PDF File size huge on export compared to print to ps/distill

[irenes@adobeforums.com]

I've seen several posts that touch on this subject, but I would love to know why this is the case and/or what I can do about it..

File sizes of pdfs exported from InDesign are coming out about 4 times the size of the same file printed to postscript and then distilled, using the same preferences. Stopping the graphics/compression way down, the exported files are still significantly larger than a distilled pdf.

The pdf is our final product, distributed via email and the web so a 140kb file is clearly preferable to 700kb one. But the workflow is much better if the file is exported, especially just links being set in a template instead of created by hand in each file.

Is there any way to tell InDesign to use the distiller's preferences or, even better, to just use the distiller?

Is there any other resolution than to just continue printing to ps and distilling?

[Bob_Levine]

What version PDF are you printing/exporting to?

Bob

[irenes@adobeforums.com]

We're saving them back to v 1.3 from InDesign CS/Acrobat 6

[Larry_Grohman@adobeforums.com]

It is commonly accepted that InDesign exported PDFs are larger then
same/similar settings in PS-Distiller made PDFs. But usually this is only a
little larger. Your example gained 560, which is significant for on screen
uses, but in a print workflow this is peanuts.

You might try running the PDF Optimizer in Acrobat 6 (if you are working
with v6) but then, that is an extra step. If your main objective is small
file size, you may need to stick with PS-Distiller for now. But does not
need to be a two step function. Simply "Print" to Distiller (called Adobe
PDF with V6, and I think Acrobat Distiller in earlier versions) and this is
fairly painless.

HTH

Larry

[Bob_Levine]

Try exporting to 1.4 instead.

Bob

[irenes@adobeforums.com]

Thanks Larry, the extra step in Acrobat would be preferable and I hadn't tried it.. it knocks the size down about 150k (to 538k) which is better, but still much bigger than the distilled doc.

I have very bad luck with printing to the Distiller in the past, but it seems to be much improved! It doesn't seem to use all the distiller's preferences though (file saves as 1.4) and the links don't come through, but it does remove a step.

Thanks for the tip.

Exporting to 1.4 doesn't seem to affect the file size (w/in 1k), should it?

[Larry_Grohman@adobeforums.com]

doesn't seem to use all the distiller's preferences though (file saves as
1.4) and the links don't come through, but it does remove a step.

>

You must be missing something. Printing to Distiller should give you the
same exact menu of settings as does Distillers job options, which also can
be modified on the fly. You just need to go through the Advanced tab, and
select PDF settings from the print dialog

But another option for you might be Watched Folders. You set these up in
Distiller, then when you make your Postscript file, saving to this folder
will automatically create your PDF. You assign the job options settings to
the folder properties, and it can be set up to create the PDF immediately,
or at some predetermined interval.

Larry

[irenes@adobeforums.com]

Thanks again Larry! I was missing something.. I had to go into the setup and then printer preferences before I got to any acrobat settings. But from there I can use my preset, which makes it almost an ideal solution.
The only thing better would be if I could keep links embedded, but I guess that's a wish for another time.

Thanks for your help