Create a PDF/E from InDesign

[Lounge76]

Hi!

I have discovered that the PDF-format PDF/E compresses PDFs to a pdf thats are very lightweigted and in a good quality compared to the size.

I wonder if there is a way to generate a PDF/E directly from InDesign. I can't find it in the Adobe PDF-settings, but maybe there is some other way?

Can you script it in some way?

Or is it some other way to make it more automated than to open a PDF in Acrobat and resave it?

Any external tools that you can recommend to make PDFs smaller. To use "save as Smallest file size" is not enought.

I'd be happy for all you inputs.

Kind regards, Fredrik

[Dov Isaacs]

There is no way of directly creating PDF/E files in InDesign. Conceivably you could export PDF/X-4 and then try to convert that to PDF/E in Acrobat Pro.

The real question is why you want to do this?

There is nothing in the PDF/E specification that makes such files any smaller that comparable PDF/X-4 files. Unless you need PDF/E for purposes of adding 3D engineering diagrams or because whoever you are preparing the PDF file for requires PDF/E for some reason, PDF/E really buys you nothing!

Perhaps you can share more details of your workflow and some sample documents such that we can assist you in getting compact, high quality PDF files from InDesign content. Note that ultimately, though, the size of a PDF file that contains raster images depends mostly on image downsampling and compression settings and virtually no other consideration. For documents that are mostly text and vector, unless you don't embed fonts (an exceptionally poor practice), there is not much you can do to reduce PDF file size.

          - Dov

[Lounge76]

Hi!
Thanks for your input.

Here comes some backgrund: I have a combined PDF of a magazine that is 111MB (X4-resample image to 72dpi-quality min) There is a lot of PSD/AI files that makes it that large i guess.

I just want to make it as small as possible to to easy distribute is as a review-PDF.

When i use "Save as other/Reducs File Size" i get the PDF down to 88MB.

Then i saw there was somehing called PDF/E as an option ad i tried that and i got the PDF reduced to 30MB.

I don't really know how it could be that small, but it works. And that the reason that i wonder if this could be done in an easier way than manually in Acrobat Pro?

Or is it any reason to not use PDF/E? I have been looking here an googling but coldn't almost find anything about PDF/E.

BR, Fredrik

[Dov Isaacs]

Without seeing samples of the assets you describe, we honestly cannot account for your results.

What is true is that there is nothing different between PDF/X-4 and PDF/E standards, assuming that you downsample and compress raster images with the same settings, that would account for the vast difference in size that you claim.

And yes, there is a reason not to use PDF/E if you need to submit your PDF file to a print service provider. They may reject it if their requirement is for PDF/X.

          - Dov

[Test Screen Name]

It sounds as if you are only using the simple office tools like Reduce File Size and save as format. Not recommended for prepress. Use save as -> Optimized PDF And really look at the wealth of options.