PDF files - why are my PDF files not small?

[brooke_lhernould@adobeforums.com]

How can I create small PDF files? I receive small PDF files (48K) from other graphic artists which are of complicated jobs. When I create a PDF file from an illustrator job (I use CS on Windows XP), the PDF file is sometimes as large as the original (10M, for example). This happens with various files, more or less complicated.

Thanks for your help.

[LenHewitt@adobeforums.com]

Brooke,

What PDF settings are you using?

[brooke_lhernould@adobeforums.com]

I turned off "preserve illustrator editing capabilities" and "embed page thumbnails" and checked "optimize for fast web view" (I saw your previous advice to another user). I've done lots of experimentation with a particular file I will need to send by e-mail -- the file size is about 10M. It has some gradient fills and a large photo linked. I succeeded in creating a small file from it by flattening the file (is that relevant?) and unchecking "create pdf compatible file". The resultant file size was a little unbelievable -- 391K, though everything seemed OK in the file. Nevertheless, when I created a pdf from it, the pdf was 9970K, the same size as a pdf created from the original 10M file.

I'm pretty confused!

[LenHewitt@adobeforums.com]

Brook,

In addition to what you are already doing, in your PDF options choose
'CUSTOM' and set the downsampling for colour and greyscale images to 72 and
the compression to JPEG. The JPEG quality selected will have a major effect
on file-size with a large linked image.

The reason for the difference between the size of the illustrator doc and
the PDF is that linked image. It has to be embedded into the PDF file.

[brooke_lhernould@adobeforums.com]

Thanks so much, Len -- your suggestions worked perfectly. You've been a great help, today and in my previous travails! I certainly appreciate it a lot.

[LenHewitt@adobeforums.com]

You're very welcome, Brooke