[OT~] File size on a PDF?

[Terraism]

Alright, this is kinda off-topic, but because it's directly for roleplaying material, I figured I'd ask. Anyone - those who've worked on Asgard layout, perhaps - know how to compress a PDF? I'm working on one now that's some 70 pages, with border art (but otherwise less than something like, say, Asgard) and it's clocking in at 15 megs when I turn it into a pdf. Any helpful hints?

 

[Drawmack]

Optimize your images before placing them into the original document. My first attempt at PDF creation generated a 40 meg, 20 page file. Optimizing the images yielded a 3 meg file with no other changes.

 

[jaerdaph]

Yes, images are usually responsible for huge PDF file sizes.

I use Microsoft Publisher to make the PDF files on my Web site. I find its best to use a program like Fireworks to optimize the images for size first, then add them to the Publisher document. TIF files usually work better when making PDFs from Publisher than JPG or GIF files too.

I've also noticed that Microsoft Word does something wonky to image files that makes them hard to keep optimized when making PDFs no matter what you do.

 

[jgbrowning]

How do you optimize images?

thanks,

joe b.

 

[Drawmack]

do a web-search for the name of your image program tutorials (i.e. photoshop tutorials) then find a tutorial on optimizing images.

 

[jaerdaph]

How do you optimize images?

thanks,

joe b.

Fireworks has an Optimize control panel window that allows you to take an image, change its file type (GIF, TIF, JPG, PNG, BMP) and the quality, among other things. You can preview your changes to the image and then export the changed image as a new, optimized file. There are several "pre-programmed" Optimize options on a pull down menu, but these options are primarily for optimizing Web viewed images. You can of course experiment and make your own - which isn't hard either.

It's a pretty easy program to use. I should point out it's used primarily for optimizing Web viewed images (where smaller file size is important for download times etc.), but I've found it good for making smaller sized graphics for PDFs as well.

Another nice feature of Fireworks is that you can make images from text using True Type Fonts and do all sorts of nifty effects to that text. These can be used for rollovers, logos etc.

 

[Fast Learner]

Images are optimized by reducing the file size via:

A. reducing the resolution of the image (effectively maintaining the physical dimension while spreading out the pixels), usually measured in dpi (dots per inch) or ppi (pixels per inch) here in the US, and

B. reducing the number of colors in the image so that less information has to be stored per pixel (know as "color depth"),

both while trying to maintain reasonable on-screen and printed quality.

As mentioned, programs like Fireworks, ImageReady, and Photoshop all allow you to see the before-and-after versions of your image in a multi-up format so you can easily compare the effects of the reduction.

If you own the Acrobat application (not Acrobat Reader), you can have it optimize the images for you after they're already in the PDF document. Otherwise you have to optimize them outside your editing application, import them into your layout, and then save as PDF.

 

[jaerdaph]

If you own the Acrobat application (not Acrobat Reader), you can have it optimize the images for you after they're already in the PDF document. Otherwise you have to optimize them outside your editing application, import them into your layout, and then save as PDF.

I've always wanted to learn how this works - can you share any tips or advice? Perhaps this would solve my problems with creating PDFs directly from MS Word - most of the Secrets of the Kargatane (d20 Ravenloft) Web enhancement PDFs I make usually come to me as Word documents from the authors or formatters. We've always had problems getting a good file size on them, especially for things like the old Ravenloft DUNGEON Magazine adventures that include artwork and maps that we reformat at distribute for free with WotC's permission.

BTW, thanks for the technical explanation of image optimization

 

[Terraism]

I've always wanted to learn how this works - can you share any tips or advice? Perhaps this would solve my problems with creating PDFs directly from MS Word - most of the Secrets of the Kargatane (d20 Ravenloft) Web enhancement PDFs I make usually come to me as Word documents from the authors or formatters. We've always had problems getting a good file size on them, especially for things like the old Ravenloft DUNGEON Magazine adventures that include artwork and maps that we reformat at distribute for free with WotC's permission.

BTW, thanks for the technical explanation of image optimization

Joe - you're with the Kargat? You oughta put something in your .sig - there's nothing wrong with blatant self-advertising, after all!

 

[Creamsteak]

I've found that if you resize the files before putting them in the word file, it works best. Changing picture sizes IN WORD causes it to bug out and the file size just multiplies...