What does the bitmap end in?

If your file is a bitmap (.bmp) then it's an image file and not a digitized file.

In order to turn your bitmap into an embroidery file...you have to bring the bitmap into the digitizing program and "create" the file. That entails placing the stitches super imposed over the picture...in other words creating all the stitches....thats what digitizing does....and its not automatic (well some of the programs say they do, with a simple line drawing, but I've never been too impressed) Digitizing takes a lot of work and a pretty steep learning curve...but fun
hth
jrathke@hotmail.com if you have any other questions