Tools and toolbars
Many of the more common functions are readily available through toolbars that can be placed around the workspace. Each toolbar contains groups of icons that, when clicked, launch the associated tool. Toolbars are highly useful for customizing the application to your needs, and workflows and are very configurable. The Properties toolbar is special case: while not customizable, it automatically changes to suit what is currently active in Revu. The toolbar is found along the top of the interface.
Toolbars can be hidden, moved, customized, and locked in place.
The toolbars can be locked so they cannot be moved. Individual toolbars cannot be locked; either all toolbars are locked or all are unlocked. The toolbars take up a little less screen space when locked, because the handles are not shown.
To lock the toolbars, go to Tools > Toolbars > Lock.
The toolbars are highly configurable, allowing each user to customize the interface. They can be hidden or not, moved around the interface, and the tools shown on a toolbar can be changed. Users can even create their own, custom toolbars that contain only the tools they use.
Whether a particular toolbar is visible in the workspace or not is configurable. To show or hide toolbars, go to Tools > Toolbars and select the desired toolbar: selected toolbars will appear in the interface and cleared toolbars will be hidden.
Toolbars can be moved as long as they are not locked. At the left or top edge of each toolbar is a handle
; drag this handle to move the toolbar.
Toolbars can be greatly customized. The order of the tools on a toolbar can be adjusted, tools can be added to and removed from existing toolbars, new toolbars can be created, and much more. The procedure below describes using the Customize Toolbars tool.
To customize a toolbar, follow these steps:
Go to Tools > Toolbars > Customize. The Customize Toolbars dialog appears.

The Customize Toolbars dialog has four areas of interest:
- Categories: Lists the categories of commands. Select a category to filter commands.
- Commands: Individual commands that can be added to a toolbar.
- Toolbar: A list of existing toolbars.
- Items: A list of items and commands contained in the currently selected toolbar.
- To show or hide a toolbar, select or clear the box next to it in the Toolbar list.
To add a tool to the selected toolbar:
- Select the desired toolbar from the Toolbar list.
- Select the desired command from the Commands list. If necessary, change Categories to locate the desired command.
- Select
to add it to the currently selected toolbar.
To change the order of tools in a toolbar:
- Select the desired toolbar from the Toolbar list.
- Select the command you wish to move in the Items list.
- Select
or
to move the command up or down in the list.
To remove a tool from a toolbar:
- Select the desired toolbar from the Toolbar list.
- Select the command you wish to remove in the Items list.
- Select
to the right of the Items list. The command is removed.
To hide a tool in a toolbar without removing it:
- Select the desired toolbar from the Toolbar list.
- Clear the box next to the desired command in the Items list.
To add a separator between two commands on a toolbar:
- Select the desired toolbar from the Toolbar list.
- Select the command in the Items list that you would like the separator to follow.
- Select
. A separator is added after the selected command.
To add an empty space between two tools on a toolbar:
- Select the desired toolbar from the Toolbar list.
- Select the command in the Items list that you would like the separator to follow.
- Select
. A blank space is added after the selected command.
- To add a new toolbar:
- Select
. - Enter a name for the new toolbar and select OK.
- Select the new toolbar and add tools as described above.
- Select
To rename a toolbar:
- Select the desired toolbar from the Toolbar list.
- Select
. The Modify Toolbar dialog appears with the toolbar's current name shown. - Change the toolbar's current name to the desired name and select OK.
To delete a toolbar:
- Select the desired toolbar from the Toolbar list.
- Select
to the right of the Toolbar list. - Select Yes to delete the toolbar.
There are many tools available when customizing your toolbars. Any of these tools can be added to any toolbar. They are sorted below alphabetically.
3D Model Tree: Opens the 3D Model Tree panel.
3-Point Radius: Calculates the radius as an arc.
Actual Size: Displays the page at 100% or the true size of the page.
Add & Edit 3D Content: Adds 3D content to an existing PDF and enables resizing and moving existing 3D model windows on the PDF.
Add Control Point: Adds a new point where selected.
Add Files to Set: Adds new files to a Set. See Adding Files to a Set for more information.
Add Place: Defines a new Place and adds it to the list.
Add Signature Field: Creates a signature field without trying to sign it.
Add Space: Creates a new space.
Administrator: Launches the Bluebeam Revu Administrator application.
Align Bottom: Aligns the bottom edges of two or more markups to the bottom edge of the first markup selected.
Align Center: Aligns the vertical centers of two or more markups to the vertical center of the first markup selected.
Align Height: Makes two or more markups the same height of the first markup selected.
