Reducing PDF file size
Thread poster: Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 22:29
German to English
Apr 12, 2004

I use Adobe Acrobat 5.0 which I use mainly to extract RTF files from some PDF documents. From time to time I also create PDF files, but generally these from are Word documents.

Today I tried to create a 4-page PDF file containing text and black & white drawings *from a scan*. The document was 23 megabytes!
I wasn't able to find anything in the Help index that would instruct me as to how to reduce the size of the output file.

I would appreciate any help offered.<
... See more
I use Adobe Acrobat 5.0 which I use mainly to extract RTF files from some PDF documents. From time to time I also create PDF files, but generally these from are Word documents.

Today I tried to create a 4-page PDF file containing text and black & white drawings *from a scan*. The document was 23 megabytes!
I wasn't able to find anything in the Help index that would instruct me as to how to reduce the size of the output file.

I would appreciate any help offered.
Thanks, Kevin

PS,
I should point out that I'm scanning *directly* into Adobe Acrobat. I was hoping to save a step or two by doing this.
KF

[Edited at 2004-04-12 22:52]
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Bianca Adriaensen
Bianca Adriaensen  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:29
English to Dutch
+ ...
Solid Convertor Apr 12, 2004

Hello Kevin.

Two possibilities:
1. create a pdf with a program called SolidConvertor, which has a free 30-day trial, lots cheaper than Adobe, see http://www.solidconverter.com
2. open the scans with a photo editor, reduce colours, save the file(s).

Good luck!
Bianca

[Edited at 2004-04-12 22:24]

[Edited at 2004-04-12 22:25]


 
Natalie
Natalie  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 03:29
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...

Moderator of this forum
SITE LOCALIZER
Hi Kevin Apr 12, 2004

If the images are scans, then (most probably) they are saved as BMP (default format in many programs for scanners).

Open the images in any graphic program, reduce resolution (150-200 dpi is enough for a PDF file in most cases); check if the images are really black and white (if not, discard color information). Finally, save the images as JPEGs.

Create PDF as usually, and then re-save it once more (under the same name or rename it - it's up to you): re-saving a PDF file
... See more
If the images are scans, then (most probably) they are saved as BMP (default format in many programs for scanners).

Open the images in any graphic program, reduce resolution (150-200 dpi is enough for a PDF file in most cases); check if the images are really black and white (if not, discard color information). Finally, save the images as JPEGs.

Create PDF as usually, and then re-save it once more (under the same name or rename it - it's up to you): re-saving a PDF file also reduces it's size (as PDF writer discards backgrounds and other useless information).
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Roberta Anderson
Roberta Anderson  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 03:29
Member (2001)
English to Italian
+ ...
convert text from bitmap to text Apr 13, 2004

What will greatly reduce the size of your pdf is, apart from reducing the images resolution as Natalie suggests, converting the text on your pages from bitmaps to actual, searchable and "copyable" text.

If you use Acrobat 5, download and
... See more
What will greatly reduce the size of your pdf is, apart from reducing the images resolution as Natalie suggests, converting the text on your pages from bitmaps to actual, searchable and "copyable" text.

If you use Acrobat 5, download and install the Paper Capture plug-in (http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/product.jsp?product=1&platform=Windows), an OCR module from within Acrobat. It will straighten your pages and convert the text in text, with a confirming/correcting function in case of recognition problems.

If you use Acrobat 6, this feature is within Acrobat (Document > Acquire document, or similar - I have the Italian version).

HtH,
Roberta
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Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 22:29
German to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks for all the responses! Apr 13, 2004

Roberta Anderson wrote:
If you use Acrobat 5, download and install the Paper Capture plug-in (http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/product.jsp?product=1&platform=Windows), an OCR module from within Acrobat. It will straighten your pages and convert the text in text, with a confirming/correcting function in case of recognition problems.


I found the Adobe plug-in to be the simplest method, as I want to reduce the number of steps required to create a pdf file from a scanned text.

The paper capture plug-in also offers the nice advantage of offering the possibility of also converting the text to RTF format, useful when using a TM tool.

I do have a question regarding paper capture and Adobe: does Version 6 produce better screen results? Although the print-out looks OK with Acrobat 5, the screen display doesn't look as good as Acrobat files without the paper capture processing.

I appreciate the time everyone took to respond to my question!

Kevin


 
Roberta Anderson
Roberta Anderson  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 03:29
Member (2001)
English to Italian
+ ...
check your display prefs Apr 13, 2004

Kfulton wrote:

Although the print-out looks OK with Acrobat 5, the screen display doesn't look as good as Acrobat files without the paper capture processing.


check your display preferences /from Edit > Preferences > General, then the Display section - I think, I have v. 6 installed and I'm going by memory) and change your text smoothing settings; if the printout is ok, the poor display may depend on these settings.

HtH,
Roberta


 


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Reducing PDF file size






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