Bluebeam Revu hosts a myriad of tools and functions, even beyond what displays in the Menu Bar. For this reason, some functionality can only be accessed using modifier keys. Modifier keys are a type of keyboard shortcut that modifies how your mouse works with the program. All modifier keys make use of the Ctrl, Alt, and Shift keys on your keyboard. Each of these keys activates a different function depending on the tool you are using. Using these modifier keys, you can find shortcuts to complete your work quicker with just a press of a button. If you want to increase productivity without having to put in additional time, modifier keys can be a great benefit.

In this article, we will take a look at 10 modifier keys inBluebeam Revu that can help you better complete your work.

The following examples are from Bluebeam Revu 2019 eXtreme edition. However, these modifier keys are available within all versions of Revu.

1. Add and subtract control points

When working with Shape and Line markups, you can create new control points by holding down Shift while selecting a line segment. With this control point, you can create new line segments and adjust the shape of the markup.

In the same manner, you can delete control points from markups by holding down Shift and selecting a point. This also allows you to adjust the shape of the markup – such as changing a rectangle to a triangle.

You can also add and subtract control points by right clicking on the markup and using the dropdown menu. However, the modifier key helps to make this process much faster. These modifier keys will not only work on standard markups, but measurement markups as well.

2. Duplicate markups

If you want to duplicate a markup, you can always Copy and Paste it using the right click menu. However, there is a modifier key to help do this faster. If you hold down the Ctrl key, you can click and drag a markup to duplicate it. With just one click, you can duplicate your markups with ease – saving time that would be spent manually copying and pasting them.

3. Select multiple markups

You can also use modifier keys to select multiple markups. This can be useful for changing the Subject or visual properties of sever markups at once. To select multiple markups, hold down the Shift key while selecting. With several markups selected, you can resize them and move them as a unit. You can even use the Properties toolbar or the Properties panel to adjust all of their appearances and metadata.

4. Move measurement captions

When you place a Measurement markup, a caption will appear within it. This caption is a text field, stating what the measurement value is. There are often times where this caption’s placement is not ideal – such as if it is covering underlying PDF data. Thankfully, you can use a modifier key to move the measurement caption without moving the markup as a whole.

To move a measurement caption, hold down the Shift key and click and drag the text to a new location. Make sure you zoom in enough to just select the caption, as it is very easy to accidentally move the entire markup. You can place the caption anywhere on the document, even outside of the measurement markup.

5. Convert control points from straight to curved (or vice versa)

When working with line or shape markups, you can convert line segments to curved arcs by right clicking on the control point. But, there is a quick modifier to do this as well! To convert a straight line to an arc, hold down Ctrl while clicking on a control point. This can help ensure the accuracy of your markups, especially those with rounded corners. When working with measurements, this can be extremely important to maintain accuracy.

In the same manner, you can convert curved lines to straight lines using the same modifier key. Hold down Ctrl and select the arc’s control point to make it into a straight line.

6. Draw straight horizontal, vertical, or 45° lines

When placing markups and measurements, it’s important to ensure that your lines stay straight. There is a modifier key available to assist with this as well! If you hold down Shift while using a markup, it will lock it to only move in 45° angles.

For line markups, this modifier will keep your line perfectly straight. For Polyline and Polylength measurements, this modifier key will keep your segments within 45° angles. You’ll be able to quickly create 45°, 90°, or 180° angles with ease, every time.

7. Move markups in a straight line

The same modifier key used to create straight lines can also be used when moving them. If you need to move your markups around, but want them to stay on the same vertical or horizontal plane, this is the modifier key to use. To use this tool, hold down the Shift key when clicking and dragging a markup. With Shift held down, you will only be able to move the markup vertically or horizontally. This can be especially useful when creating custom drawings and templates.

8. Create perfect circles and squares

Similarly to how you can use modifier keys to create straight lines, you can also use them to create perfect shapes. Revu’s Ellipse and Rectangle tool allow you to draw shapes to your specification. If you need perfect equilateral circles and squares, however, you can use the modifier key to assist. When using an Ellipse or Rectangle, hold down the Shift key to create perfectly symmetrical circles and squares.

9. Draw circles from the center outward

Speaking of the Ellipse tool, there is another modifier key that you can use with it. By default, when using Ellipse, the shape will be drawn from the corners as you drag the cursor. However, you can use a modifier key to draw circles from the center outward instead. This can be useful if you need to draw a circle based on a known radius.

To do this, hold down the Alt key while using the Ellipse tool. You can then create the shape from the center, rather than the corners. This modifier tool gives you just another way to use the same tool to your advantage.

10. Add/Delete leader lines

When using the Callout tool, you can choose to add or delete leader lines by right clicking on the markup. Once again, there’s a modifier key for this as well! After placing a Callout markup, hold down Shift and select a control point within the existing leader to add another one. This can be useful to point out multiple items on the drawing using the same callout.

Just the same, you can delete leader lines by holding Shift and selecting a control point on the line you wish to delete.

You can find the full list of modifier keys available in Bluebeam Revu here.

Summary

Bluebeam Revu’s modifier keys allow you to make adjustments to your markups with ease. Modifier keys are essentially keyboard shortcuts with different capabilities depending on the tool. By using the Ctrl, Alt, and Shift keys while placing and editing markups, you can control more aspects about the tool. With Revu’s modifier tools, you can gain more control over your markups and make them work better for you.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please use the comment section on the bottom of this page, and don’t forget to subscribe to our blog to get more Bluebeam tips & tricks directly in your inbox!

Lauren Hecker is a Bluebeam Certified Instructor and teaches onsite and virtual Bluebeam Revu training courses. To schedule an onsite or custom course, please contact us!