Bluebeam Revu features markup tools that allow you to place polygons, rectangles, and various other shapes on the PDF. Once placed, markups can be customized and resized manually using the markup’s control points. There may be times, however, where you need to place a shape with specific length, width and height measurements. To do this, Bluebeam Revu also features a variety of Sketch to Scale markup tools.

Polygon Sketch to Scale

The Polygon Sketch to Scale tool allows you to place a polygon shape markup with input length and rotation measurements for each side.

To place a Polygon Sketch markup, click on the PDF to place the first point. Once the first point has been placed, the Polygon Sketch toolbar will appear. The Length text box will automatically be selected. Type in the desired length measurement for the side and press TAB on the keyboard. The Rotation text box will now be selected. Type in the desired rotation measurement and press ENTER on the keyboard. The side will be drawn based on the entered length and rotation. 

The remaining sides can continue to be entered using the toolbar in the same manner. However, sides can also be drawn by dragging the cursor manually, just as you would with the regular Polygon markup tool. Continue drawing sides in either manner until the shape is closed.

Rectangle Sketch to Scale 

The Rectangle Sketch to Scale tool allows you to place a rectangle markup with input width, height, and rotation measurements.

To place a Rectangle Sketch markup, click on the PDF to place the first point. The Rectangle Sketch toolbar will appear with the Width text box selected. Enter a width measurement, then press TAB. The width line of the rectangle will appear automatically on the PDF, and the Height text box will now be selected. Enter a height measurement and then press TAB again. The rectangle will appear according to the input dimensions and the Rotation text box will now be selected. If needed, type in a Rotation measurement and press ENTER. The rectangle markup will adjust to match the input height, width, and rotation measurements.

Ellipse Sketch to Scale

The Ellipse Sketch to Scale tool places an elliptical markup with input width, height, and rotation measurements. 

The Ellipse Sketch tool can be used in two modes: Radius Mode and Width x Height. By default, the Ellipse Sketch tool will open in Radius Mode. 

Radius Mode

To create an Ellipse in Radius Mode, first click on the PDF to place the first point. The Ellipse Sketch toolbar will appear with the Radius text box selected, allowing you to enter in a radius measurement. A circle with the input radius will be drawn on the document.

 To switch from Radius Mode to Width x Height, select Revu > Preferences > Tools > Sketch. Select the Ellipse Mode dropdown to switch the tool’s default mode.

Width x Height Mode

While in Width x Height mode, Ellipse Sketch to Scale allows you to place an ellipse markup with input width, height, and rotation measurements. This mode is especially useful when drawing non-circular ellipse markups.

To create an ellipse in Width x Height mode, click on the PDF to place the first point. The Ellipse Sketch tool bar will appear with the Width text box selected. Enter in the width measurement and select TAB. The Height text box will be selected. Enter in the height measurement and select TAB again. The Rotation text box will be selected. Lastly, enter in the rotation measurement, then select ENTER to finalize the ellipse markup.

Polyline Sketch to Scale

The Polyline Sketch to Scale Tool draws a segmented line markup with input length and rotation measurements for each line segment.

To place a Polyline Sketch markup, click on the PDF to place the first point. The Polyline Sketch toolbar will open with the Length text box selected. Enter in the desired length measurement and press TAB on the keyboard. The Rotation text box will be selected. Next, enter in the rotation measurement and press ENTER. The first segment will be drawn. Continue adding line segments in the same manner, then double click on the last placed point to complete the polyline markup.

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Lauren Hecker is a Bluebeam Certified Instructor and teaches Onsite Bluebeam Certified Courses, virtual Bluebeam Basics and Advanced courses, and custom onsite or virtual courses. To see her next open enrollment course, please visit our calendar. To schedule an onsite or custom course, please contact us!