Extremely large file from Arc GIS

[Jim_Bubb@adobeforums.com]

I'm trying to work with an extremely large ai file (1.5gig) from Arc GIS. I can open the file, but I can't save, export, or print. Printing give the error message "not enough memory", saving and exporting just gives the error "unknown error".
I'm working in CS on a winXP Professional platform on a Dell Optiplex, 3gz, 2g ram, 150g drive. I'm printing to a networked HP plotter, spooling directly to the plotter, not using network temp space (not enough space there).
Any ideas on how to work with this file greatly appreciated. Yes, I have to work with this file.

Thanks,

Jim.

[Rick Moore]

Where is your scratch disk pointed to and how large is it? Is the plotter a
PostScript model or connected to a RIP? If not I don't believe you can plot
the file, even with "process in printer" checked in the printer preferences
of the HP driver.
I've never attempted to work with a file that large - is it not possible to
have it "cleaned up" in Arc GIS first?

[sam_m_brown@adobeforums.com]

Why is such a large file?

How did you create the file from Arc - is there a lot of masking done at the Arc end? We usually run EPS files out of Arc and put through Distiller first and this seems to clean them up a bit - GIS packages often seen to generate excess invisible objects and excess image data that is off the page and Acrobat gets rid of some of this.

Also if you have pattern fills make sure they aren't overly complex as they are often broken up into individual elements when comming out of a GIS, so just a few extra points in a pattern can make for a huge blowout in things such as sand areas.

Don't know if this helps much but just a few things we've encountered.