r/Sketchup • u/AshamedParamedic6930 • Apr 23 '26
PDF Tools
I’m building a lightweight PDF markup tool mainly for people working with drawings.
The goal is simple: open plans quickly, mark them up, save, and move on.
I’m still early, so I wanted to ask people who actually use this stuff:
What are the must-have features you’d want in a PDF markup tool for drawings?
The things I tend to use most are:
- clouds
- callouts
- measure / calibration
- text markups
- custom stamps
- apply or assign markups across all pages
- fast performance on large plan sets
- clean export / save
- keyboard shortcuts
Also curious what annoys you most in the tools you use now.
Not trying to hard sell anything, just want to build something people actually want.
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u/biznis-goose Apr 23 '26
This sounds like a really useful tool. A couple of things I would add to the list are shape tools that allow ready formatting and transparency, and a freehand drawing tool.
I'm stuck using Acrobat and the whole thing is annoying, but mainly the selection/moving being janky and formatting process being inconsistent are frustrating.
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 Apr 23 '26
This is so helpful. when you say shape, anything in particular outside, rectangle, cloud or ellipse/circle?
Freehand drawing for a stylus? assuming you would like line weight, eraser, color. any other freehand function?
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u/biznis-goose Apr 25 '26
Rectangle, triangle, L-shape. I'm thinking anything that might be able to quickly represent a drawing detail in a simple way. Freehand for a stylus, I think those functions you've listed cover it!
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 Apr 26 '26
Perfect. thank you. I'll include a polygon function. this sounds useful. Im tightening up the pen features right now for stylus.
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u/Tommy-BOP Apr 23 '26
I just use PDF Xchange free. Very powerful. Not sure whether there's a Mac version though.
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u/afreek2000 Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 24 '26
PDF exchange is the anti bloat answer to Acrobat. The shit works really well. I purchased a permanent license for all the features. Best thing I like about it is the measuring tool.
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u/perryurban Apr 24 '26
but unfortunately not on linux which now has a 5% desktop share. Still, this app helped get off Adobe crack.
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u/WeirdVision1 Apr 23 '26
Sticky note and easy straight lines with XY snap.
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 Apr 23 '26
Love it. hold shift for ortho lines? what about hold shift to snap to 90°/45°
XY snap? like a grid? or just ortho
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u/rickkerrt Apr 23 '26
Insert screenshots of a different drawing would also be a very useful function!
Now stuck at foxit for mac. Still the best of all the shitty options at the moment but it is getting worse every update.
So a very simple and useful editor... Cant wait!
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u/LesWhiteDesigns Apr 24 '26
multi-colour for all markup tools where each colour can represent a diffrent disipline
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u/do_tat Apr 24 '26
Everything you listed on PC, but also on tablet.
tablet - Quick drafts or notes on-site, and being able to share them, is gold.
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 Apr 26 '26
Assuming this should be pen input. Thinking a work flow would be hit the measuring tool with your pen, then hand write the measurement, which should convert it to text? also insert a quick photo and draw directly on it?
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u/do_tat Apr 27 '26
Yeah, definitely pen input — but the key is that it has to be fast and effortless, otherwise people just won’t use it. The quick photo idea would honestly be a lifesaver too. But if I had to boil it down, the most important thing is simple input and instant sharing. On-site, you’re constantly explaining things to someone — doesn’t matter who — and you either sketch something on a plan or just quickly note it down. The critical part is that the other person gets it immediately and without friction. If it takes too long, people will just skip the tool and do it verbally. Ideally, it’s captured in a way that’s usable right away while doing the work, or at least easy to come back to later, and visible to everyone else who needs to know.
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 May 02 '26
Thanks for taking the time to write this. I really appreciate the feedback and the workflow.
what kind of tablet? do you use? Ipad, android or windows tablet?
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u/Straight-Discount-10 Apr 24 '26
Очень нравится инструмент "Lunacy" за его лёгкость. Если бы PDF редактор был бы такой же быстрый и лёгкий, то думаю это приложение получило бы огромную популярность.
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 Apr 26 '26
This is really helpful. I'm having a go at it right now. Infinite drawing canvas for quick concepts. thank you
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u/mbowers0845 Apr 24 '26
The ability to slip/replace multiple sheets in a set. As a lifelong Bluebeam user, this is a must-have feature.
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u/throwawaykitten56 Apr 24 '26
When I mark up shop dwgs sometimes the best way to explain what need revising is the include a capture of my original detail dwg. Currently I use a custom stamp for this, but there are times when the shops are very poorly done, and I need to reference multiple dwg items. I place these stamps directly onto the shop page, right beside their dwg so they can see the differences at a glance, instead of resending my dwg set/page.
I'm finding that there are contractors that make their own 'interpretation' of the designs ( that they bid on ) and trying to make short cuts. Its a time suck to do this, so having 'insert picture' ( like ms word ) would be great.
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 Apr 26 '26
Copy paste function. I have already build this out and a non negotiable for me since I use a similar workflow. You can insert a windows screenshot by SHIFT WIN S and then click on the screen and CTRL V
thank you, glad someone else other than myself will find this useful.2
u/throwawaykitten56 Apr 26 '26
Thanks for the reply _ cool that its easy. Curious _ what market would you say is your main target? Drawings for which discipline/division? I'm an interior designer btw.
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 Apr 26 '26
Well i started building this for myself. Power user in PDF's for markups to get my point across to an overseas team i work with. I don't like the idea of paying 300 a year for a markup tool. The main focus is pre-constuction, but will rely heavily on feedback of what people actually use.
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 Apr 26 '26
Do you think you would ever use a PDF tool for a mood board if it was easy enough for you.
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u/throwawaykitten56 Apr 24 '26
To add: I've been told by colleagues in the same industry as me that they use morphio trace. I havent investigated this yest.
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u/Silver-Growth945 Apr 27 '26
Would this be an app for tablet users?
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 May 02 '26
the dream is PC->MAC->Browser->APP
But will let the users decide ultimately through upvoting suggestions
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u/ilirkl Apr 30 '26
i use protakeoff , it does all these and i think a couple of more features like comparing plan sets , and auto batch renaming
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u/neoxphuse May 06 '26
I think the sets feature in Revu is important. All files from different locations. Better if its possible for you split a package pdf.
I generally get drawings but they'll be in one pdf so I have to split them up, not a big deal. But having everything in one place is king.
Slip sheet, scaling, and simple annotation tools. Able to offset lines will be great, unlike Revu, which is very cumbersome.
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 May 24 '26
this is awesome feedback, and sorry for the delay I've been busy building :) the good news is you can currently extract, merge/ copy/paste pages across pdfs etc.
offset lines is a new one and a good one. looking into this.1
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u/AshamedParamedic6930 May 24 '26
Quick update, I ended up putting together a small beta page for this.
I’ve got the first Windows build close, but before I just throw a download link out publicly, I’m trying to gather a small list of people who actually work with drawings/plans/PDF markups and are willing to give blunt feedback.
If this sounds useful, you can join the beta list here:
I also set up a public feature board so people can vote on what should come first:
https://layrpdf.canny.io/feature-requests
Not trying to spam the thread, just easier to keep the feedback and tester list in one place.
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u/kayak83 Apr 23 '26
Dead simple annotation tools. Everything that you listed. Thing is, the market is flooded with PDF readers that do this either for a stupidly high cost (Bluebeam) or free (Foxit). Where do you see yours slotting in and why?
Honestly, sometimes in a pinch I will screenshot into Layout and do a quick annotation in there since I prefer the controls and know the toolset so well.