Is there anything being done to add measuring tools to FlexiPDF?
I work in a municipal office, in which we review plans and "blueprints" (which haven't actually been "blue" for decades). We are being pressured to shift to a fully digital operation, meaning that plans will be submitted online in PDF format. So we are looking for an affordable PDF reader/editor that allows the user to (a) add markups and digital signatures; and (b) adjust to the scale of the original document and measure lengths, angles, and areas.
Adobe Acrobat and Reader both allow measuring length, but not area or angle. Reader allows applying stamps, but I'm not sure about digital sigantures.
Bluebeam ReVu allows measurement of length, area, and angle, as well as stamps and digital signatures. In my opinion it's a miserable, awkward interface, but it is the leading contended because of the better measuring tools. I wish I could suggest looking at FlexiPDF, but without the measuring capability it would be useless to us.
Is this in the works for a future version?
Measuring tools?
Re: Measuring tools?
Measuring tools are on the wishlist, but it's not being developed yet.
I added you to the list so that you are notified if we implement it. Thank you for your feedback.
I added you to the list so that you are notified if we implement it. Thank you for your feedback.
Re: Measuring tools?
I would like to revive this discussion, and to renew my request to add measuring tools to FlexiPDF (or, at least, to FlexiPDF Pro -- but Adobe Acrobat includes measuring tools even in the Standard edition).
I am an architect, working as a building code official in a municipal office. Our department (along with the Planning and Zoning Department and the Fire Marshal's Office, both of which we work in close association with) are still in the early stages of making a transition to an all digital, on-line permitting process. Often when reviewing architectural plans for buildings it is necessary to measure certain dimensions or distances, with a fairly high degree of accuracy.
This means that any measuring tool must not only be able to snap to near points, lines, and intersections, but also to be able to set the scale factor of the underlying PDF file. For example, I have a floor plan that was drawn (in AutoCAD) for plotting on a 24" x 36" sheet, at a scale of 1/4" = 1'-0". I need to be able to measure the length of a corridor. Just setting the units to inches isn't enough. If I'm looking at a 13-foot corridor, the measuring tool should return a distance of 13'-0", not 3.25".
I know that the municipality does not want to use Acrobat. Other options (such as Bluebeam ReVu) are being considered. We can't consider any PDF reader/editor that doesn't include measuring tools. By the time you implement this it may be too late for my municipality, but I'm certain there are other governmental agencies and private companies who will be facing this choice in the future, and it would seem that SoftMaker would want to have their flagship PDF editor offer this capability so that FlexiPDF won't be disqualified immediately because it can't do the job.
By the way, even Adobe Reader has the measuring tools capability, so I hope when SoftMaker implements measuring tools that they will also be added to FreePDF.
Thank you.
I am an architect, working as a building code official in a municipal office. Our department (along with the Planning and Zoning Department and the Fire Marshal's Office, both of which we work in close association with) are still in the early stages of making a transition to an all digital, on-line permitting process. Often when reviewing architectural plans for buildings it is necessary to measure certain dimensions or distances, with a fairly high degree of accuracy.
This means that any measuring tool must not only be able to snap to near points, lines, and intersections, but also to be able to set the scale factor of the underlying PDF file. For example, I have a floor plan that was drawn (in AutoCAD) for plotting on a 24" x 36" sheet, at a scale of 1/4" = 1'-0". I need to be able to measure the length of a corridor. Just setting the units to inches isn't enough. If I'm looking at a 13-foot corridor, the measuring tool should return a distance of 13'-0", not 3.25".
I know that the municipality does not want to use Acrobat. Other options (such as Bluebeam ReVu) are being considered. We can't consider any PDF reader/editor that doesn't include measuring tools. By the time you implement this it may be too late for my municipality, but I'm certain there are other governmental agencies and private companies who will be facing this choice in the future, and it would seem that SoftMaker would want to have their flagship PDF editor offer this capability so that FlexiPDF won't be disqualified immediately because it can't do the job.
By the way, even Adobe Reader has the measuring tools capability, so I hope when SoftMaker implements measuring tools that they will also be added to FreePDF.
