Product Review: Bluebeam Revu for iPad

As an Architosh reader you may have first learned about Bluebeam Revu for iPad from our recent feature article series on apps for architects. (see: Architosh, “Ultimate iPad Guide: 12 Must-Have Apps for Architects,” 20 April 2013.). More commentary about Revu was also written in an earlier report on iPad apps for the review and markup of CAD documents in the field.

Revu for iPad – What it Does

Revu for iPad is essentially a PDF-based document viewer oriented specifically at the AEC industry. It is used by architecture, engineering and construction professionals. Yet, it is not just a CAD drawing viewer application.

Revu for iPad has three broad functions: (1) access your PDF based CAD drawings (and other documents) on the go in a mobile context, (2) markup and redline these documents while on the go anywhere, with or without a live Internet connection, and (3) collaborate with colleagues in real time from the iPad using Bluebeam Studio.

Accessing Drawings

The immediate value to AEC professionals using Bluebeam Revu for iPad is the ability to carry complete sets of PDF drawing documents with them. While there are many other ways in which this could be carried out, Bluebeam’s product is the most thoroughly targeted solution on the market for CAD professionals in the AEC space.

There are several ways to get your PDF drawings into Revu on your iPad. One way is to use a direct iPad to computer connection using Apple iTunes. From within the iTunes app select Apps from the menu bar at the top and select Bluebeam Revu, making sure you have hit Sync Apps box as well.

Another way to get your files, and likely a superior way, is to use a direct connection to a cloud service. Bluebeam supports both Dropbox and Box at the moment. From within the Add Account window you select one of the cloud service options and then enter your cloud service username and password. (see image 01). Complete the direction screens including this one from Dropbox. (see image 02). Once complete you will now see your Dropbox or Box account in the Document Manager. (see image 03).

Lastly, you can also get your files to you iPad Revu app using WebDav server or Bluebeam Studio, their cloud-based collaboration offering.  Once your files are in Revu for iPad you can access them through the main interface.

The User-Interface

Bluebeam Revu’s user-interface is one of the more sophisticated UI’s in an AEC application for iOS. We admit that at first it may intimidate. Most Apple users are used to the idea that Apple’s products are easy enough to avoid reading the user manual for getting going. That will not be the case with Revu for iPad. There will definitely be some trial and error and reading the help documentation will benefit you. So we encourage you to do that if you get frustrated with the application in the early days of its use.

Across the top there is a menu bar which holds six items on the left and three on the right. When using Revu for iPad, at first it might seem like the user-interface comes at you from every side of the iPad’s screen. (see images 00 – 05 for comparison) In truth it does. The company makes good use of the many standard iOS interface multi-touch features. While we are not going to explain every single UI element, to open a PDF document we will start by getting one from the Dropbox account sync’d earlier.

As you can see in the image below your CAD PDF file appears as the white document in the main window while Revu’s many slide-out UI elements wrap the document. You can pinch and zoom in and out just like any other document in an iOS based app. Bluebeam Revu’s app isn’t the absolute fasted PDF viewer on the market but it clearly one of the better ones. (see image 05)

The Document Manager is accessed by the file cabinet icon with the green arrow. Inside you will find a default Documents folder. White triangles (on right) drill down into folders, revealing documents and more folders inside. (see image 03). You can always create additional folders inside a directory by clicking on the More button at the bottom of the Documents windows.

Next page: Marking Up Your Documents

Marking Up Your Documents

If a user just wishes to have their PDF drawing documents with them on their iPad in the field for viewing (rather than carrying around large rolls of drawings for instance) they can use a number of other excellent applications, including Bluebeam’s own Bluebeam Vu. For those who want more–including a lot more–Revu has plenty to offer.

As we said in our feature article, (see: Architosh, “Ultimate iPad Guide: 12 Must-Have Apps for Architects,” 20 April 2013) one of the core tasks of architects (and engineers) is to provide construction observation services and verifying conformance to the construction documents. This tasks always requires that the design and engineering professional brings documents in the field with them…and usually for markup if necessary. Now with iPads AEC professionals are doing this markup work on their favorite tablet device.

This is really the heart and soul of Bluebeam Revu for iPad. For starters the user can open more than one PDF file at a time because the app features a tabbed interface. For example, open the floor plan, the sections and the structural framing plan by the engineer to verify beam and column connections. (see image 06)

Bluebeam Revu for iPad’s markup tools are truly extensive. You access them from the upper right menu by clicking on a markup icon. An icon-based tool palette pops up on the right. This palette includes icons for text, notes, highlighter, lines, clouds, callouts and more to redline your PDF files. You can also customize your markups by changing property settings for each tool, including color, fill, opacity, line type and weight and font choice. (see images 07 -08)

Let’s Talk Markup

Upon opening Revu and scanning its markup choices one is initially a bit overwhelmed. There often are more than a few ways of achieving the same or similar thing. This area of the program took some time to gain interface fluency. Each markup tool has its own way of working. In truth, the user does need to review the instructional manual on learning how to use these markup tools to their fullest potential. Trial and error will only take you 90 percent there, if that.

