Best Of
Re: Highlight in the find/search command with a different color than blue
I would really love it if clicking on the search result resulted in the item being centered in the view window instead of in anchored in one of the four corners. The current behavior means I have to look in all four corners, and then drag/pan that region to the center of the screen so I can read everything around it. Please, just center it by default and save me the steps and frustration!
Re: 🗓️ October 2025 Challenge - Creepy Clutter Cleanup!
Many of these have been mentioned before but my process is:
- keep a copy of the "original" file, & make a "working file" version
- unflatten (sometimes reveals hidden markups)
- re-flatten hidden markups & any AutoCAD ones
- check if text searchable (Ctrl-Shift-A) & save another copy to OCR if necessary
- open a one page template I have with desired layers & custom columns, append the document pages & save
- remove the blank page, save again
- create another "reduced" copy of the document & run reduce
- compare the reduced copy to the original & make sure there are no differences (sometimes there are issues)
- add labels & bookmarks
If there are too many differences, sometimes I’ll “print” the original document (the page size needs to match) and process that copy instead.
Re: 🗓️ October 2025 Challenge - Creepy Clutter Cleanup!
I will be learning to use all of the above!
But for me, these are my go to steps.
- Flatten anything from civil or CAD on opening.
- Page labels and Bookmarks are a must for all files with more than one page.
- And lastly but simply, I heavily use color coding for all my markups and gently encourage my consultants to do so as well. When I open a new file I will hide or delete anything I don't want to see straight from the filter list by color. I've found that many of our consultants have their own custom status workflow, and this allows for coordination on smaller quicker jobs without having to be strict about status. The colors align to our firms standard of status, so on longer projects we do enforce the WRA standard for list filtering.
Darbie
Re: 🗓️ October 2025 Challenge - Creepy Clutter Cleanup!
Well, where's the checkbox for All of the Above?
My go to is to work in Individual Pages. I just find it easier all around. In order to do that though, its much easier to do a few things to the combined documents before you break them apart. In no particular order…
- Set Scales
- I like to use the Search feature, combined with a Highlight tool to set my scales.
- This is easier to do when the drawings are combined as you can apply a scale to multiple pages
- Apply Custom Columns
- MUCH MUCH easier to do as combined file
- doable with a Script, but a bit of a PITA
- Page labels
- Hyperlink
- We apply a custom Header with the Drawing package
- Optional
- Spaces
- Best done when as a collective because you can copy/ paste a Space and keep its attributes.
- Break the file into Individual Sheets (this does have to be last)
Lastly I prefer to create a Set. Not only do I find this easier to work with, it also makes Slip Sheeting easier and doesn't make your drawing package overly large. Yes there are some different workflows you have to take into consideration when doing a Summary Export but those are minor when compared to file size, especially when working on a VPN or in the cloud.
Other than that, every drawing package is different and sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
Notice I don't set Bookmarks. with individual sheets Bookmarks are pretty much useless, so I tend to ignore them. When I do use them though, I do them either 3rd or 4th.
Re: 🗓️ October 2025 Challenge - Creepy Clutter Cleanup!
In addition to the workflows mentioned above, I will also get rid of any Untitled Viewports that like to get exported from CAD programs. Once they are gone, then I can apply appropriate calibrations per sheet, creating scaled viewports where needed.
Keyboard Shortcut Request - toggle on/off specific layers
Keyboard Shortcut Key Request:
Add ability for the user to select a single layer to be assigned to a keyboard shortcut key for toggling on and off that layer.
Example:
Layers:
Main document
Overlay document #1
Overlay document #2
Right click overlay document #1 layer > assign to layer shortcut key > toggle on/off assigned layer using shortcut.
Then, when I am done comparing document #1, I can assign document #2 to the shortcut key and toggle it on/off.
More info on my workflow and why this feature would help speed up reviews on my end.
I am reviewing construction documents and so my situation involves checking a structural framing plan vs. other disciplines. I will use the overlay feature to align my plans to the other disciplines plan sheets. I will assign each disciplines plan to specific layers in Bluebeam. Then I will toggle on and off layers as needed.
During the review, the overlay document often covers up information on my main document and I need to toggle that layer off to see my document better….then toggle it back on to continue the comparison process.
Currently, there is not a shortcut key for toggling layers on/off. The current process involves me using the layer toolbar to toggle on/off layers. This involves me taking my eyes off the sheet I am reviewing to find the layer I want to toggle off, then look back at the sheet I am reviewing while that layer is off, then take my eyes off the sheet again to find the layer I want to toggle back on so that I can continue my review with the overlay sheet on.
Depending on the size of the plans I am reviewing, I will turn off/on a specific layer a dozen times to several hundred times. Stopping to look for the toggle on/off button for a specific layer slows down my workflow.
I tried a java script for this but all solutions I was able to find required the use of a button and not a shortcut.
Re: Convert shape to Area
Wayne, we have a tool in active development that is available in our beta program that was designed for situations such as this. I recommend applying via URL below; giving this new tool a try; and posting your feedback - we'd love to hear what you think! https://bluebeam.centercode.com/BEAP
cc @Ryan Arnold
Re: Change Case command for Text
Hi all,
Thanks for posting this. We are in active development on a new method to QC markups. One of these QC actions we will support is the ability to update markups to/from lowercase, uppercase, and sentence case.
We'll be sharing more about this at Unbound in a few weeks.
Allow Content Level Changes within BB Studio Sessions improving design collaboration
We would request (almost plead) with Bluebeam to allow Bluebeam Studio Sessions to be optimally used during the design process. At present, we upload a package of bound drawings to a studio session. Several engineers collaborate (simultaneously marking up the drawings), and prepare to send the markups to CAD. Let's say there are 20 drawings, but 3 drawings are extracted from the 20, and sent to CAD. Here is the problem: It would be VERY helpful to insert these freshly CADed drawings individually into the bound set of 20 drawings. In other words, the Studio Session is requested to be a 'live' stick set, and would offer HUGE efficiency for the design team. As I understand it, this is called "Content Level Changes" or "Core Level Changes". At present, a user would need to remove the bound set of 20 drawings, replace the 3 drawings with the freshly CADed drawings, and upload the new 'stick set' within Studio Sessions. We often replace individual drawings within our 'stick set' several times a day, so without "Core Level Changes" the workflow is onerous and inefficient. Would you please consider this enhancement ? Possibly, default to the way the permissions are now, but with special administrator permission (a software 'slider switch' or 'checkbox' for example) - Core Level changes would be enabled. Again - this would be SO helpful for collaborative design. Thank you for your consideration.
Guy Ehlers
Carollo Engineers.
GEhlers
Pull custom column information from markups list, into captions
Kinda just what I said in the subject line. You can currently display the title of a custom column as an icon's caption, but not the actual information in that custom column field. Would be very helpful to our CAD team when we hand over drawings for them to duplicate in CAD form. Currently they have to flip back and forth between programs in every instance to get the information they need…would be helpful if that information was already displayed underneath the icon on the drawing.
Shannon