Vector data HEAVIER than pixel data... why?
Evan Deez
I'm trying to send a booklet to get printed at an outside printer.
First thing I did with one of the PSD files (the booklet is divided in
"sheets") is convert all type to shape, so there are no problem font issues.
Then I flattened all image layers to save space.
Result : 35 MB file, which includes one layer for the pixel data, and a few
for the type, which is now uneditable due to being converted to shape.
So far so good.
Then I try saving this 35 mb PSD file as a PDF file (which the printers now
insist on) but the resulting file is gigantic. 900 MB! Not because of the
pixel data (I've set Acrobat to not upsample or downsample in any way) but
because of the vector data (formerly the text portions).
One of the "sheets" has as many as 16 layers of vector data (which I'd
combine if I could, but Photoshop doesn't seem to allow it, other than
combining as a smart object, which rasterizes on the output - a bad thing).
Removing the vector data and saving again confirms that these layers are the
culprits.
Why is vector data several times heavier than pixel data in a PDF file? This
makes no sense. How am I supposed to deliver this thing to the printer at
900mb per sheet, when 35mb was enough in PSD format?
Can anyone shed some light here?
robert_b
have a variety of export to pdf options depending on how much compression
you need. Photoshop is not really the program of choice for converting to
PDF to go to the printer. So, that does not really help you....Every
printer is different....but, if they are willing to help you a little bit, I
would save each sheet as a .tif/cmyk with guides and have them drop it into
InDesign and/or their templates.
"Evan Deez" <n...@thanks.com> wrote in message
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Evan Deez
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> I would save each sheet as a .tif/cmyk with guides and have them drop it
> into InDesign and/or their templates.
This rasterizes the file, doesn't it? I need that vector (text) data to
remain vector, for the crispness.
robert_b
your prescribed dimensions you should be fine. But, I would HIGHLY
recommend you getting InDesign.
"Evan Deez" <n...@thanks.com> wrote in message
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Anon
Evan,
Deal with the font problems. Converting fonts to vector shapes does
increase the amount of data. While small amounts of text can be converted
to shapes with little increase in file size, paragraphs of text converted to
shapes can bloat the file size quickly.
A vector shape is a description of nodes, connecting lines, and fill areas.
Round elements, common to letters, contain large numbers of nodes with short
lines between them. Fonts include all the vector descriptions of each
letter; the file only needs to contain the specific character and the font
in which it should be rendered. Converting text to shapes means the full
vector descriptions of each individual shape must be saved within the file.
Hi resolution TIFF is usually acceptable for most applications, however, for
the most crisp lettering and scalability, EPS is a fine format (careful:
some versions of PS output EPS as full raster images). Software for layout,
such as InDesign, preserves the crisp scalable vector based fonts and
handles overprinting for the best of both raster and vector elements. Just
make sure to share the font files you used with your printer for
compatiblity.
Scott