If that just no longer works in new versions of Prime and/or new versions of Windows, then... ouch?
Edit: Unless you really want to draw an image in Paint and don't want to have whatever you saved on your file system, but that doesn't sit well with me.

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Hi,

in uploaded document I am explaining how to include bmp/png/jpg files into Mathcad Prime 11.0.0.0 worksheet in Linked mode.

Unfortunately when I modify linked picture, Mathcad Prime 11.0.0.0 does not update worksheet containing the picture automatically. User must doubleclick the picture to open Paint window and then close Paint window.

[DJNewman]

Yeah, it's unfortunately just not working.

[MartinHanak]

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@DJNewman wrote:

Yeah, it's unfortunately just not working.

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Hi,

I am just curious ... what application is opened when you double-click png in Windows 11 File Explorer. Please publish picture of application window.

[DJNewman]

Microsoft Paint.

[MartinHanak]

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@DJNewman wrote:

Microsoft Paint.

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Hi,

thank you for you answer. From my point of view ... it is strange that the Windows 10 version of MS Paint enables me to insert png picture into Mathcad Prime 11.0 -AND- the Windows 11 version of MS Paint does not work for you.

Note: I do not have access to Windows 11 machine, therefore I cannot test the problem.

[DJNewman]

I finally got the product code for Prime 11 for my Windows 10 PC!

Annnnd yeah, Insert Object for image files embeds beautifully in Mathcad Prime 11 there, as it has in previous versions. Linked files work as expected, too.

So! ...Microsoft ruined it.

I'll add to the Mathcad YouTube channel list of ideas of developing a sequel YouTube video to our Insert Object video that doesn't exclusively use image files as examples...