Build a drawing issue register and transmittal from text-layer PDF sets, on your computer. Map title-block regions, review sheet numbers and revisions, record issues, then export a CSV register and PDF or printable transmittal.
You issue sets of drawing PDFs (exported from CAD with real text) and want a register of which sheet went out at which revision, plus a transmittal for each issue, without retyping title blocks.
Buy from /store/vidr-register/ and download vidr-register-0.1.0.zip from the checkout page. Extract it and open vidr-register/index.html in Chrome (double-click, or drag it onto a Chrome window). The samples folder contains a fictional project and drawings; “Load sample project” on the Project step shows a full example with deliberate problems.
Click “New project” and fill in Project name, Project number, Client, “Issuing organisation (your practice)”, Default “issued by” and the “Transmittal number prefix” (numbers continue as prefix + 001, 002 …). Choose the revision Sequence your office uses (letters, numbers, P-series then C-series, or a custom order) and add recipients with “Add recipient”.
Click “Choose PDF files…” and select the drawings for this issue. Files without a text layer are listed as Rejected with the reason. On the first page of each paper size, pick a field (Sheet no., Title, Rev, Date, Status) and drag a box around the value only, not its label; text whose centre falls inside the box is read. The table below shows what was read from the page. Every page of the same size is then read the same way. Click “Continue to review →”.
Check the table and correct anything read wrongly. The counters show sheets included, errors to fix, decisions pending and warnings; checks include duplicates, file name not matching the sheet or revision, revision going back, unknown revision order, same revision re-issued and pages without regions. Tick “Only rows with open problems” to focus. Click “Continue to issue →”.
Fill in Transmittal number, Issue date, “Purpose of issue”, Format, “Issued by”, Recipients and Remarks. “Draft PDF” and “Print draft” produce a transmittal marked DRAFT. When everything is fixed, click “Record issue” and confirm in the dialog. Recorded issues cannot be edited; a wrong issue can later be voided with a reason and stays in the history.
The register shows every sheet by issue. Click “Register CSV” or “Issue log CSV” to download spreadsheets, and use “PDF” or “Print” on an issue in the history for its transmittal. Use “Prepare next issue” when the next set of drawings is ready.
Click “Save project” (or press Ctrl+S) to download the project file, named after the project number, for example HB-26.vidrregister.json. It holds project details, regions, recipients and recorded issues; the PDFs are not stored in it. VidrRegister keeps nothing in the browser: next time, click “Open project…”, choose that file and add the new PDFs. Chrome warns you if you try to close the page with unsaved changes.
Input: examples/vidr-register/: three fictional A3 drawings with a text-layer title block (HB-100_Site-Plan_RevP01.pdf, HB-101_Ground-Floor-Plan_RevP01.pdf, HB-201_Elevations_RevP01.pdf) and harbour-boathouse-project.json, a project file whose A3 title-block regions are already marked (project HB-26, prefix HB-TR-, two recipients, draft issue HB-TR-001 For comment).
Expected: Drawings: 3 accepted, each read as A3 with its sheet number (HB-100, HB-101, HB-201), title, revision P01, date 12.10.2026 and status PRELIMINARY. Review: 3/3 sheets included, 0 errors, 0 decisions, 0 warnings. The dialog asks “Record HB-TR-001?”. The register lists the three sheets at P01 under HB-TR-001. Downloads: HB-26_drawing-register_<today>.csv (Sheet number, Title, Current revision, one column per issue), HB-26_HB-TR-001.pdf (the transmittal) and HB-26.vidrregister.json (the project file).
The drawing is a scan or its text was exported as lines. Re-export it from CAD with text kept as text, or enter that sheet manually.
That paper size has no title-block regions yet (for example an A3 sheet in an A1 set). Open the page on “2 Drawings & regions” and drag boxes for its fields.
Redraw the box around the value only. Use “Title block” zoom and “Show text runs” to see where the text sits.
The revision is outside, or earlier in, the project's revision sequence. Correct the value or confirm it; you can change the sequence on “1 Project”.
The direct PDF uses Helvetica (Western European characters) and reports replacements. Use “Print” and choose Save as PDF in Chrome's print dialog; printing supports every script.
Guide and examples: 30 September 2026. Examples are fictional or synthetic. Online guide · Support