Hello, all. I would like to introduce you to PureRef, a completely free tool for mainly builders. It is an infinite canvas so you can just drag and drop pictures and reference on the stays on top of your screen so you don’t need to keep flipping back to your image.
How do I install it?
To begin, go to this link: PureRef. Press “Download”. You’ll then see step 1.
Pick your platform
Step 2. “Oh no! I must pay for it.” No you don’t. Simply enter 0 USD in the custom amount box.
Download this and open it up.
What do I do once downloaded?
Open it up, it should look like the picture below.
You can copy and paste reference or simply drag it into the box. This can be enabled on top so it can overlay your studio. This helps so you do not need to keep going back and forth to your reference.
You can zoom in and out on the picture(s) too and add multiple.
Recommended Features/Settings
- Right click, Mode, Always on top. (This is a really good thing to enable).
- Right click, Window, Lock Window. (prevents it moving)
- Locking the canvas prevents you moving pictures.
Studio Example
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I move the PureRef window?
Make sure Maximize is toggled off either through the right click menu → Window → Maximize or the shortcut CTRL + F. Hold down the right mouse button to move the window.
How do I turn off Mouse Transparency Mode?
The default shortcut is Ctrl+T. Depending on your shortcut settings you might also need to give PureRef focus by clicking on the task bar icon or ALT + TAB to it. If you want to avoid this set the shortcut context to Global. In Windows you can also use the taskbar preview buttons to enable and disable mouse transparency.
I would like to use PureRef, do I need a license?
No, PureRef does not have any kind of licensing restrictions and can be used by anyone for both commercial and non-commercial use, read more in the license agreement.
What image formats does PureRef support?
BMP, DDS, GIF(First frame only), ICNS, ICO, JPEG, JP2, MNG, PBM, PGM, PNG, PNM, PPM, PSD, TIFF, WEBP, XBM, XPM, TGA, SVG, EXR.
PureRef also supports some more formats so even if your format is not listed here PureRef might still support it, give it a try!
Can I open multiple instances of PureRef in OSX?
Yes. Open the terminal and type in: open -n -a “PureRef”.
Can different PureRef windows have different settings?
Yes, in Windows. You can provide PureRef with a path to the settings file on the command line: PureRef.exe -s C:\path\to\settings.ini. To automate this, create a shortcut to PureRef containing the command line settings.
What does the ‘Context’ drop down menu in the keybinder mean?
It indicates in which window context the shortcut will trigger. If it is set to ‘Global’ the shortcut will trigger even if PureRef does not have window focus. If set to ‘Window’ it will only trigger for the currently open window that belongs to PureRef. And if it is set to ‘Application’ it will trigger as long as PureRef has focus.
I maximized my window and can’t resize it again. Minimize just collapses it to the taskbar. What do I do?
Maximize is a toggle, just press CTRL + F (CMD + F) again or toggle it in the right click menu under Window → Maximize.
Extra
This was my first post in the resources section! Feedback shall be took as constructive and I won’t get offended (lol).
- Good
- Bad
- Could be better
- Improve it!
0 voters
- Yes
- Maybe
- No
- I’ll think about it.
0 voters
Many thanks,
Michael.