importing bitmap copies

I wanted to import several identical bitmaps into xtreme as starting point[s] for some variant plugin/LE procedures - I had these bitmap copies already set up with variant names, to be used elsewhere as well

so it seemed straight forward enough - select them all and drag and drop them into xtreme

Wrong

It appears that xtreme only registers the first and then, because they are identical, simply duplicates - see attached demo made afterwards to illustrate, note status bar and bitmap gallery...

OK I can make a bitmap copy, and then a bitmap copy and then a bitmap copy in xtreme, but that's the long way round here

Interesting reflection on the way xtreme or windows works [maybe...]:D

I did the same as you and found that it is repeatable right back through all versions to X1.

I would suggest that this is by design.
Each of those bitmaps are still treated separately internally and can be exported with various applied effects.
This is after all how Xtreme deals with bitmap clones and duplicates internally and is how Xtreme enables users to create many copies on the canvas yet use only 1 instance of the original resource, thus saving file space (when saved as a .xar).

thanks for checking Steve - it makes sense what you say