Align Left: Aligns the left edges of two or more markups to the left edge of the first markup selected.
Align Middle: Aligns the horizontal middles of two or more markups to the horizontal middle of the first markup selected.
Align Right: Aligns the right edges of two or more markups to the right edge of the first markup selected.
Align Size: Makes two or more markups the same height and width of the first markup selected.
Align Top: Aligns the top edges of two or more markups to the top edge of the first markup selected.
Align Width: Makes two or more markups the same width of the first markup selected.
Angle: Measures a given angle as defined by three points.
Apply Redactions: Applies redaction selections.
Apply Stamp: Applies a selected stamp to one or more PDFs or one or more pages of a multi-paged PDF at the same time.
Arc: Adds a curve markup.
Architect Review: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
Archive as PDF/A: Exports a PDF that complies to the PDF/A1-b standard for archiving.
Area: Calculates the area of a simple rectangle or of an irregular, polygonal shape.
Arrow: Adds an arrow markup.
Bold: Bolds the typeface.
Bookmarks: Shows the Bookmarks panel.
Bottom Alignment: Bottom aligns text in a text markup.
Bring Forward: Brings the selected markup up one level.
Bring to Front: Moves the selected markup in front of any other overlapping annotations.
Button: Places a form field used to invoke an action like a calculation, sequence of events, validation of fields, generation of data, and so on.
Set Scale: Sets the document's scale using one of several methods to allow accurate measurements to be taken.
Callout: Adds a text callout markup.
Camera: Opens the Camera preview window.
Carpentry Issues: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
Ceiling Issues: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
Center Alignment: Centers the text.
Center in Document: Aligns the centers of two or more markups to the center of the page.
Center Radius: Calculates the radius a circle based on the position of the circle's center and one point on its circumference.
Check Box: Places a form field used to select an option.
Check In/
Check Out: Checks in or out the active DMS file.
Check Spelling in Markups and Form Fields: Performs spell checks for markups and form fields in the active PDF.
Close Set: Select to close the Set that is currently open.
Cloud: Adds a polygon with a cloud-like appearance preset.
Cloud+: Adds a polygon markup with a cloud-like appearance and callout box preset.
Color Processing: Opens the Color Processing dialog to change colors of vector and raster image data in the PDF.
Combine: Combines multiple PDFs into a single PDF.
Compare Documents: Launches the Compare Documents dialog to highlight the differences between multiple documents.
Continuous Mode: Shows all pages in a single column.
Continuous Side-by-Side: Shows all pages in the side-by-side mode in one continuous window.
Contractor Review: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
Convert Control Point: Select to toggle between a corner and an arc; drag to control the arc more precisely.
Copy: Copies selected information to the clipboard while leaving it in place.
Count: Places a markup for each mouse click, associating a running total of counts with each markup as it is placed.
Create Area from Space: Creates an area markup from a defined Space on the PDF.
Create Bookmarks: Generates new bookmarks automatically using either the PDF's page labels or Revu's AutoMark technology.
Create Page Label: Creates page labels automatically using the PDF's bookmarks or based on one or more specified Page Regions on the PDF that are consistent on each page.
Create PDF Creates a PDF from a single file.
Crop Image: Crops an image markup.
Crop Pages: Crops the page to remove unwanted content.
Cursor Coordinates: Shows the current coordinates of the cursor.
Cut: Cuts the selected markup and places it on the clipboard.
Cut Content: Removes image or text data from the content stream of a PDF and moves that information into the clipboard so it can be pasted in Revu or another program.
Delete: Deletes the selected markup.
Delete Pages: Removes one or more pages from the PDF.
Deskew: Deskews misaligned PDFs (due to scanning error, for example) by identifying two points that should be on the same horizontal line.
Diameter: Calculates the diameter of a circular shape.
Digital Signature: Places a form field used to securely and digitally sign the document.
Dimension: Adds a dimension or leader line markup.
Dimmer: Toggles on or off the Dimmer function.
Disable Line Weights: When disabled, Revu uses the line weights defined in the PDF when showing documents in the workspace. When enabled, a method will be used to determine an optimal line thickness based on the screen resolution and zoom factor of the workspace.
Distribute Horizontally: Distributes three or more markups along their horizontal plane.
Distribute Vertically: Distributes three or more markups along their vertical plane.
Document Properties: Opens the Document Properties dialog for the active PDF, providing general property information about the document, as well as security settings.
Dropdown: Places a form field used to select from one of many items.
Dynamic Fill: Automatically creates Spaces and measurement markups from any shape on the content layer of a drawing.
