Skip navigation
ladri-bici
ladri-bici
Currently Being Moderated

InDesign CS5 spitting out huge pdf's

Mar 10, 2011 8:44 PM

I just noticed this happening. Very simple 7 page InDesign CS5 file. All type (two type families), 1 line art logotype placed on a master page.

 

When I export as pdf, with the Adobe 'smallest file size' preset, I get a 750k pdf file. Argh. I also get a warning in the summary saying saying that 'the preset specifies that some fonts are not embedded. This application always embeds fonts.' Which I've never seen before. (I haven't edited the preset.)

 

Also get an new warning about the profile 

I need to run pdf optimizer in Acrobat, and check all the boxes in the last two settings. This gets be down to a 65k pdf.

 

Any idea what's going on?

 

Michael

1082 Views   4 Replies   Latest reply: ladri-bici, Mar 11, 2011 11:29 AM
 
Replies
  • Peter Spier
    Currently Being Moderated
    1. Peter Spier,
    Mar 11, 2011 4:51 AM   in reply to ladri-bici
    Report

    Seeing 750k described as a huge PDF is amusing when I often need to send files for print that are 750 mb or more.

     

    That aside, exported PDF nearly always is larger than distilled PDF because it can include a lot more information like transparency and color management intents. The warning about fonts just means that the preset is set to not embed fonts during distilling to reduce file size (so the viewer must have the fonts on the system for viewing or printing properly), and ID always embeds fonts during export unless they are restricted, so not embedding your fonts will be ignored. You can unembed them using the optimizer.

     

    So why is a 750k PDF too large? Perhaps there's a better format all around for what you are doing.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • ladri-bici
    Currently Being Moderated
    2. ladri-bici,
    Mar 11, 2011 7:51 AM   in reply to Peter Spier
    Report

    Thanks for the details. I do print as well, and am used to big file sizes.

     

    I just looked at a recent brochure design, which has 2 fairly large photographs placed, and the pdf with the same preset is 233k. BUT, this was exported from Illustrator CS5. So maybe I'm used to smaller pdf's from Illustrator. But in the past, InDesign pdf's that were type only were fairly small

     

    But for a type only proposal, file size is still important when emailing.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Peter Spier
    Currently Being Moderated
    3. Peter Spier,
    Mar 11, 2011 10:08 AM   in reply to ladri-bici
    Report

    Keep in mind that vector content doesn't compress (though type is supposed to, but I don't know how much). If it's all type, why send a PDF by email? Just put the text in the message...

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • ladri-bici
    Currently Being Moderated
    4. ladri-bici,
    Mar 11, 2011 11:29 AM   in reply to Peter Spier
    Report

    For a few reasons, two big ones being formatting and layout.

     

    It seems odd that a color brochure designed in Illustrator with images and type and outlined type and logos compresses smaller than a legal terms agreement in InDesign, using the same PDF settings. But again, there are many inconsistencies between creating PDF's in creative suite programs.

     

    Anyone form Adobe care to join in?

     

    Michael

     
    |
    Mark as:
Actions

More Like This

  • Retrieving data ...

Bookmarked By (0)

Answers + Points = Status

  • 10 points awarded for Correct Answers
  • 5 points awarded for Helpful Answers
  • 10,000+ points
  • 1,001-10,000 points
  • 501-1,000 points
  • 5-500 points