How to precisely scale an image in Layout

I am scaling an image on a Layout page, but can not hold the shift+alt, click on a grip to scale, and enter a scale value at the same time. Help! What’s the trick here?

Start the scaling operation, let go of the mouse and then the keys. type the scale value and hit Enter.

I get “invalid string” returned in the “Measurements” field.

Exactly what are you typing for the scale factor?

1.9280205655526992287917737789203

Seriously? What happens if you try 1.9?

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well, I cut it down to 1.928. This is the scale factor I need to enlarge the image.

I still get the same “invalid string”

Why don’t you draw some lines in LO to use as guides for snapping the edge of the image to?

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It’s not that simple. I have a scanned bar chart image. I need to scale the image to calibrate with the chart’s scale values.

Import the image into SU instead and adjust its size there. Make a scene to use as a viewport in LO.

Yeah, that seems to work much better. I’ve done that before.

The trouble with that is working with the foot-inch imperial units. it’s much easier to calculate a scale factor based on graphic points.

How about redrawing the graph in SketchUp?

And you don’t have to be working in “foot-inch imperial units.”

Keep in mind what you are trying to do in Lo is something it was really designed for.

I know, that’s why I’m struggling with this seemingly simple operation.

Maybe you need a different approach as I suggested. It would be pretty easy to draw a bar graph in SketchUp.

I realize that. It’s a dataset I’m trying to extract values from for another operation. It’s not the graphics I’m after, but the underlying data in the image.

Maybe you need a different application for the task.

That’s occurred to me. It was much easier in AutoCAD, but I’m determined to make this work. I think I’m on to it now.

As @DaveR explains in his first response, make sure you start the scaling operation with the mouse. Means change the size with the mouse. After that the typed value will be accepted.