Edit Spaces: Allows resizing and other editing of existing Spaces.
Edit Text: Allows text editing in the PDF content stream. Text added using this tool will not wrap; Edit Text is recommended only for minor changes to text.
Editor: Enables edit mode for a form, highlighting form fields on the current PDF and opening the Forms panel.
Electrical Issues: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
Ellipse: Adds an elliptical markup.
Ellipse Cutout: Removes an elliptical area from an existing Area or Volume measurement.
Ellipse Sketch to Scale: Adds an ellipse markup to an exact scale.
Email: Opens a new email message with the current PDF attached in your default email program. The PDF must be saved before sending.
Email Templates: Shows a selection of existing email templates that can be used to send the current PDF attached to an email through your default email program as well as tools to manage email templates.
Engineer Review: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
Erase Content: Removes text, vectors, and images from documents.
Eraser: Removes pen and highlighter markups.
Escape: Simulates pressing the ESC key on the keyboard.
Extract Pages: Removes or copies one or more pages from the document to a new PDF file.
File Access: Opens the File Access panel.
File Attachment: Embeds a file in the PDF.
Fill Color: Opens a color selector to define the fill color of the currently selected markup. The rectangle under the bucket icon denotes the currently selected color.
Fire, Life Safety & Security Issues: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
First Page: Jumps to the first page of the PDF.
Fit Page: Fits the entire page to the available display area.
Fit Width: Fits the width of the page to the display area.
Flag: Inserts a linked flag on the currently active page.
Flatten: Flattens markups in the current document, moving them from the markup stream into the main body of the PDF, rendering them uneditable.
Flip Horizontal: Flips one or more markups horizontally.
Flip Vertical: Flips one or more markups vertically.
Font: Sets the font used for the selected text.
Font Size: Sets the font size for text. You can choose a size from 2 to 72 points in the list, or enter any value from 1 to 144 points manually. You can also use decimal values with one digit after the decimal point.
Format Painter: Copies appearance formatting and properties from one markup to another markup or group of markups.
Forms: Opens the Forms panel.
Full Screen (F11): Turns Full Screen mode on or off.
General Measurements Issues: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
Hatch Pattern: Shows a list of available hatch patterns that can be used to fill the selected markup.
Headers and Footers: Select the main button to open the Header and Footer dialog , from which you can add a new header and/or footer (if none currently exist on the page) or edit the current header and/or footer.
Select the arrow to the right to invoke the Headers & Footers menu.
Hide Markups: Turns on Hide Markups mode, hiding all markups in the current PDF file. Markups will not be shown or printed when this mode is enabled. Select this again to exit Hide Markups mode. This mode is temporary and will be reset the next time Revu is started.
Highlight: Adds a semi-transparent line simulating a highlighter.
Highlight Spaces: Toggles between showing and hiding existing Spaces.
Hyperlink: Creates and view hyperlinks in a PDF.
Image: Places an existing graphic image as a markup on the current PDF.
Insert Blank Page: Inserts a blank page after the active page.
Insert Pages : Inserts pages from other PDFs.
Italics: Italicizes the typeface.
JavaScript Console: Opens the JavaScript panel.
Lasso: Draws a free-form shape to select one or more markups.
Last Page: Jumps to the last page of the document.
Layers: Opens the Layers panel.
Left Alignment: Aligns the text to the left.
Length: Calculates a singular linear measurement.
Line: Adds a line markup.
Line Color: Opens a color selector to define the color for line and outline elements of the currently selected markup. The rectangle under the pen icon denotes the currently selected color.
Line End: Sets the graphic style for the end of the line.
Line Preview: Shows a preview of the current line style.
Line Start: Sets the graphic style for the start of the line, such as a dot, block, or arrow.
Line Style: Sets the style for the line itself, including solid and six dotted variations.
Line Width: Sets the width (in points) for the line and its ends. Use the Line Width setting in the Properties tab to set values that are not included in the list.
Links: Opens the Links panel.
List Box: Places a form field used to select one or more items from a list.
Login/
Logout: Logs in or out of the active Document Management System.
Mark for Redaction: Launches the Redaction tool to select content you want to redact.
Markups: Opens the Markups list.
Measure: Launches the Measure tool and opens the Measurements panel.
Measurements: Opens the Measurements panel.
Middle Alignment: Middle aligns text in a text markup.
Modify Set: Opens the Set dialog. If no Set is currently open, a Set can be created from here. If a set is currently open, files can be added or removed from here and/or its options can be modified.
