save as PDF makes a big PDF file

[pierret18811376]

Hello,

I have a Word file made from a conversion : Word has converted a PDF file in text.

I have done this :

1) I copy a one page text from Word.

2) In FM I do "special paste" + I select "text"  : 

3) in FM I do File / Save as PDF.

Problem : the saved PDF has 600 KB file size. Why is it so big for a single page of text ?

[FrameMaker-dk · Accepted solution]

You can work with the output size of the PDF, if you use the Publish function.

1. Go File->Publish
2. Select PDF
3. Click on the Change Settings icon
4. Click Edit
5. Change the PDF settings to Smallest File Size
6. 
7. Click "Use Acrobat Distiller"
8. 8: Click Save and Close
9. Right click PDF in the Publish Panel and click Generate
10. 
11. With a little luck, you will get a small pdf file.

[pierret18811376]

Hi Bjorn,

I have noticed that if I uncheck "acrobat distiller", I have always a 600 KB file size. So it is distiller that help me to have a very small file size.

In FM, if I do File/save as PDF, it opens acrobat distiller window with an alert window. So I click "Yes" in the acrobat distiller alert window. When I do File/Save as PDF, Is it a way to  do not display the acrobat distiller window/acrobat distiller alert window ?

[FrameMaker-dk]

You do not HAVE to use Acrobat Distiller to create PDF files out of FrameMaker. It is enough to merely "Save as PDF". If, however, you want to control the PDF properties like compression, font embedment etc, you will need to do this from the Publish Panel. Whatever settings you define for PDF in the Publish Panel, are those that will be used when you use "Save as PDF". So you CAN uncheck Acrobat Distiller and still get small pdf file.  But FrameMaker can sometimes be a wee bit fickle when creating pdf files, and using Acrobat Distiller to parse the Postcript is often a more predictable manner of doing it.

[pierret18811376]

If I don't use acrobat distiller (through Framemaker) : I have always a 600 KB file size (for the settings "smallest file size"). So I am obliged to use acrobat distiller (through Framemaker) by checking "acrobat distiller" in the FM publish settings.

That is strange is if I don't use acrobat distiller in FM publish settings,  I have always a file size of 600 KB (for "high quality print" and also for "smallest file size") ?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

You have to remember that there are 2 PDF creating engines in FM2022 - the older Print to Adobe PDF printer instance that uses Acrobat Distiller, or the newer PDF Publish method (includes Save as PDF). The newer Publish route has the option to flip back to use the older engine (as @FrameMaker-dk has shown).

[pierret18811376]

In that case, my problem is only when I don't check "acrobat distiller" in FM publish settings. In that case, the PDF created by FM gives me the same file size for "smallest file size" and "high quality print", ie 600 KB.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

According to the PR around the introduction of the new PDF engine, it's supposed to be much faster - no mention of file size.