Problem with file size being too big with PDF Export

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Boyd Gross
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Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 3:38 pm

Problem with file size being too big with PDF Export

Unread post by Boyd Gross »

I've been working on numerous Help Docs and have had no problem, but then I do this one and I've only got two pages on it. Each page has a small picture. The output file size in PDF is 29 MB.

I have other docs that I've done that have way more pages with way more pictures and they're between .5 and 2 MB. I haven't changed any settings, to my knowledge.

Anyone got any pointers?
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Tim Green
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Re: Problem with file size being too big with PDF Export

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Boyd,

Are the graphics resized in Help & Manual, i.e. by changing their size in the Help & Manual editor? If they are, you are actually exporting the full-sized original graphic files to your PDF. This is intentional -- it makes it possible to get better print quality on high resolution printers and also better display quality when the PDF is zoomed, but it naturally also makes the file bigger. If small file size is important you need to resize the images before inserting them in your project. You can also reduce the size of your images by reducing the number of colors saved in the images. If they are normal screenshots 256 colors are usually fine.

Another factor that can affect the size of your PDF are your font embedding settings (Configuration > Publishing Options > PDF > Font Embedding). If you use an unusual font that needs to be embedded in your PDF it will increase the size of the PDF file, particularly with fonts on Windows Vista and Windows 7, which are Unicode and thus much larger than earlier font files. Also, if you activate the "Export text as glyphs" option it will export all your text as graphics, which will result in much larger file sizes.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Boyd Gross
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 3:38 pm

Re: Problem with file size being too big with PDF Export

Unread post by Boyd Gross »

I read the font thing in another post and took out all but Arial. I haven't checked the resizing out. I've been editing them in SnagIt and then changing the size and putting them into H&Manual.
Boyd Gross
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 3:38 pm

Re: Problem with file size being too big with PDF Export

Unread post by Boyd Gross »

The total size of the pictures I have is 202 KB. That's for 7 pictures. I forgot that I edited this yesterday. It is still 29 MB. What should be the size of the pictures as far as pixel width x height?
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Tim Green
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Re: Problem with file size being too big with PDF Export

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Boyd,

In the font embedding settings, try changing CID mode to "OFF" if it is currently set to Unicode. Also check if you have any large images stored in your PDF template file (the .mnl file that you edit with Manual Designer). If none of this helps please mail the project, the image files and the .mnl file to support AT ec-software.com (replace the AT with @) and we'll check it. Please pack everything in a zip before mailing. :)
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
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