Subscriber Discussion

Good Software/App For PDF Floor Plan Markup?

MI
Matt Ion
Apr 01, 2015

One of our main clients provides us site floor plans and RCPs in PDF format. I've been loading them into Illustrator to mark up camera locations with custom-made camera objects to show FOVs, but Illustrator is kinda overkill for that.

I've played with JVSG's IP Video System Design Tool in the past and it kinda did what I need, but at the time couldn't import PDFs, and exporting a PDF to a GIF for the background really affected quality. JVSG is kinda overkill as well, as I don't need to generate 3D views and bandwidth reports and such.

So what else are people using for this? I just need something to mark up a drawing with camera locations and rough FOVs without going back to my crayons.

Something I can use on an Android tablet would be ideal, adding and changing as I walk through a site - so far all the PDF markup apps I've tried have been clunky, confusing, or really lacking in features, and none of them let me create a template camera icon.

This is basically what we do with a printed drawing, little sticky dots, and a marker... this is what I'd like to be able to do electronically:

PV
Pat Villerot
Apr 01, 2015

I have made use of PDF Escape for simple markups, primarily since it is free and web browser based. I have also used PDF Studio which is quite good, but costs nearly $100 or more for the pro version. PDF Studio is available for Mac, Linux, and Windows. I don't have an Android device for recommendations.

JH
John Honovich
Apr 01, 2015
IPVM
MI
Matt Ion
Apr 01, 2015

Thanks... I know I've looked at this once before... mainly I know this because I still get emails from them. Don't recall why I didn't really use it, but I'll give it another look.

Found an Android app called Papyrus that integrates with my tablet and phone's S-pen (Samsung's stylus) and does a fair job of PDF markups. Would really love something that did it in layers, like Illustrator.

KL
Keefe Lovgren
Apr 02, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Matt,

We have been using Blubeam for the past couple weeks now and have thought it to be great. Still in demo version which we anticipate purchasing before the demo is up. We are also using it for as builts for customers.

NW
Nicholas Wnuk
Apr 01, 2015

Bluebeam Revu.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Apr 02, 2015

I have used Adobe Illustrator in the past but it is not the most intuitive to pick up.

Nicholas suggested Bluebeam Revu which is pretty standard with all of the electrical contractors we work with. Apparently it's reasonable simple to pick up and get started with.

KL
Keefe Lovgren
May 07, 2015
IPVMU Certified

another product that may be worth looking at is Autodesk360. There is a free version and a subscription service. The cost is $5/month so the investment is virtually nothing. I just started looking at it tonight so I don't have much more to offer than just the link... I will update as I know more...

(1)
Avatar
Brian Rhodes
May 08, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Autodesk360 looks neat. It has native .dwg support going for it, and even simple things like layer management and linetype support are a plus.

It's good to see Autodesk make a move to not punish the trades/supplier chain by forcing them to sink thousands in software they don't use beyond just markups, asbuilts, and review.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
May 07, 2015

I have been using visio with axis camera shapes which works really well for the basic design element. I can scale a PDF file easily with visio and start marking away.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
May 07, 2015

JVSG

(1)
DM
David Matyas
May 07, 2015

Visio has been very helpful for me

TC
Trisha (Chris' wife) Dearing
May 07, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Interestingly, you can use IPVM's own camera calculator to do modeling in places that are public spaces. You upload your floorplan using Google's Indoor Map Facility and then you can add cameras to it like any other map. There are tens of thousands already uploaded as well.

Here is a floorplan of a certain electronics retailer that you may be familiar with:

This one might a tough sale, though... :)

(1)
MI
Matt Ion
May 07, 2015

So I've found something that's working well for me as I get used to it: Android app called Papyrus that specifically makes use of Samsung's version of a stylus, the S-Pen, on my Note 3 phone and Note-S 10.1" tablet. It's the only one I've come across so far that imports BOTH PDFs and image files for markup, and unlike most others I've tried, actually has intelligent, usable drawing and editing functions. Others seem to do one thing well, but completely suck at other necessary features.

Papyrus stores all your work in its own Note format, but has cloud backup to Box or Dropbox, and can easily re-export as PDF.

MM
Michael Miller
May 07, 2015

Using REVU and Serface PRO 3 I have been using the pen to mark up drawings (PDFs) really easy when walking round with the customer. You can even add pics right from the camera into the PDF.

KL
Keefe Lovgren
May 07, 2015
IPVMU Certified

just realizing you may have meant bluebeam revu...

MM
Michael Miller
May 07, 2015

Sorry guys that was a typo... REVU is correct

KL
Keefe Lovgren
May 07, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Michael, do you have a link to REVO? I am only able to find REVO as an software uninstaller and sunglasses.

TC
Trisha (Chris' wife) Dearing
May 07, 2015
IPVMU Certified
JG
John Grocke
May 08, 2015

More info on BlueBeam Revu here: http://ipvm.com/updates/2152

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