When you markup drawings in Revu for iPad you must confirm the items you add. You do this by clicking on the green check box on the upper left. Or if you don’t like the markup you just did you can undo it and try again. Revu supports multiple undo and as you work you may prefer to keep adding items and then confirm all these markups at once by selecting the green checkbox upper left. The red X button will cancel these marks and not save them.

Likewise, you can alternatively individually highlight items and use the red X button from the toolbar at right to delete marks you no longer want. If you want to edit an item, even after you have saved it to the markup information, you can select it. Little handles appear and you can then move the object around, including rotating it by various degrees. (see image 10 above). If you choose to delete the mark you can use the red X button on the toolbar. Once you are done with your markups you can confirm by selecting the green check upper left.

Along with the standard compliment of markup tools on the right, which include things like yellow sticky notes, clouds, arrows and lines and callouts, there is another toolbox of tools on the left. This is called the Tool Chest and this is where you can save custom edits to your tools, as well as where there are dozens of specific icons that can be placed on drawings to signify exact things.

These Tool Chest tools include custom versions of your standard tools, plus Comment & Review, Sequences, Punchkey Symbols and Proofreading Symbols. (see image 10) One thing that you can do is import custom tool sets from Revu for Windows to Revu for iPad, allowing one to take into the field the same customized tools you use back in the office.

Another feature that shouldn’t be missed out on is the ability to take photos with your iPad camera and attach them to PDF documents. This is invaluable in field inspection work and in particular punch list reporting.

Finally, one of Revu’s best features is its ability to track changes to documents. This becomes really critical even if you are the only one marking up a document. From the markup list each markup is time and date stamped and in collaboration sessions each particupant is recorded here as well. This roots your markups into meeting and site visit contexts where you otherwise also have records of decisions. If you select a markup item from the markup list it takes you directly to that spot on the PDF. If you select mark on the PDF it highlights that item on in the markup list. (see the title graphic bottom edge and image 05).

Next page: Collaboration

Collaboration

Revu for iPad is not just a serious markup tool. It also plugs into the company’s Bluebeam Studio cloud-based solution. In our discussions with the company they explained there are two ways in which collaboration happens in Studio. There are Studio Sessions and there are Studio Projects.

Studio Sessions are like GoToMeeting events in many ways. Fully cloud-hosted these sessions allow you (the host) and colleagues to fully collaborate on the same PDF at the same time. Only the host needs to actually own a license to Revu, others invited can use a free product called Bluebeam Vu for Windows or Revu on an iPad.

Studio Projects is more than just collaboration sessions. With this version users have more abilities in collaboration sessions and there are no limits on attendees, how many files can be uploaded, size of files, markup file limitations, et cetera.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Bluebeam Revu for iPad is a superb application–all on its own as a “lone wolf” PDF-based drawing document markup tool. But the tool is not a lone wolf at all, it fits into a larger collaboration workflow called Bluebeam Studio.

For AEC users it is a fantastic choice for storing and using your drawing documents on your iPad. Even if you don’t use Studio you can still utilize its cloud connections like Box and Dropbox and the edits you make in the field will be available to you on all the computers you use that have your Dropbox sync. Although we did not cover it in detail, Revu is also a very capable text document markup tool, with standard highlighting and notation items. The ability to add photographs to your documents using the iPad’s camera is another key feature that any tool in this genre must have.

What we would like to see more of is in the area of Help and getting started. As veteran Architosh readers already know, we champion the use of video instruction, especially onboard the application and particularly integrated into the program’s Help section. Bluebeam Revu for iPad is a very strong app and we remain convinced that Revu is an architect’s “must-have” app and a top tool for increasing productivity. —- ANTHONY FRAUSTO-ROBLEDO AIA, LEED AP

Pro: Bluebeam Revu for iPad offers top capabilities for engineering and architectural drawing document markup, with excellent ways to customize the many tools and important and share them for creating office standards; user-interface has depth and intriguing to explore and is attractive and serious looking. This isn’t your grandma’s application! Great collaboration features in Bluebeam Studio integration option, and equally strong cloud support with Dropbox and Box support; markup list time and date stamping history is excellent; very reasonable price for an excellent executed iOS app.

Cons: There are really no major cons other than our comment about initial use and wishing the program came with some built-in instruction. This would have been most handy for figuring out the markup tools, using multi-touch to manipulate items, et cetera.

Advice: Anyone practicing architecture who needs to take drawings with them into the field or to client site locations (eg: hospitals, college campuses, etc) should be carrying this on their iPad. With its great options for keeping in-sync drawing with them at all times it is very hard to argue against not giving Revu for iPad a good spin.

Cost: 9.99.USD suggested retail from the Apple iTunes Store

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