Thank you.
Re: Measuring tools?
I'd like to revive this discussion yet again. I have been researching free PDF readers for possible adoption in the governmental office where I work. Some of us have (and need) a PDF editor, but many of the staff don't need anything more than a reader. I (and a couple of the other technical staff) have Adobe Acrobat 9 Standard, while everyone else has Adobe Reader DC.
Our fiscal year changes on July 1, and in the next fiscal year our department is supposed to be taking giant steps toward converting to an entirely digital operation. The boss and I seem to be in agreement that this will mean that Adobe Reader is not going to be good enough for anyone who needs to review and/or sign documents electronically. As a fairly long-time user of FlexiPDF and FreePDF, I would find to convenient if the office could adopt the same software I have on my computers at home. However, at the moment even FlexiPDF 2022 doesn't include measuring tools, and that's essential in an office where the documents we review are blueprints for buildings.
The boss has been talking a lot about FoxIt Pro. I just discovered that FoxIt also offers a completely free version, which I have just downloaded and installed for evaluation. To my very great surprise, the free FoxIt offers some tools that the paid version of FlexiPDF doesn't offer -- such as measuring tools. The free version of FoxIt also allows the creation of custom stamps, and custom dynamic stamps. It also allows the creation of digital signatures.
It's disappointing to find that the free version of a competing software package offers tools that are not available even in the paid version of Softmaker's PDF software.
Our fiscal year changes on July 1, and in the next fiscal year our department is supposed to be taking giant steps toward converting to an entirely digital operation. The boss and I seem to be in agreement that this will mean that Adobe Reader is not going to be good enough for anyone who needs to review and/or sign documents electronically. As a fairly long-time user of FlexiPDF and FreePDF, I would find to convenient if the office could adopt the same software I have on my computers at home. However, at the moment even FlexiPDF 2022 doesn't include measuring tools, and that's essential in an office where the documents we review are blueprints for buildings.
The boss has been talking a lot about FoxIt Pro. I just discovered that FoxIt also offers a completely free version, which I have just downloaded and installed for evaluation. To my very great surprise, the free FoxIt offers some tools that the paid version of FlexiPDF doesn't offer -- such as measuring tools. The free version of FoxIt also allows the creation of custom stamps, and custom dynamic stamps. It also allows the creation of digital signatures.
It's disappointing to find that the free version of a competing software package offers tools that are not available even in the paid version of Softmaker's PDF software.
Re: Measuring tools?
We have already forwarded this improvement suggestion.
Re: Measuring tools?
I apologize if I'm beating a dead horse, but I have read the e-mail from SoftMaker about the shift in development of FlexiPDF, and I hope this will result in adding features that will make FlexiPDF (and FreePDF) competitive with the competition. I mentioned above about adding a measuring tool. Not only does Adobe Acrobat have a measuring tool (crucial for working with PDFs of building plans), even the free Adobe Reader offers a measuring tool -- as does the free version of Bluebeam Revu.
The other thing needed is proper digital signatures. Acrobat has this feature. A major competitor of Adobe, FoxIt, not only offers digital signatures in their paid version, they also offer digital signatures in the free FoxIt Reader app.
I hope the changes in management of FlexiPDF development will result in making the program competitive. FlexiPDF offers a number of things to like but, without a measuring tool it's useless in my industry (I'm an architect and a building inspector, so I work with plans every day), and without digital signatures it's actually pretty useless to any one who needs to exchange documents with other parties.
The other thing needed is proper digital signatures. Acrobat has this feature. A major competitor of Adobe, FoxIt, not only offers digital signatures in their paid version, they also offer digital signatures in the free FoxIt Reader app.
I hope the changes in management of FlexiPDF development will result in making the program competitive. FlexiPDF offers a number of things to like but, without a measuring tool it's useless in my industry (I'm an architect and a building inspector, so I work with plans every day), and without digital signatures it's actually pretty useless to any one who needs to exchange documents with other parties.
Re: Measuring tools?
Yes, we have already forwarded this improvement suggestion.