Right Hemisphere VP Rix Kramlich believes Deep View is the only freeware tool that handles 3D, a function formerly reserved for expensive engineering apps in the CAD realm. It supports import from common 3D file types such as .3ds, .dwg, .cgm, .u3d, .dxf, .obj, .rh, .3dm, and .wrl. The utility can export to Microsoft Office apps as well as to PDF.

"We actually did this before [in past versions] but it was hard to find and hard to use," Kramlich says. "Now we've made it easy to find and easy to use."

The viewer is part of a 2008 upgrade to the company's entire product line, including Deep Server, which interfaces 3D engineering data with SAP systems to enable businesses to use design data in business processes in an automated fashion.

The server accesses 3D design and graphics data from engineering systems, renders it to usable visuals for other parts of the company as per their specs, and returns it to the engineering vault. Deep View is a utility Right Hemisphere customers use to access that 3D data.

"We're taking PDFs that use 3D straight into business processes, the same way that PDF has been used to support more textual-based business processes such as forms," Kramlich says.

Deep View also allows for manipulation and limited editing of both 2D and 3D graphics, including:

• Pulling apart objects directly in the 3D scene
• Measuring angles as well distances such as arc centers, surfaces, edges
• Adding markups and notes for effective collaboration
• Displaying model views and animated steps
• Viewing cross-sections
• Zooming, panning and rotating
• Displaying parts lists associated with a 3D illustration
• Browsing parts metadata
• Playback of 3D animations

Pasadena software developer Bluebeam announced PDF Revu 6.5, which adds form filling and batch stamping to the PDF authoring app. It's an office-class Acrobat competitor targeted to the AEC, legal, government, education and finance markets.

CEO and president Richard Lee says that the new features were put in at the behest of new users, which are expanding across new verticals, spilling out of the engineering space, long the company's bread and butter.

PDF Revu’s new form-filling wrinkles allows users to type information directly into PDF forms and select buttons, check boxes, list boxes, pushbuttons and radio buttons, as well as save PDF forms electronically. Batch stamping features allow users to apply text bits to multiple files at once.