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Rasterize plugin for indesign?

Explorer ,
Sep 21, 2010 Sep 21, 2010

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Hi

I'm looking for a way to rasterize parts of an indesign document when exporting it to pdf.

Why?

- We don't like to send many vectorial stuff like a new logo for example to customers that didn't pay yet (we had some abuse in the past)

- Filesize: documents with links to complex illustrations can still be quiet big when exporting at "Smallest File Size" (10MB+, which can give email trouble)

- To be sure the file looks and prints the same at every computer (not talking about color, but to avoid strange pdf artifacts)

We use a great script (made by Kasyan from this forum) which exports a pdf and than rasterizes the pdf into photoshop. But offcourse than the whole pdf is rasterized. There are many cases that i need to rasterize some part but leave other parts as text or vectors.

Like for example, draw an area that needs to be rasterized, or tell what objects that should rasterize.

Is there such a thing for indesign?

I came across a plugin called Triple Triangle Raster Write for indesign CS2. Unfortunately it's been discontinued so i can't test it.

Thanks!

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Community Expert ,
Sep 21, 2010 Sep 21, 2010

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- We don't like to send many vectorial stuff like a new logo for example to customers that didn't pay yet (we had some abuse in the past)

- Filesize: documents with links to complex illustrations can still be quiet big when exporting at "Smallest File Size" (10MB+, which can give email trouble)

- To be sure the file looks and prints the same at every computer (not talking about color, but to avoid strange pdf artifacts)

I don't know about "strange pdf artifacts" but I would assume that the way to do this would be to handle it at the linked-file level. You build your vector logo in Illustrator, and once you're done, you export to a raster format and place that file in ID. I'm accustomed to placing low-res .jpg placeholders and then relinking en masse to .ai files. Perhaps there's a plugin out there that will handle this at the level of ID document or PDF export, but I would expect it to be a print-workflow tool, not a document-management tool. In fact, if I absolutely had to do something like this, I would investigate Acrobat tools like Pitstop Pro - I don't know that it would do precisely what you want, but that's where I'd expect to find a tool that would do something like this.

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Engaged ,
Sep 21, 2010 Sep 21, 2010

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I don't know of a plugin that does this, but it could be done with a script. (It would do essentially what Joel suggested, but would call on InDesign itself to rasterize the page item, and then place that low-res image version in the file temporarily, and export the PDF.)

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New Here ,
Sep 22, 2010 Sep 22, 2010

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The only real way to do this without getting too complicated is by exporting a PDF out of InDesign and then bringing that PDF into Photoshop at 300dpi (if you are printing it) and then resaving as a jpeg or tiff, and then using Acrobat to make a new PDF from the file. You could, of course, automate all of that work flow if you really wanted to.

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New Here ,
Oct 12, 2010 Oct 12, 2010

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I am also searching for a way to easily create a pdf from InDesign that converts all vector graphics to raster of a chosen dpi. Like dmtetard I need it to quickly bring down pdf-sizes from around 30-60 mb to 3-7 mb intended for web-publishing. My work-around is to open every linked pdf / illustrator-file, saving or printing it as PDF - then opening this in Photoshop and saving it out as high-res .jpg (which I can always down-scale from the pdf-export-settings in InDesign). I'm aware that I can skip the Photoshop sted by exporting directly into raster from Illustrator. However this function often perform badly for various reasons. Alternatively, it would be so cool with a script that could be run from InDesign that converted a single selected inserted .pdf or .ai to .jpg or .png.

Can anyone point to or merely towards a solution, as this issue has been causing me headaches for years now.

I beg you all!

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Community Expert ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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You can set in the permission of a pdf to print with low resolution only.

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New Here ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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Two things:

I'm not sure what you mean by "permission of a pdf" - where is that?

I am quite aware that I can produce low-res pdf's but the problem is that no matter how much I compress the raster images it does nothing to reduce the vector graphics. I am working in a company where this is a recurring issue since we often produce publications etc. for the homepages of different municipalities. However, we work in vectors and need to be able to print high quality documents as well as the compressed versions for the public to download.

