domer1322 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 need help ... I import a pdf scanned drawing, then I put it in a sheet layer viewport and export a pdf file of the sheet layer. The problem is, the pdf file export size is huge (38 Meg), even though the scanned image is a simple line drawing. How can I make the exported file be much smaller so that I can email it ? Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee PVA - Admin Posted October 29, 2014 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted October 29, 2014 In addition to reducing the DPI of the exported PDF, there are a few other settings: http://kbase.vectorworks.net/questions/1277/Reducing+PDF+File+Size+in+Vectorworks+2015 Quote Link to comment
domer1322 Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 I reduced the dpi of the sheet layer but that didn't seem to help. The imported pdf file is a scanned document, and therefore the "snap to geometry" checkbox also doesn't help. I also noticed the new feature about cropping imported pdf files doesn't work .... so I assume it must work only when the imported pdf file is made from an application, that is, when it is a scan from a copier, then it is not possible to crop the pdf image. . Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee PVA - Admin Posted October 29, 2014 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted October 29, 2014 It should work regardless of the source, send that VWX to me at tech@vectorworks.net and I can have a look. Quote Link to comment
domer1322 Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 in case anyone cares ... here is the world's worst work-around for this problem: I used the render bitmap tool to render (in RW not Open GL) an image of the imported pdf file. Then I cut and pasted the bitmap image into the annotations of the viewport, then turned off the design layer in the viewport. When I exported the pdf sheetlayer, the size is now down to 500K, not 38 Meg. There has to be a better method to reduce exported pdf file size. Anyone have an idea ? Quote Link to comment
domer1322 Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 Jim: I can't send you the file, because the file size is too big to email ... 38 meg. Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee PVA - Admin Posted October 29, 2014 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted October 29, 2014 Any file sending service will work as well, Dropbox, Google Drive, Mailbigfile. Or, you can just send me a regular email and I can reply back with a link you can use to upload it. Quote Link to comment
Art V Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Another way to reduce the file size of a PDF that has images is to open it in PDF editing software (e.g. Adobe Acrobat) and use the reduce file size option of that software. I've noticed in the past that images get exported in full size and if the paper size is reduced compared to the original size then the resolution of the image goes up, because the number of pixels remains the same. I don't know if this is as designed or that Vectorworks is not exporting properly. By reduce file size in a PDF editor you can reduce the resolution of the image in the PDF file and also change the compression method and bit depth if necessary. Often this reduced the files with 50-90% (i.e. half to a tenth of the orginal size). Quote Link to comment
ChadL Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I have always found that exporting as an image file and converting that to PDF is the best approach for anything other than a 2d plan. Quote Link to comment
Haydenovative Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I have to agree with ChadL We always export renders or images as image files, anything 2D we export as PDF, then we assemble them in acrobat for a much nicer file size. HTH Quote Link to comment
Benson Shaw Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 The image to pdf may help file size, but we lose the snaps and other vector info. Not always a problem, but I hate it when I get a pdf, import it and have to scale and dimension off the fuzzy lines. I guess tradeoffs are just part of what we do! -B Quote Link to comment
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