My Tools: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
New PDF: Creates a new blank PDF.
New Set: Creates a new Set. This is also the default action selected by selecting Modify Set itself. See Creating a Set for more information.
Next Page: Goes to the next page of the current document.
Next Result: Moves to the next search result on the Search panel.
Next View: Goes to the next view in the main workspace.
Note: Inserts a sticky note.
Number Pages: Changes the page labels that appear in the thumbnail view.
OCR: Opens the OCR dialog, which transforms an image of text into text that can be searched and copied. Available in Revu Complete only.
One Full Page: Engages a single-page view of the PDF. The mouse wheel will zoom in and out of the page.
Opacity: Opens a selector to change the opacity for the currently selected markup in 10% increments. A setting of 100% makes the markup completely opaque and a setting of 10% makes the markup nearly transparent. Values in-between define various levels of transparency. To set the opacity to a value not available in the menu (for example, to 45%), right-click the markup and select Properties to open the Properties tab and enter the desired value in the Opacity field there.
Open: Invokes the Open dialog, from which you can open one or more PDFs in Revu. Other formats that may be opened and converted to PDF include TIF, JPG, PNG, GIF and BMP files. 3D PDF files can be created from U3D and IFC files.
Open File (DMS): Opens a selected file from a DMS. See Open a file from ProjectWise or Open a file from SharePoint for more information.
Open Set: Opens an existing Set. Only one Set can be opened at one time.
Overlay Pages: Reveals the differences between the pages of two PDF files by creating a single layered PDF from those pages.
Page Number: Shows the current page number.
Page Scale: Show the current page scale.
Page Setup: Launches the Page Setup dialog to define page sizes and related behavior.
Page SIze: Shows the current page size.
Pan: Drag to pan the image.
Paste: Pastes cut or copied information from the clipboard onto the PDF.
Paste in Place: Pastes content in the exact position from which it was cut or copied.
PDF Package: Creates a new, empty PDF Package.
Pen: Adds a free-drawn markup.
Perimeter: Calculates the length of all the sides of a given shape or multi-segment line.
Polygon: Adds a polygon markup with no set angles.
Polygon Cutout: Removes a polygonal area from an existing Area or Volume measurement.
Polygon Sketch to Scale: Adds a polygon markup to an exact scale.
Polylength: Creates specialized markups that calculate multiple, linear measurements as well as their cumulative length.
Polyline: Adds a polyline markup.
Polyline Sketch to Scale: Adds a polyline markup to an exact scale.
Preferences : Opens the Preferences dialog to customize Revu settings.
Presentation: Shows the current PDF document in presentation mode. Press ESC to exit. Select or press the down arrow key or page down key to advance. Right-click or press the up arrow key or page up key to display the previous page.
Previous Page: Goes to the prior page of the document.
Previous Result: Moves to the previous result on the Search panel.
Previous View: Goes back to the previous view in the main workspace.
Print: Opens the Print dialog.
Print Set: Select a print option to print the Set. See Printing a Set for more information.
Profile: Select to manage profiles. Select the arrow to its right to open the Profiles menu.
Properties: Opens the Properties panel.
Radio Button: Places a form field used to indicate a choice between options.
Radius: Measures the radius a circle, defined either center-out or by indicating any three points along its circumference.
Recent Tools: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
Rectangle: Adds a rectangular markup.
Rectangle Sketch to Scale: Adds a rectangle markup to an exact scale.
Redaction: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
Redo: Performs the last operation that was undone.
Reduce File Size: Analyzes the active PDF and determines unused elements that can be removed to reduce its file size.
Replace Pages: Replaces the content of the page while keeping the markup information.
Reuse Markup Tools: When enabled, after placing a markup, the same markup can be added to the PDF without having to reselect it. This mode is helpful when adding the same markup onto the PDF sequentially.
Review Text: Allows for marking text for edits without changing the text in the PDF.
Right Alignment: Aligns the text to the right.
Rotate Clockwise: Rotates the page clockwise in 90° increments.
Rotate Counterclockwise: Rotates the page counterclockwise in 90° increments.
Rotate Pages: Rotates one or more pages in 90-degree increments.
Save: Saves the active PDF file.
Save All: Saves all currently open files that have unsaved changes.
Save As: Saves the active PDF as another file name or to a different location. A Save As dialog will prompt for a new name, file type, and location to store the file.
Save As (DMS): Saves the current file to a selected DMS. See Save a PDF to ProjectWise or Save a PDF to SharePoint for more information.
Save As PDF/A: Opens the Save As dialog with the format set to PDF/A.