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Explorer ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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First: thanks for reactions, i thought i posted a reply already.

I believe Willy means setting low resolution printing permission in the security tab when exporting a pdf. This is great for security reasons, but doesn't rasterize the vector work in the pdf, so the big filesize remains.

In illustrator you can apply a rasterize effect. This leaves all the vector data in the source file, and exports a rasterized image for that object to pdf. Something similar in indesign would be great!

Untill adobe implements a "rasterize this object at pdf export" feature (which they probably won't do 🙂 ), a script could be a workarround: open all selected links, rasterize them in photoshop and save them, and finally relink the original files with the rasterized ones. Problem is this way the links to the original files are lost...

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New Here ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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It simpy can't be "just us". I work in a company with 3000 employees and this is an issue for many. But until Adobe realizes this, I agree that a script could be the solution even though it would change the links. This would still be way better than without. Thought about trying to write the script myself although I have no experiences with scripting. But I am almost desperat enough ,-)

But when both illustrator and photoshop  can rasterize vector artwork - why can't Acrobat 9 Pro / distiller? It could be so easy...

Adobe?

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Community Expert ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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Rasterizing is increasing the file size, so I would recommend never rasterize. But low resolution printing creates when printed a pixeled output and does not allow to missuse the file for high end printing. Personally I think rasterizing the whole file is never a good idea.

Limit to low resolution is exactly the answer from Adobe to hinder people to use a PDF without permission for printing.

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Explorer ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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@ Willy

Rasterizing simple vector artwork will in most cases make the

filesize bigger. BUT there are many many cases where rasterizing DOES

create a (much!) smaller filesize.

In case security (to avoid misuse) is the ONLY reason, than i agree

rasterizing isn't really necessary.

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New Here ,
Oct 14, 2010 Oct 14, 2010

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Security is seldom an issue for me and not the reason for my inquiry. However, the pdf-security can often be broken with tools like http://freeware-pdf-unlocker.en.softonic.com/.

About "the problem", it seems there are a bit confusion out there, so I will try to describe a specific work-flow - a work-flow I know I share with many people:

Overall I produce my artwork in Illustrator as a combination of images and vectors. For instance, I often have an orthographic photo on which I draw my vectors (the combination of raster and vector produces huge .ai- and .pdf-files) This PDF (or .ai) is at some point put into an InDesign document but the process is always iterative meaning I go back an forth constantly making changes in both my Illustrator files and my layout in InDesign. When the document is finished, the customer asks for two versions of the final document; one for print/press and one for web.

The final document often has a file size of 40 mb despite it containing 'only' 20-30 pages and only 10 inserted PDFs - this is due to the combination of images and vectors in the inserted PDFs. In order to get a good quality document for WEB I now have to open the PDFs in Photoshop in approx. 600 dpi and saving them out as JPG. Then I have to re-link everything in InDesign and saving that as a new FINAL document.

This means I have spent a lot of time converting AND I am now juggling with two InDesign version of the same document. You may think, what's the big deal - it's the FINAL doc but in reality final documents have a tendency of being revised (over and over) for a million of equally valid reasons.

Not to mention, that sometimes I make multiple different 'zooms' in InDesign in the same original illustration from illustrator. To ensure good quality I have to open the PDF in Photoshop in 1200 dpi and saving it as a huge JPG. Or I have to create multiple artboards in Illustrator only for that purpuse, which also has the annoying side-effect of me needing to re-align everything in the frames in InDesign...

So there you have it. Sounds easy?

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New Here ,
Oct 14, 2010 Oct 14, 2010

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@Willi


- oh, forgot to mention that the 40 mb can easily be turned into 4 mb - in decent quality (10 mb = good quality, but customers prefer 3-5 mb).

You are probably right about file size in many cases but it is simply not the case for my "kind-of-files". Also getting the vectors rasterized means that you can suddenly control the PDF file size - producing either big / hi-res or small / low-res PDFs from the same layout. Controlling file size seem to be something Adobe understands when I look at all the raster-downscale functions. And of course you can't really down-scale vectors due to their nature but you raster them in decent quality.

