Some requests for build 303

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justposted
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Some requests for build 303

Post by justposted »

Great to see build 302 come out. Things are moving forward! For my purposes it is still not a replacement for Viewer, unfortunately. So although the developers' priorities will be different to mine, I can't resist posting a wishlist of things that I would love to see in the next build.

Numbers 2, 4 and 7 would finally allow me to move over to Editor for my work. The others are things that I feel would make the software a lot more usable for relatively little coding effort, though I realise that even apparently simple things can be a nightmare to code in practice.

1) Press escape to stop editing a text box and leave it selected so that I can edit its properties.
2) Press escape to drop whichever tool I have selected and put me into Hand Tool mode, so that I can navigate a PDF easily.
3) Have the Properties toolbar expanded by default. That tiny triangle is hard to find and must really confuse new users. Great to see the docked Properties window, by the way.
4) Allow me to paste from the clipboard (not straightforward to implement, I'm guessing, but essential for engineering/drawing work).
5) Introduce single key accelerators (e.g. 'G' for camera, 'H' for hand tool)
6) Focus on search field on ctrl-shift-F or Edit/Search
7) Bring back 'Set current appearance as default' and 'Apply default appearance'
8 ) Allow middle mouse to scroll around a PDF. Even better, make middle mouse act as the Hand tool as long as it is held down, which seems to be default behaviour for just about any graphics-related software.

Seeing as I'm writing lists, it can't hurt to put down some of the nice-to-haves. Well I can hope, can't I?

a) Allow comments to scale without changing aspect ratio (maybe by holding Shift)
b) Copy a comment by holding Ctrl and then dragging it.
c) Constrain dragging/drawing to vertical/horizontal axis by holding Shift
d) Calibrate tool for measurements

I hope that is a helpful reference, rather than nag list. I'll be crossing my fingers to see 2, 4 and 7 in the not-too-distant future.

Thanks for listening!
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Giraffe
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Giraffe »

4) Paste from clipboard

seems to work - I've copied some text from Opera and pasted it into a PDF.
When pasting an object copied from a PDF in to the same PDF: it'd be good if the pasted object went where the R-click is made and not back over the copied object. In fact, this would be useful in all cases including between PDFs.
justposted
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by justposted »

Giraffe wrote:4) Paste from clipboard

"seems to work - I've copied some text from Opera and pasted it into a PDF."
It works for text, but not for images. Personally I use PDFX as an image tool 90% of the time (reviewing and creating engineering drawings), so copy/paste for images is essential.
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Tracker Supp-Stefan
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hello justposted,

Images are pasted as stamps in the Viewer, and in the Editor you are not yet able to create new stamps - just use existing ones. So being able to paste images should be available as soon as stamps functionality is completed in the Editor.

Best,
Stefan
Robert13
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Robert13 »

I sure would like to see 7 & c implemented in the next build. Both are items important to me also.

Thanks
Bob
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hi Bob,

I can't confirm or deny their presence in the very next build, but those are things available in the Viewer - so certainly they would be added in the Editor as well.

Best,
Stefan
justposted
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by justposted »

Tracker Supp-Stefan wrote:"Images are pasted as stamps in the Viewer"
That isn't quite right. In Viewer I regularly paste images (from snapshot tool or Print Screen, usually) using ctrl-v, though I suppose that Viewer might think of it as a stamp in some behind-the-scenes way. Either way, it's a very useful function, that one.
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hi justposted,

Yes it's behind the scenes I was referring to indeed.

Cheers,
Stefan
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by justposted »

Well now that build 303 is out, I'm pleased to find that I'm almost able to swap over to Editor ...

1) Implemented. Hurrah! I can live without my point 2 now that this one is in. Saves a lot of clicks and frustration.
4) There are now custom stamps, so I can sort of paste from clipboard via the Stamps palette, so that's great. I sincerely hope that straightforward ctrl-V will also work in future builds. Going via stamps is horribly reminiscent of the Acrobat X implementation (though nowhere near as clunky).
7) Seems to be almost there, but is always greyed out in the menu. However, changes made when the tool has been selected are now retained for the next time the same tool is used, so I can now create default settings. Close enough for me.

That would be enough for me to make the move. Unfortunately there is a new spanner in the works. For some reason, comments made in Editor are not visible in Bluebeam/Acrobat. Which means I end up with PDFs that are limited to Editor, so I can't share marked-up files with other people unless I flatten the comments. That one will not be a developer priority, I fear, but is a show-stopper for somebody like me, who works with people in different offices/companies.

I'm dying to get stuck into Editor. I had a big report to edit last week. Could have done the whole lot in Editor if it had some of the basic stuff sorted, because the new editing tools are so powerful. Bluebeam and Acrobat really can't touch that Edit Content magic button! Instead I had to go back to the original report using InDesign, which was a pain.

Still, I'm very pleased to see some of the final bits of key functionality from Viewer now coming across. And at least I can work between Editor and Viewer fluently with this release (there were problems with v302, where comments became illegible and locked when using Editor files in Viewer).

