How to Make a Multiple Color Highlighting Palette in Bluebeam Revu

I've recently switched PDF commenting programs and I'm excited to be learning new and more efficient ways to work. Normally, when I need help with software, I visit the product forums, but for some reason, Bluebeam decided to remove their forums in the name of privacy. So I'm left to figure things out on my own.

Today I wanted to set up a palette of highlighters a a custom tool set. It took a little bit to figure it out, but it works great and makes highlighting in multiple colors so easy!

1. Choose the Pen tool and draw a line. Be sure to NOT hold down the shift key. For some reason, this doesn't work when the shift key is held down.

2. Check the Highlight checkbox and change the line width to something thick. I used 12.

Draw using the pen tool, change the properties to Highlight and thicker

3. Right click on the line and select Add to Tool Chest. I had already set up a custom Tool Ste called "Highlighers." That's why it's listed right below "My Tools."

Add to Tool Chest

Manage Tool Sets

4. Go to the Tool Chest. Double click on the icon. That's it!

Viewed in Drawing Mode

Viewed in Properties Mode

Multiple Color Highlighting Palette!

Things to be aware of

It took a little bit of fiddling to figure out how to get this to work. The thing with commenting in Bluebeam is that the tools are so adaptable, they'll behave pretty much however you want. By holding down shift when drawing your line, Revu will recognize it as a line and will force it's behavior in the Tool Chest accordingly.

1. Line (properties mode)
2. Highlighter created from Pen
3. Line (in Drawing mode, works as a stamp)
4. Highlighter (Drawing mode, works as a stamp)
5. Highlighter created from the highlighter tool (buggy and doesn't work)
6. Pen (in drawing mode)

For you my beloved blog readers: I am sharing my set of Revu highlighters. Enjoy!

If you aren't familiar with Revu and want to learn more about why this software is so great, read this article.