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New Here ,
Oct 14, 2010 Oct 14, 2010

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@ dmtetard:

The 99,9 % opacity technique doesn't produces decent quality (anti-aliasing is missing I think)

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Explorer ,
Oct 14, 2010 Oct 14, 2010

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The transpency flattener indeed doesn't apply anti-alias. You can

however set the flattener at a high enough resolution like 1200-600

(note that Eugene set 150-300 in the wrong order in his post, line

art and vector work should should have the high number, that's

probably why you didn't see any anti-aliasing at all). And then

downsample this high res flattened aliased artwork to for example

150ppi (compression tab), producing anti-aliased results.

Still have to test it though if quality is decent.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 14, 2010 Oct 14, 2010

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Oh the old switcharoo with the numbers. Sorry about that.


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New Here ,
Oct 14, 2010 Oct 14, 2010

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I have now testet it and it's great. Thank you both for the tip and the elaboration.

I would still like to ask Adobe, if this sort functionality could be implemented in the next version of Acrobat: I could do without all the messing about and the limitations of format this method has. Adobe?

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Explorer ,
Oct 14, 2010 Oct 14, 2010

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You're just a voice raging at the darkness here. Try lighting a candle: https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

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New Here ,
Oct 15, 2010 Oct 15, 2010

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I will light a candle immediately (didn't know they had that)

thanks

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Contributor ,
Oct 14, 2020 Oct 14, 2020

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It depends what do you rasterize. I have complicated cartographic files linked into Indesing and raster could easily be 10 times smaller.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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You can force your images through the transparency flattener.

Set your vector images to have a 99.9% opacity.

Then create a Transparency Flattener Preset (Edit>Transparency Flattener)


Name: Vect to Raster

Raster/Vector Ballance: (set to 1)

Line Art and text res (150 ppi)

Gradient and mesh res: 300 ppi

Say Ok

File>Export and choose PDF

Then in the Compatibility section choose Acrobat 1.4

Now go to the Advanced section and choose the Transparency Flatener you created.

You export to PDF now the vectors should have changed to Raster.

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New Here ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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I saw that tip yesterday on another site. Thought it sounded as an akward solution but now I have tried it. It works to some degree although the vector graphics become rather pixelated (can I control this using this work-around?). I also tried another suggested solution of temporarily moving the links folder so the pdf only prints previews of the vectors and this was almost equal quality and a lot easier.

Anyways, thanks for the replies and "solutions". I still hope that Adobe - who I generally cherish - is out there listening

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Community Expert ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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It works to some degree although the vector graphics become rather pixelated (can I control this using this work-around?).

Yes -- don't rasterize it. Rasterizing implies pixelating. If you don't want to be able to see it without zooming in, up the resolution (but your file will get bigger by the square -- 2 times as sharp will be about four times larger).

As for your comparison between Photoshop/Illustrator and InDesign: if you were able to 'select all' and rasterize everything, how would InDesign decide what not to rasterize? Surely you wouldn't want your text rasterized? Underlining? Paragraph rules? Table rules? Simple rules? Simple filled objects? Lots of simple filled objects? Hey -- suddenly I find myself describing real artwork ...

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New Here ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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I don't like to rasterize vectors either but due to requirements for online file sizes this just something that have to be done and when I do it manually - the

long tedious way through Photoshop - the graphics become reasonable even though it is all raster and the document is a tenth in size.

I think it goes without saying that I don't want ALL vectors to be rasterized, but only LINKED content. Ofcourse there can be different scenarios that a "new function" must solve, but being able to rasterize either ALL LINKED CONTENT or ALL LINKED PDF's shouldn't be impossible to incorporate without rasterizing everything.

Eugene: thanks for your reply. I will consider those solutions as well...

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Community Expert ,
Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010

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Well I can see the usefullness of it.

Another option of course would be to include a Raster version of the items you want on another layer in Illustrator. Then you can turn on or off the raster versions at your whim.

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