Construction Collaboration: PDF Secrets Part 3 – Large Format Drawings and Markups July 28, 2011
Posted by carolhagen in CAD, Construction Industry - Software, Document Imaging.Tags: apps, Bluebeam, Bluebeam PDF Revu, cad, CAD to PDF, collaboration, construction, document conversion, Document Imaging, large format drawings, PDF, PDF Conversion, PDF Editing
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Collaboration on large format construction drawings often has the expectation that all the team players have the same tools. Architects and engineers spend countless hours in AutoCad then share their drawings with the General Contractor. Most smaller GCs have a license of AutoCad just to open these files and make a few annotations. But not everyone on the construction team is fluent in AutoCad nor has a licensed copy. To share details and collaborate the next best thing is make a PDF, but depending upon the PDF software, the drawings may not turn out as detailed as the designer created them. This is a sore spot for Architects and Engineers who are detail oriented. The more you zoom in, the more pixelated they may become. This happens because these PDF programs are not designed to generate Vector PDFs. Bluebeam PDF Revu CAD to the rescue! 
Large Format drawings may have sweeping arcs that look like straight lines strung together, not in Bluebeam. The Vector graphics are retained even when you decide to reduce the size of the PDF for emailing. You don’t have to tolerate mediocre PDF conversion any longer!
For AutoCad enthusiasts, Bluebeam speaks your language with the same quick keys for inserting line, text boxes, etc you’re learning curve will be a breeze. Markups are also a snap as you can create tool sets during one markup session, save them and use them again later. A square “cloud” can be colored yellow with a 50% opacity and used over and over again, even changing the shape without having to create it from scratch.
For the non AutoCad user, the multi-click navigation to get to add a text box is eliminated, even if you aren’t familiar with Quick key shortcuts. Bluebeam designed PDF Revu with easy navigation tool bars that are customizable so you can have the cloud, Text box, line, arc, or call out handy. Put them where you want them, or surround the workspace if you like with nav buttons on the top, right or bottom.
Next week I’ll showcase the AutoCad export functions which add flexibility and save time in the the PDF creation process. If you want to experience Bluebeam for yourself, here’s the 30 day trial option.
Have questions? I’m here, yes, to answer Bluebeam questions for you in the AEC industry. If you try the 30 day trial Leave me a commment on your experience.
The Free Droid Apps have me Hooked December 10, 2009
Posted by carolhagen in communication, Construction Industry - Software, Document Imaging.Tags: apps, construction, Droid, iPhone, Smartphone
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Ok, I had told everyone that I was waiting to buy it, but like a kid waiting for Christmas, my techie side got the best of me. In an earlier post I noted app faves for Blackberry and iPhone. Now I have to give you my Droid list.
Google Navigator with Voice Search – for Hands free navigation (Garmin-like GPS with voice recognition) – Found my way to appointments in Tucson with no glitches the day after I purchased. Since it’s Google its updates are simple and the app is Free on the Droid.
Voice Recorder - up to 2 hours of record time, when you’re driving and have something you need to remember or you have a complex meeting discussion for reference, record it then drop it into your Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system.
Pixelpipe Lite – for sharing stuff, and sending it to EverNote or an ECM system.
Swift – for those that need to Twitter, it’s better than TwitDroid unless you want geo locations annotation. There’s an app called Google Maps for Twitdroid for that.
Bizkit – for tracking expenses on the road, meetings, events and finding my nearest contacts.
BabelDroid - to translate from English to Spanish, German, Italian or French using voice recognition - will eventually offer call an interpreter. It works well for phrases and comes in handy here in Arizona with construction personnel in the field.
Congress – to find your legislator based upon your current location, by state, or zip. Being able to email or call them immediately is handy.
Google Goggles – it’s easy and fun to aim your camera and know what you are looking at. Great for landmarks, artwork, etc.
Google OCR – good for printed text that you need to edit.
Google Sky Maps – for you wanna be astronomers.
National Anthem – for when someone wants to have it played and there are no musicians or singers volunteering.
Trapster – for reminding you of where all those photo radar cameras are on the highways and intersections (they are everywhere in Tempe, I-10, SR 51, etc in Arizona).
I realize that like the iPhone, the Droid will create a few hurdles for the IT department (that I hope to address in an upcoming blog post) since they have Blackberry Enterprise Server already deployed and now the owner wants the latest toy (again). Let me know if I should add any other apps to my “free” list. I will be trying out the paid stuff over the holidays and focus on construction and business related apps in a future post.
