[Vince]

Hi David

Can you shortcut this further by using the ‘Snip & Sketch’ feature on Windows and the just paste the resulting extract straight into Bluebeam?

I’ve used this to copy pictures from websites and put straight into a pdf file in Bluebeam.

[Vince]

Hi Doug. Looks like I’ve found this topic a bit late in the day!

I export to Excel where I use a variety of different methods to make my data more usable. Various different formula set-ups, sorting & splitting into with macros and also power query.

I am also currently doing a power query course which, although I’m only half way through, I can highly recommend.

What it does mean though is that I can have a standard profiles set up in Bluebeam for various different types of work – drainage, foundations, external works, etc. which can then all be easily exported to a csv and then imported directly into Excel.

[Vince]

I have created a number of folders under tools and leave everything available at all times. I’ve also created several different profiles including drainage, externals, foundations, etc..

Each profile will have certain folders open whilst others are collapsed.

This works for me as on larger jobs I will work on on section of a take-off at a time – this is because there are different sets of drawings issued for each element of the works.

However, on smaller jobs there might be just one engineering layout with all of the details on. As all of the tools are there I can just choose any profile and expand or collapse the details as necessary.

Always open to ideas how I can improve this though!!!😀

[Vince]

Fantastic as always Troy!!!

[Vince]

Thanks Troy – that worked perfectly!

[Vince]

Thanks Troy – I will give that a go later!

[Vince]

Thanks Troy. Unfortunately I am trying to keep the subject titles the same as I need all of the mark-ups together when I export to Excel. Being able to export the colour details is a great start but I could also do with some more detailed info from Bluebeam as well.

I’ve just tried exporting the ID as well in the hope that this column might be generated partly based on the mark-up features but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

I’ll keep looking for another solution. 🧐

[Vince]

Hi David. Power Query is a great tool but you can also just use a standard table in Excel from which a pivot table is generated. Once the table is set you can just copy any new data from the csv file output by Bluebeam into the table then hit refresh to update your pivot table.

I am using this sort of thing all of the time now and the amount of time saved is incredible.

[Vince]

Thanks Troy

The problem arises when I am adding say 40 new drawings to an existing set – 35 could be revisions and 5 totally new.

If possible I don’t want to have to go through first and try and work out which are totally new files and add these separately.

Think I must be missing something here!

Thanks

[Vince]

I have adjusted everything as much as possible but could still do with being able to adjust even more – just being fussy I guess! 😆

[Vince]

I’ve run into the problem of the dot being too big as well e.g. areas like shingle margins around a house.

With the boundary, a lot of the time I find it difficult to get the thick line neatly / accurately lined up with irregular shapes – whether this is curved areas or maybe even trying to stop the fill half way through a door opening in a wall. It may not make too much difference to the overall area measurement but it bugs the hell out of me because it just doesn’t look right! 😆

[Vince]

Thanks David! I’ll give this a go on a smaller project first I think.

[Vince]

Unfortunately, although I try to measure in a structured way, I still jump between measuring different things a lot of the time so unfortunately I don’t think I would ever have all of the other mark-ups ready to flatten them. In which case I will carry on as I am. Thanks for the ideas though!

[Vince]

I’m just using the “Combine” tool in Bluebeam at present. I will have a look at your suggestions about copying & pasting though. Thanks.

[Vince]

Well there is your very quick fix to get rid of layers. Even with a single drawing you can just combine it with another one then simply delete the one you don’t need.

Unfortunately I’m still none the wiser on how to keep the actual layers though?🤔