Please recommend a drawing/sketching tool for PDFs 2

[RandomName]

In my last job with Jacobs I used BlueBeam Revu which was wonderful as a PDF editing software. Sketching was pretty effortless as I recall and there were lots of handy tools, even libraries for general structural shapes and various weld symbols. Everything worked smoothly: shapes, internal shading, dimensioning, etc.

I just switched jobs and now I'm being given Adobe 2017 as my only option which from what I can tell barely does anything. It's so bad it randomly breaks up a full page of text into separate chunks. WTF? How is this even sold to the public as a real program? This isn't in the same universe as what I had. And needless to say the drawing/commenting tools are incredibly basic. I can draw a few lines and change their color. That's about it.

Most people at my new company are older and hand-sketch things before scanning them in and attaching them to their engineering reports. Well, I'm at home so I don't have a scanner readily available and no, I'm not buying one. And TBH, that's not the answer. I need a simple, elegant PDF-editor in which I can make quality sketches without turning to a CAD sort of program.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[EDB9]

OP,

If you don’t have access to a scanner, you can get free PDF apps like Genius Scan and it will let you take a picture from your phone and convert it to a PDF file that you can email to yourself.

Another free option is an open source CAD program called DraftSight. It’s free and works almost like AutoCAD.

Erica

 

[BAretired]

PDF Annotator allows you to open multiple files and has a utility called "Combine Files". You can select the files to combine or combine all open files. If you want to change the sequence of pages in the combined file, that is also possible.

BA

 

[IDS]

Another free option is an open source CAD program called DraftSight. It’s free and works almost like AutoCAD.

According to the DraftSight web site the Standard version (which appears to be the cheapest) has an annual subscription of about Aus$150 after the free trial, but according to:

https://download.cnet.com/DraftSight/3000-18496_4-75445046.html

it is free.

Do you know if the "free" version is really free and legal?

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[EDB9]

IDS,
I’ve had it installed on my personal computer for years. I’ve never had any issues with it and it has been completely free.

Erica
Structural and Geotechnical Engineer (yes I know this isn’t a typical combo)

 

[IDS]

I’ve had it installed on my personal computer for years. I’ve never had any issues with it and it has been completely free.

I'll download and have a look. Even if it has become non-free, it's pretty good value for money.

Structural and Geotechnical Engineer (yes I know this isn’t a typical combo)

Considering almost all structures meet the ground somewhere, there should probably be more

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[itsmoked]

$349?! I'd not blink at dropping that paltry sum to get work done without some gawd-offal learning curve. Life's way too short to use some lesser product and paying to learn it.

If it was a $10k/per seat then okay, but not even 400 bucks?

I'd buy it before they decide to subscription it. Heck I'd pay that annually if it I could get what I wanted done without obstacles.


Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[EDB9]

IDS,
I learned about it probably about 7 years ago and was shocked at how much it resembled AutoCAD. Completely functions in the same manor and even saves to .dwg files.

I do agree as well. Wish there were more because it’s interesting seeing both sides. It’s very different mindsets and I do see why there is often one or the other. That’s one of the things that I liked about the company I work for, they prefer blended engineers instead of the single focus areas.

Good luck!

Erica
Structural and Geotechnical Engineer (yes I know this isn’t a typical combo)

 

[dik]

Thanks use 'snapshot' by adobe often, but haven't been able to past this into another *.pdf directly. Also use <Win><Shift><S> but cannot past this directly. I'll take a look at the other material... I don't want to link the files... I want to past a snapshot into a file.

Thanks

Dik

 

[BAretired]

dik,

I hate to sound like a strong advocate for PDF Annotator because there are a number of features about it which I don't like, but you can paste directly into a PDF file after using <Win><Shift><S>. Can't remember what I paid for it, I think it was about $50 or $60.

BA

 

[dik]

Thanks BART... will look into it... it's worth that much, just for the convenience.

Dik

 

[dik]

That was fast... tried the trial... opened a *.pdf file... then took a Windows snapshot and pasted it in, copied it and printed it as another pdf file and opened it. Bought it also... about $80 CAN.

Slikker than cat sh*t on linoleum... Thanks... I'll let you know if I run into any issues... I often use programs in unusual circumstances.

Dik

 

[IDS]

dik - there was zero reaction to my earlier post saying I use Excel for my pdf editing, so maybe everyone thinks it is a ridiculous case of using a screwdriver as a hammer, but I find it works well, and has advantages over the alternatives (although I haven't tried Bluebeam).

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[phamENG]

Doug - please do tell how that works. I just tried it - had to go hunting for Excel since it's not a standard PDF option - and once I overrode the warnings telling me that the file extension was all wrong, it just gave me a bunch of gobbledygook.

 

[IDS]

phamENG - no, you can't open a pdf in Excel (you can in Word, but it loses a lot of stuff).

I use the snapshot tool in pdf reader to copy a page (or part of) to the clipboard, then paste it in Excel. I can then use the Excel "shapes" to mark it up, or copy and past other images over the top. Finally select the range the image occupies and print selection to pdf. Or alternatively send the spreadsheet file rather than the pdf.

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[phamENG]

Ah. Well I feel a bit silly. Makes more sense now...

 

[dik]

Doug:
I almost live in pdf files and I often need to cut and paste another 'picture' into the pdf file... until today, it's been tedious, but with the PDF_Annotator it's slick. When I first downloaded it for 30 day trial... I opened a random pdf file and used windows snapshot to capture part of the screen and pasted it in the original pdf file... worked slick. I saved the pdf file under a different name and sent it to my printer as well as to Doropdf and the outcome was the same. The sheet had the snapshot embedded on it as well as the Doropdf file... Just what I wanted so I bought a copy. The program has other features that I haven't looked into... but will check. The one feature that appears to work, based on a short time use, will save me several hours of work.

Dik

 

[canwesteng]

I don't get the bluebeam love, but then again I've never tried to sketch anything with it, I just sketch things by hand and snap a picture with my phone now that I'm WFH. PDF X-change has been great for me, wouldn't touch acrobat with a 10' pole.

 

[mfgenggear]

try PDF Reader by Xodo it's a freebie, I like it for marking up PDF's

 

[dik]

BART: PDF Annotator has paid for itself several times over... really good program; I only use a couple of the features... but, for what I use, it's great.

Again, thanks.

Dik

 

[BAretired]

You're welcome. I'm happy that you like it, dik.

BA