LinkedIn and TweetDeck Together at Last December 7, 2009
Posted by carolhagen in Construction Industry - Software, linkedin, twitter, web 2.0.Tags: apps, linkedin, social, social media, twitter
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My workshops have been attended by construction firm execs, IT and marketing personnel, and we have spent plenty of time discussing Tweetdeck and Twitter. LinkedIn was already being used by every student in the class. Now we all need to take advantage of the recent upgrade to TweetDeck (v0.32.1). TweetDeck has just added LinkedIn accounts to make it easy for you to view LinkedIn updates in your own personalized column…a one stop shop. Here’s how to get this working. Under your TweetDeck settings, choose accounts and add your LinkedIn info:
Once you have that done, you can add your own LinkedIn column based upon your preferences. From TweetDeck click on the add column button and select the LinkedIn icon. You can decide what items to include like recommendations, connections, status updates, etc. Here are your choices so you can be a smarter, more efficient listener:
Now that you are listening, have you tried out the Twitter options on LinkedIn? I blogged about it a few weeks back. Read it here if you missed it. Now have you all considered using Twitter (or some other microblogging application) for your company press releases?
Share Tweets with LinkedIn Connections (even if they don’t have Twitter) November 20, 2009
Posted by carolhagen in Construction Industry - Software, twitter.Tags: apps, linkedin, social media, twitter, web 2.0
1 comment so far
There’s a new application available in LinkedIn called Tweets. This does more than just the plain add your Twitter account and tweet at the same time you update your LinkedIn status. It give you access to your Twitter followers and their tweets from within LinkedIn. 
You can retweet and reply to your tweets too.
But these are not the gems of the application. What I really like is if your LinkedIn connections don’t have Twitter you can directly share the tweet message with them. 
It doesn’t even have to be your own tweet. Just click share and then pick your LinkedIn connection to compose a message. It will default to the subject “Interesting Tweet Found in LinkedIn Tweets” and put the tweet in the body of the message.
Now go try it out and tell me how you like it!
IPhone Apps I Wish were All Available on Blackberry September 25, 2009
Posted by carolhagen in Construction Industry - Software, Construction Industry Hardware, Document Imaging, iPhone, scanner, twitter.Tags: apps, blackberry, construction, Document Imaging, iPhone, mobile, scanner
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My Friend Tom Davanaugh is more enthusiastic about his iPhone than any other tech gadget he’s ever had. That’s significant since Tom has lived and breathed IT for decades and is dedicated to educating the construction industry on ECM solutions. Whenever we chat he mentions new apps he’s using. The latest excitement has come from JotNot and Evernote since document imaging and mobility are required in the construction business today.
Want to capture expenses easily … so easy an executive will do it himself? Jotnot turns your iPhone into a scanner and with the Evernote integration you start cooking! Categorizing your text notes, voice recordings, and snapshots, you can organize notes into notebooks, add tags, search and more. You can capture text, webpages, voice recordings and your tweets too. There’s more coming per their blog with the beta 3.5 new release. Things like auto spell checking, faster searches, map views are on their way. The combination of these two apps usurps an earlier blog entry I made on iPhone scanner apps.
Here are Tom’s favorite iPhone apps, not in any specific order… if you are getting hooked yourself and some of these apps are available on blackberry (BB):
Tom Tom GPS !!!
Google Which has every google app all on one screen (BB)
Vlingo Amazing voice commands to search the web, get map directions and or voice dial. (BB)
Appbox A utility set
Camera Depending on the application required I have several, most of them zoom and or improve native camera functions… camerabag, genius, izoom, photogene, colorsplash, picture safe… all of these either do some amazing things to make the camera more usefull or allow you to manipulate and or modify the photos…
Tidegraph I am a fisherman
Navionics Is specialized GPS and more (waypoints etc) for the water… I am a fisherman
Glaurung Chess I am a chess player also
Koi pond The longest living creature on the planet… and a way to have a virtual koi pond Which I also have in the entry of my home only it’s a real one
DocScanner Take a pic and voila you have just virtually scanned!
Zen Garden Nice to burn up some free time
Urbanspoon A way to find a restaurant like you were a local
Stars I am a student of the universe
Planets because I am both a fisherman and see above
Dollar Origami No way… yep!
Stanza a Kindle like app with access to the Gutenberg project…
Ultimate quote machine because there were many other well spoken people before me
PM sayings cause I used to be one and they are so appropriate still today
Ocarina A musical instrument that also broadcasts what is being played on it all over the world in real time
Backgrounds Amazing photos
NoteVault The same one for the construction industry…
Just having the internet in my hand and being connected even at 36000 ft is pretty powerful. The search ability of the stuff in the phone itself is awesome like a google appliance
JotNot and evernote.com - It is cheaper than Docscanner (3 instead of 9 dollars)… saves in more formats… and is integrated with evernote.com … this one wins so far… it also does more than paper.
Some great games for those that love em and have the time…
Shazam … it samples recorded music and comes back with the title and artist and YouTube video and suggestions of songs like it. (BB)
Might as well add my stock app also… there is one for each of the common and popular systems out there.
If you are still reading, Tom has his Blackberry strapped to his waist while he waits for corporate to allow call forwarding to his iPhone. And I was lazy looking up all the links for all these apps…just go get your iPhone now and you can thank Tom. He’s out there!
