Reducing pdf size

[pspdfppdfxhd]

Okay, i feel that i have exhausted all attempts on my part but i will put up the problem here. 

We print a quarterly magazine here that is somewhere between 90 to 120 pages. 4 color and full of every transparency crap that the designer can throw at it.

Of course they need an online pdf to distribute, so i have to come up with something under 10MB for them. It's always a struggle but this one won't go down below 14MB. I have tried everything that i know how to do but no luck. Pitstop.. etc, even an ultra thin pdf which down samples to 36 dpi and screws up the fonts does not work. Its their problem for sending in the load of crap indd work but i really wish i could help them.

Anyone been in this (sinking) boat?

[Joe]

Did you try the Pitstop action to reduce file size? If not...give it a try.

[pspdfppdfxhd]

Unfortunately yes.

[scottrsimons]

The last time I ran into something like that. I think I had to go back to the indd and print out a PS then distill it to a regular PDF and modded it from there. Of course the PS flattened everything. Sometimes it good to go old school with things.

[johnny_jay]

I would fear all the refrying and extra processing would take the file from a proof to a refried pdf.

Can you send it in halves to get under the size requirement?

[Joe]

Have you tried "Save as Other" ===> Optimized PDF. There are settings in there for images and other settings to Discard Objects, Discard User Objects, and Clean Up that can help reduce file size.

You can also export to postscript and re-distill that will usually reduce file size but it does flatten everything.

[pspdfppdfxhd]

Thanks for all responses, but alas I have tried all of the above.

Regarding splitting the pdf into 2..... that's what they came up with (the persons responsible for setting up the link to download) in such a way that when it's downloaded, the 2 parts will recombine.

But thats proving to be problematic as well. I'm trying everything but the real problem is the volunteer designer who does not know the basics about layout but has somehow managed to learn every transparency trick in the book. It's just overkill on everything. It's ridiculous. With the preflight on in Indesign its showing 674 errors.

[DCurry]

Is the PDF in CMYK or RGB mode? Making it in RGB may offer some savings since there is one fewer channel.

[Tracy]

good one and being an online pdf - perfect! hope it works

you could x1a to flatten, place in indy and then output RGB?
re-fry away!!

sheesh I don't even know how to make an RGB pdf on purpose
output destination?

[Joe]

Of course they need an online pdf to distribute, so i have to come up with something under 10MB for them. It's always a struggle but this one won't go down below 14MB.

Let's get to the real problem. The above. With todays internet service there is literally no reason the file needs to be that small. They are just being ridiculous. There are many sites that offer up to 2 GB file uploads for free. They should learn how to use them.

[pspdfppdfxhd]

I understand what you are saying but these are being distributed worldwide. Who knows how that effects the maximum size.

[pspdfppdfxhd]

Is the PDF in CMYK or RGB mode? Making it in RGB may offer some savings since there is one fewer channel.

it has rgb images, cmyk tints and backgrounds, index color, lotsa .png's. She's a beauty.

 

[Savage]

Have you tried opening in acrobat: Save as Other-> Reduced Size PDF and setting the "Make compatible with:" to Acrobat 5.0 and later?

[pspdfppdfxhd]

thanks, just tried, no luck.

[Joe]

I understand what you are saying but these are being distributed worldwide. Who knows how that effects the maximum size.

It isn't called the World Wide Web for nothing.