Setting a default markup layer

Open the Layers Tab (either thru Tab Access or using the shortcut ALT+Y) and hover over the layer you want your markups to be applied to.

Right Click on the Layer of your choice and choose Markup Layer

You will get a dialogue box prompt confirming the layer you just assigned.

You can click OK or if you don’t want to see this prompt again, check the box before clicking OK.

The markups icon appears to the right of the default markup layer.

The markups you add will appear on this layer of the document. You can change the markups layer by repeating the above process. Note that if you are going to use Studio Sessions and collaborate on this PDF, you may want to remove the default markup layer before uploading it.

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Not everyone uses Bluebeam Revu for PDFs in the AEC industry yet. So when sharing files with people outside your firm, you may want to display the page and bookmarks, attachments, layers or thumbnails. Estimators often want to show the layers tab. Specifiers prefer to have bookmarks visible. Perhaps you just want to open the document on page 4 or show facing pages. All these possibilities are part of the Document’s Settings.

How to Change a Document’s Settings:

Click Document | Security or use the Keyboard Shortcut CTRL+L
Select the Settings Tab (shown right)
In the Document Options section change Show to your preferred view in the dropdown selection:

Page Only – Displays only the PDF page

Bookmarks + Page – Displays the Bookmarks Tab and the page (as shown above)

Layers + Page – Shows the Layers Tab and the page

Attachments + Page – Opens the Attachments Tab if you have used the File Attachment “paperclip” markup

From the Document options you can also control what page to start on, the magnification (fit to width, fit to width, actual size, fit page, fit visible, etc) and the page layout (Single, Continuous, Facing, or continuous facing). When you save the document it will save the settings.

To verify that it’s working the way you want, in Explorer, right click on the file and open with a different PDF viewer, or alternatively, email it to yourself.

Let me help more people in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry. Share your favorite Bluebeam Revu feature or tool in the comments.

Here’s one from Collin Creach, “My favorite Bluebeam tool… that’s a tough one. I’d have to say Hyperlinking. Not even just Batch hyperlinking, even when done manually the ability to link a document from one to another is incredibly simple with Bluebeam.”

The post Bluebeam Tip: How to Display Layers or Bookmarks Automatically when Sharing a PDF appeared first on Hagen Business Systems.

How many times during your estimating take-off do you right click and add an item to a layer? You use layers to place like items together (all the electrical, all the the flooring or all the insulation, etc.), so you can toggle these layers on and off, to isolate trades and to keep your take-off ordered and uncluttered. When using one drawing to take-off many trades, layers helps but adding an item to a layer each time you take-off an item in Revu is time-consuming. There’s a quicker way.

Estimating professionals take-off like items together. By chunking your work you are naturally more efficient as your mind works best when focused. Once you take off all the plumbing (or electrical fixtures, etc) there’s a quick way to add all of them to a layer using the flatten tool. Just check the box next to Assign Layer then type in the Layer name (overwrite the default ‘Markups” in the text box). As you add Layers, a drop down choice will show you your previously entered layer names. Remember to keep the unflatten option checked so you can add any missed items and to then create or export your report summary to .CSV format (Excel) later. If you haven’t used the layers function you’ll want to turn the Layers Tab on in your left panel using the Tab Access (It’s an upside down orange triangle on the command bar). Then check/uncheck any layers you want to display/hide.

You could alternatively use CTRL-A in the Worklist then Right Click and Create a New Layer, but this doesn’t get all your markups out of the way in the Worklist for the next set of related take-off items like the Flatten Tool does. What else do you use Flatten for? The flatten function in Bluebeam Revu is important to use so you don’t accidentally move markups that should remain in place and it makes the markups printable. It’s also important when you email PDFs to others (who may not have Bluebeam yet) so that hyperlinks work in those other PDF programs.

For more tips on Estimating with Bluebeam, these topics may be of interest to you:

Multiple Monitors for Estimating Take-off Productivity

Show All Measurements in one Estimating Take-off item

Improving Estimating Take-off Accuracy

The post Bluebeam Tip: Estimating and Layers appeared first on Hagen Business Systems.