[Inkscape-user] How to 'bind' a bitmap pattern into the svg file

Hi,

I've imported a bitmap file into Inkscape, converted it into a pattern and deleted the original bitmap object. I then created a polygon and used the pattern as fill. No problem. But when I emailed the svg to work today the bitmapped fills were lost as they were only linked to the file (and not embedded in it). Is there a way to bind in those bitmap patterns permanently so they travel along with the svg file?