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Imported PDF Size

PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2020 7:09 am
by Bob Shaw
Hi All,
I was experimenting with importing PDFs into a file. I wanted to take a check set page from a client to try and mark it up in DataCAD.
I was able to import the PDF to a layer, create a separate layer for notes like you would red line a physical set. I thought this was great to be able to mark up the PDFs rather than using Adobe.
Here's my issue.
A typical imported PDF was about 1MB starting out. After importing, marking up then printing out as a new PDF it grew in size to over 9MB. It really bogged down the print to PDF process too.
I also tried creating a BMP to insert in lieu of the PDF. Again the final print to PDF file was 9MB. Reducing the dpi on the BMP helps, but after a point the text is unreadable.
I tried creating a new cadd file and Xrefing the PDF in the original DataCAD file to the new file to see if it would change in size. Still the print to PDF file was still at the 9 MB size.

Has anyone tried this? Is there a way to reduce the final printed PDF size.

Thanks in advance,
Bob Shaw

Re: Imported PDF Size

PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2020 4:08 pm
by Chris
Hi Bob,

Yes, we have done this lots of times between .jpg and .pdf, we are not finding the latter to be a blockbuster. Essentially files do mushroom, we try to keep all our imports between 1.0-1.5 mgs utilizing PS or even Adobe DC (or variations) of their optimizer (requiring a "save as" to get back to .jpg). Certainly after you Plot (or print since V.21) you will get a mushroomed .pdf. Suck it into Adobe and optimize. We usually see a 50% - 75% decrease.

Regards,

Chris

Re: Imported PDF Size

PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2020 10:24 am
by Neil Blanchard
Hi Bob,

There are options to change the resolution of the imported image:

Insert / PDF to Image Management / Settings.

You can select the type of image (some are compressed files - PNG would be my choice, but JPG or GIF might be fine), and the resolution can be 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, or 600 DPI. I think it may default to 600DPI, so 300 would be a lot smaller file size, and probably still good enough quality.

I just saw the Reconvert All option just below the Settings button - this would "refresh" the image(s) of the PDFs, so if you had new PDF with the same name, you could update the image in the DataCAD drawing this way. Or, adjust the resolution of them.

Re: Imported PDF Size

PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2020 1:39 pm
by Bob Shaw
Neil,
Took a look at the settings you pointed to and set them at PNG and 100 for the resolution and tested it with the same inserted PDF. The plotted PDF size was much smaller (previous 8.8 MB to new 1.53 MB). In my case the 100 DPI was still readable.
I don't have Adobe Pro so I couldn't test that so see what difference that could have made. I tried an online optimizer and it only reduced the 8.8 MB file by 14%, so that wasn't a good option.

Thanks

Re: Imported PDF Size

PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 12:26 pm
by Neil Blanchard
I am glad I could help.

Re: Imported PDF Size

PostPosted: Sat Aug 29, 2020 11:42 pm
by Nick Pyner
In addition to all this, I get some bloat problems where I have to work over PDF because the Vectorworks CAD files are always unusable. Last week, this really got out of hand, all down to PDF, the DataCad over it was minimal. I found that the DCad save as PDF file was nearly 18Mb, while the plot to PDFill was a bit over 12Mb.

Somewhat more portable. I actually only found this out because I needed PDFill for its page size - A0, for Chrissake.

Re: Imported PDF Size

PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:00 am
by Ted B
A0 is a huge piece of paper! (33 1⁄8 × 46 19⁄24 for the metrically-illiterate like myself.)

Back in my manual drafting studio days we typically used 24x36" Arch D, occasionally 30x42" Arch E1. Civil enginners used Arch E1 and Arch E typically, which was a problem since our drafting boards couldn't accommodate Arch E.

Re: Imported PDF Size

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2020 8:28 am
by Nick Pyner
Indeed it is, but it was just a one-sheet aide memoire, and not intended to be actually printed. If it is printed, it will be somebody else's problem. As far as I'm concerned, A3 should be the biggest sheet allowed, thereby painlessly reproduced on an office copier. My recently retired desktop had a really bad time with this job. The new one is nothing too fancy but handles it very well. Still with the 12Mb plots, though.

Re: Imported PDF Size

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2020 9:06 am
by artmanvt2000
We are often struggling with the size of the pdf's with images. We found Photoshop to be helpful for reducing the pdf's created with Datacad that contain images.

To mark up a pdf file, I would like to suggest PDF XChange Viewer. We have been using it for years and has been a great help for reviewing engineering drawings and marking up shop drawings.