I shall await v304 as patiently as I can!
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hi justposted,

Thanks for the kind words.
I will comment on your post using the same numbers for ease of reading and to not copy your text.
4) - yes "plain" Ctrl-V shold work in a future build
7) Thanks for commenting - yes seems like it needs a few final touches, but we will get this working the way it currently does in the Viewer

As for the new problem you've reported - I must say that I can't see the same behaviour. I tried placing a sticky note + text highlight in a document using the Editor and those were both visible in Adobe's Reader after that. Could you please try to perform a clean install of build 303 (uninstall, reboot, reinstall)?

Regards,
Stefan
justposted
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by justposted »

Stefan: on 4 and 7, that is great news. Thanks.

As for the new new issue, you are quite right that it seems fine in Acrobat. Must have got myself a bit confused, so I did a bit more investigating. Looks like everything comes into Bluebeam except for call-outs (which just happen to be what I use most often). They are only visible if I flatten them in Editor first.

Thanks for responding. Much appreciated.
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Will - Tracker Supp »

Hi Justposted,

I'll take a look into this and will see what I can come up with. In the meantime, could you please try doing the same thing you were doing, but instead of using the Editor, try using Adobe Reader and see if the same problem persists in BlueBeam? If it does, then it's likely BlueBeam's issue. If not though, it'll definitely require more of a look from us.

Cheers,
Will
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justposted
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by justposted »

I have attached an example. I can see all three callouts in Reader, but only two of them in Bluebeam.

Hope that helps.
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PDF editor test.pdf
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Will - Tracker Supp
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Will - Tracker Supp »

Hi Justposted,

Thanks for the file - I can confirm that I've reproduced the issue and will pass it forward to the Dev. team to investigate.

Thanks for your patience!

Cheers,
Will
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Will - Tracker Supp »

Hi Justposted,

The Dev. Team has looked into this and it appears that it's an issue with the way that Bluebeam is handling the annotation.

The Developers have said that they will try to implement a workaround, if possible, but would definitely suggest that you contact the guys at Bluebeam and let them know about the problem.

Cheers, hope that helps!
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justposted
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by justposted »

Okay, I'll certainly let them know and will report back. I have a feeling that they won't be that interested, unfortunately, so a workaround would be much appreciated.
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Will - Tracker Supp »

Hi justposted,

That does seem to be the way most of the time! But certainly, if it's at all possible and practical, the Devs. have said that they'll do their best.

Cheers, glad that we got to the bottom of this!
Will
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by justposted »

Build 305 still not there for my purposes, unfortunately. I have found that without my points 2, 4, 7 and 8 it is simply too painful to mark up a drawing. The lack of compatibility with Bluebeam annotations (which I asked them about, but was ignored) doesn't help either.

Ah well, roll on the next release!

I like the new (?) ability to flatten individual comments, by the way. It's a nice trick. Highlighting the Find fields and the loupe tool have both been fixed too, which is good news.
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Will - Tracker Supp »

Hi Justposted,

I've just checked with the Dev. Team about potentially adding a workaround for the BluBeam issue, as we spoke about a while ago, and they've said that they will look at doing so and see if it's plausible.

As for the other features - they should be on the radar, either in as a 'going to be implemented' type feature or as a general request, to be looked at and reviewed in the next little while.

Rest assured that your voice has been heard and we will definitely take everything that you've said very seriously.

Cheers,
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justposted
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by justposted »

Will - Tracker Supp wrote:I've just checked with the Dev. Team about potentially adding a workaround for the BluBeam issue, as we spoke about a while ago, and they've said that they said that they will look at doing so and see if it's plausible
The devs have fixed it! That's really great. If I could kiss you, I would :wink:

In other news ...

Paste from clipboard with ctrl-V and keyboard shortcuts are now working via View/Toolbars/Customise (albeit with a bug when you type a shortcut key into a text box). That's really good news from my point of view. Means that I can work efficiently in Editor, so it can now officially replace Viewer in my toolkit. Fantastic.

I'm still hoping for the other things on my list, especially Set As Default, but right now I'm just really pleased about having the major things sorted. Well done and thank you.
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Will - Tracker Supp »

Hi justposted,

Great, glad it's implemented! :) Though even if you could kiss me, for your own health and safety, I would suggest that you don't - I have a cold that, if a google search of my symptoms is to be believed, is highly contagious and likely fatal.... ;)

We certainly appreciate the kind words and are glad that you're generally happy with things :D
I'm still hoping for the other things on my list, especially Set As Default, but right now I'm just really pleased about having the major things sorted. Well done and thank you.
This is definitely noted and we are currently working towards the implementation of this (amongst other features that have been deemed high priority) and, though I can't give any kind of ETA, I can say that they're coming :)

Cheers, thanks again for the postitive feedback!
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justposted
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You've done it!

Post by justposted »

Build 310 is a massive leap forward. Call me selfish, but having everything on my list except two of my nice-to-haves (b and c) is very nice for me. Can't tell you how useful the calibrate tool is to me, as an engineer. And being able to drag the measurement leader/text around (which was in a previous build) ... well it's something that even Bluebeam doesn't offer.

Many thanks to all of the team. It has been worth the wait.
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by justposted »

Ooh and I've just seen the 'save optimised copy' option. Lovely.
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Re: Some requests for build 303

Post by Patrick-Tracker Supp »

Nice to hear the positive feedback :)

Have a wonderful day!
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