Reduce exported PDF size

[Ajax]

Sometimes you need to export PDF file which further will be sent by email, but our applications produce big PDFs due to high DPI used for the raster part (600 dpi).
In such case you can use Compress PDF filter which is part of the OS X 10.4; but for the OS X 10.5 Leopard and OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard it must be downloaded and installed since Apple removed it from the OS X.
So, for the OS X 10.5 Leopard Compress PDF workflow can be downloaded from here and for OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard from Apple website.
After you install downloaded package, Compress PDF will appear in the list of available PDF filters.


Another way doesn't require to install anything and based on using Preview and Quartz Composer filter.

[pokari's girl]

Thanks for this link/download. But now that I can choose to export as a compressed pdf it only saves the first page. why? In the earlier version of SP, exporting a compressed pdf produced the whole document & the first page as a separate file (not sure about why) and it was decent print quality.

This program is, by far, one of my favorites - maybe even my favorite! so THANKS for all the work put into it and the help.

[Nick]

When you export with compression, Swift Publisher asks you to enter the file name. Then it starts the workflow that also asks you to input the file name. Finally you have two files (let's think that the file names weer different). The first created file will contain only one page. The second will contain all pages.

Nick

[BillyBob152]

I notice that in Export Options dialog that there is a check box that says Convert Text to Curves. When should one use that option?

[Jean-Jacques Boutaud]

I notice that in Export Options dialog that there is a check box that says Convert Text to Curves. When should one use that option?

Hi BillyBob152
When using this, text (or more precisely, fonts glyphs) are converted to vector shapes, so:
- this avoids the need to embed fonts in (pdf) documents
- this avoids some problems with fonts that can't be embedded (most of the time for copyright reason). You can verify this, in Font Book, displaying Font Informations (Cmd-I)
- this can avoid problems with embedded fonts when printing on different OS
- this can make smaller documents if numerous fonts are used and embedded
Saying that, I'm not sure that, in 2011, this option is really needed (just mho, yet).
This was especially useful when using EPS files as this format (EPS) can't embedded fonts.

[coolowl2006]

There were quite a number of horrified groans when the online newsletter I edit came in at 8 megs despite downsizing photos. Goodness only knows what gets into SP to make a 1 meg document into a 5 or even 20 meg pdf. The variation depends on which way it is done. 'Export' from within SP gives the biggest files.

Anyway, the simplest solution was my already paid-for software by Stone called PStill. It is a marvel. My 1 meg doc came down to under a meg and is just as printable and the photo is just as clear as the 20 meg monstrosity.

Elaine in Brisbane, Australia

[kelvin]

I really need to reduce a project size in order to email it to a printer - it is 60 pages and comes in at 106 mb
Any ideas folks?
Kelvin

[kelvin]

Well, I have found a way, hope that it helps others.
This does reduce photo quality a little, but OK for sending - just not good enough for publishing the photo's used at a printer.

1. Open PDF file using preview.
2. Click “File” and then “Save As” - you may not have this option - I dont, so "duplicate" it then "save as" works.
3. Under “Quartz Filter” drop down list, select “Reduce File Size”
4. Rename and save the file. [In case you do not like the quality.]
This reduced the PDF file size down from 106 mb to 3.6 mb - huge difference.

Now, also another way - keeping files to 600dpi - good enough for printers is to purchase the application from iTunes PDF Squeezer (just a couple of usd or £1.49 in English - that reduced it down to 10mb.
You do have other options with this application and can make the file size even smaller at a lower resolution.
Hope this helps someone else?
Kelvin

[Nick]

Hi Kelvin,

Thanks for sharing your method. An alternative one is to set Image Quality to Low (150 dpi) in the PDF export settings.

Nick

[kelvin]

Never saw that Nick, but of course 150 dpi is not good enough to print (commercially) and even then this book only comes down by half.
Kelvin
Great programme by the way and use it a great deal with regards to our website and the mailing of pages of remembrance - aircrew remembrance society.

[MJBS]

Kelvin,

I have the same requirement, as I produce a monthly community magazine, often up to 60 pages with lots of colour photographs and bleed. The PDF generated by exporting from Swift Publisher can be over 120 MB, even when using the 300 DPI setting which is quite adequate for printing. I then put this through Preview, but not the provided Reduce File Size quartz filter because, as you have found, this down-samples by too much. Did you know that you can produce a higher-quality filter Preview will recognise, by using a facility built into the ColorSync utility? This will reduce my 120 MB PDF to 38 MB, but still be of good enough quality for professional printing. However, there is a bug with Lion and Mountain Lion, which requires a bit of tweaking. Let me know which OS you are using and I'll send you the details.

Michael

PS. With Mountain Lion, you can get Save As to reappear instead of Duplicate by holding down the Option/Alt key.

[miro]

PS. With Mountain Lion, you can get Save As to reappear instead of Duplicate by holding down the Option/Alt key.

Thank you! That was the Tip of the Day. I'm relatively new to Mountain Lion, and the disappearing of Save as has been a real pain to me.

/Eric

[hettingr]

I tried to reduce file size of a newsletter by using the built-in SwiftPub reduction and the Preview quartz filters. For my file, the results were not good, and needed at least 12 meg to be acceptable.

A co-worker has a copy of Adobe Acrobat. She reduced the original 63 meg file to less than 2 meg using Acrobat. The graphics didn't show any serious issues at all.

I can't tell you any more because I don't have Acrobat. It's a $500 piece of software, too rich for my volunteer non-profit newsletter.
FYI.

[abel256984]

Sometimes you need to export PDF file which further will be sent by email, but our applications produce big PDFs due to high DPI used for the raster part (600 dpi).
In such case you can use Compress PDF filter which is part of the OS X 10.4; but for the OS X 10.5 Leopard and OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard it must be downloaded and installed since Apple removed it from the OS X.
So, for the OS X 10.5 Leopard Compress PDF workflow can be downloaded from here and for OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard from Apple website.
After you install downloaded package, Compress PDF will appear in the list of available PDF filters.


Another way doesn't require to install anything and based on using Preview and Quartz Composer filter.

will try! thanks for the link!