Save Set: Saves the Set that is currently open. If this is an existing Set, it will be overwritten. Sets are saved with the file extension: .bex.
Save Set As: Saves the Set that is currently open with a new name.
Scale: Shows the current scale of the PDF.
Scan: Creates a file from a scanner or camera.
Script: Starts the Script Manager, which allows you automate various tasks. Available in Revu Complete only.
Scrolling Pages: Engages a scrolling-pages view of the PDF. The mouse wheel will scroll up and down the pages.
Search: Opens the search tab to look for text in a PDF.
Search Set: Searches all documents included in the Set. The Search tab opens with Current Set selected as the Search In option by default.
Security: Shows the current Security setting of the PDF and allows you to Change Permissions.
Select: Use to select one or more markups.
Select Text : Drag to select text within a region.
Send Backward: Sends the selected markup down one level.
Send to Back: Moves the selected markup behind any overlapping annotations.
Sets: Opens the Sets panel.
Shapes: Opens a flyout showing the tools in this tool set. Tools can be used from this flyout.
Shift: Acts as the SHIFT key, primarily intended for use with Revu on a Tablet PC when a keyboard is not available.
Show Full-Screen Crosshair: When enabled, the cursor is replaced with full-screen crosshairs in the main workspace, drawing vertical and horizontal lines across the document that meet at the mouse pointer. The color of the crosshairs is the same as the Snap Color defined in the Grid & Snap Preferences.
Show Grid: When enabled, a visible grid is overlayed on PDFs in the main workspace.
Side-by-Side: Shows two pages side-by-side per window with the even page on the right and the odd page on the left.
Sign Document: Creates a signature field and automatically attempts to sign it.
Signatures: Opens the Signatures panel.
Single Page Mode: Fits individual pages to the current workspace window.
Snap to Content: When enabled, markups automatically snap to the underlying PDF vector content. Snap to Content does not snap to text or images in the PDF, only vector images such as lines and shapes.
Snap to Grid: When enabled, any points used to define a markup line are forced to align with the grid (even if the grid is not currently visible).
Snap to Markup: When enabled, markups automatically snaps to other markups in the PDF. Two related behaviors will occur: the cursor will snap to points on other markups (similar to how Snap to Content snaps to points in the PDF content) and Revu will also show—and the cursor will snap to—guidelines that are based on lines in nearby markups.
Snapshot: Copies content (and markups if the Include Markups in Snapshots preference is enabled) from the PDF to the clipboard, from which it can be pasted into a Snapshot markup or another program.
Space Properties: Opens the Space Properties dialog for the select Space.
Spaces: Opens the Spaces panel.
Split Horizontal: Engages MultiView and divides the workspace into two horizontally oriented splits.
Split Vertical: Engages MultiView and divides the workspace into two vertically oriented splits.
Squiggly: Creates a squiggly line under the selected text.
Stamp: Contains available stamps. See the Stamp Tool section for more information.
Status: Sets the Markups list status of the selected markup.
Strikethrough: Strikes out the selected text without removing it.
Studio: Opens the Studio panel.
Subscript: Formats selected text as subscript.
Subtract Control Point: When selected on an existing control point, deletes the point while leaving the shape.
Superscript: Formats selected text as superscript.
Synchronize Views:When enabled, Revu synchronizes the viewing windows when displaying PDFs in side-by-side Split View mode or in a detached window. This is useful when you need to compare two different versions of the same document. Moving the document in one window automatically adjusts the view in the second window.
System: Shows available Document Management Systems.
Text Box: Places a text box markup.
Text Box: Places a form field used to store text, dates, numeric values, email addresses, and so on.
Text Color: Sets the color of the text. The rectangle below the icon denotes the current color.
Thumbnails: Opens the Thumbnails panel.
Tool Chest: Opens the Tool Chest panel.
Top Alignment: Top aligns text in a text markup.
Translate Markups: Translates the text of markups among several languages.
Typewriter: Enables freely typing text on a PDF.
Underline: Underlines the typeface.
Undo: Reverts to the previous document state.
Unflatten : Recovers markups that have previously been flattened, if Allow Markup Recovery was selected when the markups were originally flattened.
Unsplit: Eliminates the current split.
Volume: Calculates the volume of an area with a defined depth.
WebTab: Opens a new WebTab.
Zoom In: Zooms in the current PDF.
Zoom Out: Zooms out the current PDF.
Zoom Tool: Zooms in; hold CTRL and select to zoom out.
Drag a rectangle to make that area fill the screen.
