PDFs and Compression

[JVisgaitis]

What do most people use for compression for your PDFs? I have been creating all on my PDFs in Indesign 2.0 and I just can't get them down to a manageable size.

We're going to be releasing Denizens of Avadnu as an eBook on DriveThruRPG, but the smallest I can get it to is 35 meg which is way too big. I was looking at some other full color books, and the Expanded Psionics Handbook and Frostburn are less then 10 meg.

Can anyone give me any pointers?

Thanks!

 

[annadobritt]

Check your settings for InDesign.

If you like, I'd be happy to run it rhrough Adobe Acrobat Professional 6.0. It has an option for downsizing pdfs.

 

[madelf]

The free Ghostscript pdf tools do a pretty good job of optimising too. In fact, I had better luck with GSView than I did with Acrobat.

 

[maransreth]

Its not always a matter of compression - it could be how how get the files, especially artwork/pictures into the file to start with.

What I mean is that there are a number of people who copy/paste artwork/pictures into a file. This increases the file size immenously as you are copying the layers behind it as well.

Always make sure that you insert files, especially pictures.

Afterwards, the only thing I know of, is Acrobat 6 has a command to reduce file size. But I only know about Acrobat, there might be other programs out there that can do it as well.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Check your settings for InDesign.

I've been using the fast web view settings. My brother has a copy of of Adobe Professional 6, so I'll probably take it over there and give it a try. Thanks for offering though!

The free Ghostscript pdf tools do a pretty good job of optimising too. In fact, I had better luck with GSView than I did with Acrobat.

Do they make that for Mac? Do you have a link?

What I mean is that there are a number of people who copy/paste artwork/pictures into a file. This increases the file size immenously as you are copying the layers behind it as well.

Gotcha. I always place the files. I went to school for Quark, so I have a fairly good grasp of the program. The problem might be that all of the images are native PhotoShop files. There was no way around this as the edges of the pictures have a lot of transparency in them. Its not something I could replicate with a clipping path, for instance.

 

[Marius Delphus]

The problem might be that all of the images are native PhotoShop files. There was no way around this as the edges of the pictures have a lot of transparency in them. Its not something I could replicate with a clipping path, for instance.

Are your Photoshop images flattened (one layer with transparency)?

Have you tried Saving for Web and choosing PNG? I've successfully used a couple of PNG files for transparency in InDesign.

Other than that, I would reiterate the above advice about Acrobat Professional 6: the Reduce File Size command has dramatically deflated all the InDesign PDFs I've generated.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Are your Photoshop images flattened (one layer with transparency)?

Have you tried Saving for Web and choosing PNG? I've successfully used a couple of PNG files for transparency in InDesign.

The images are flattened with only one layer for transparency. No, I haven't tried PNG. Doesn't PNG only work with RGB color space only? It is irrelevent in this case since everything is being changed over to RGB, but I'm curious and can't check cuz I'm at work. I am working from the initial file that went to press so we went with CMYK PSDs. I think I'll try PNG and see what I get. I can always have Photoshop run a batch to change all the images. Only problem will be fixing all the links. . . Ugh.

 

[Marius Delphus]

Doesn't PNG only work with RGB color space only? It is irrelevent in this case since everything is being changed over to RGB, but I'm curious and can't check cuz I'm at work.

Yes, it does; I'm working in an environment where precision color matching is not a concern, so I always work with RGB images. I feel I get more options that way, and I need every option I can get. Especially when the project lead wants something really unusual.

I am working from the initial file that went to press so we went with CMYK PSDs. I think I'll try PNG and see what I get. I can always have Photoshop run a batch to change all the images. Only problem will be fixing all the links. . . Ugh.

Well, you could always work with only a few pages... good luck in any case! [COUGH]makethembuyyouacrobat[/COUGH]

 

[Marius Delphus]

Do they make that for Mac? Do you have a link?

Try here: http://www.gradsch.uga.edu/For_Students/Enrolled_Students/ghost.htm

Scroll down to "The Hard Way."

 

[JVisgaitis]

Yes, it does; I'm working in an environment where precision color matching is not a concern, so I always work with RGB images.

I would kill to work stictly in RGB. We do 99% of our artwork in Painter, and converting over from RGB and into CMYK sucks big time. If you seen any of our earlier print work that was in Gaming Frontiers, and even some images in Denizens of Avadnu, you'll see how we struggled.

Well, you could always work with only a few pages... good luck in any case!

I intend to only try about 5 pages as a test. If it works, that's what I have design monkeys for.

Try here: http://www.gradsch.uga.edu/For_Stud...dents/ghost.htm

Damn, its only for classic. Thanks though. Time to start hitting people up for Acrobat Professional 7. . .