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Grotesquely LARGE AI source files. Pray tell why?

Contributor ,
Mar 31, 2022 Mar 31, 2022

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Thought I'd resurrect this gripe for 2022. Found some ol technotes from 2017 and 2018 on this board, but doesn't apply.

 

Using Illustrator 2021 (25.4.1) and I build some fairly intense Illustrator files. Either just one or two artboards. Lost of layers using vector art, gradients, imported JPG images, nothing unusual..

 

Yet when i continue to work with the file, open, close, save, open, close, save.. etc. the file starts at 40 or 55 MG and balloons to the 1.2 sometimes 2.4 GB size ?!?!?!?!

 

No clue why.. it's not like I'm importing 3d video into the file. 

 

I did read something about turning off the 'PDF Compatible file' when doing a Save As, which reduces it.. oh another 100 MG. Yet that's typically a non-starter as I need the file to have the fonts so it can be edited by other designers.

 

Thoughts? Is it just my albatross to feed.. ?

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Community Expert ,
Apr 01, 2022 Apr 01, 2022

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Are the jpgs embedded or linked?

Raster effects, etc. all add up.

If your art is "fairly intense" I would consider a 1-2 GB file not that out of the ordinary.

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Contributor ,
Apr 01, 2022 Apr 01, 2022

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For raster images they are either JPG or PNG. Not terribly large - anywhere from 2 to 10 megs.

 

It's the act of opening, closing, saving etc that the file suddenly balloons to GB size over time. Quite unusual. Like it's raiding the fridge in my computer when I'm not looking.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 01, 2022 Apr 01, 2022

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So if you do nothing to it but open, save and close several times it bloats?

Or are you adding more elements, etc. each time you open and save?

Is ~55 MB the file size for the blank artboard?

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Contributor ,
Apr 01, 2022 Apr 01, 2022

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Good question. Not a blank artboard. It's a layered file with say imported PNGs and vector graphics. Nothing fancy. Starts off as roughly 40 to 50 megs. Then when I receive client edits, I go in and make simple text edits, that's when the file size ballooing begins. It's like each time I open the file, make a change to it, close it, open again for edits, save it, et al I turn around and it's suddenly in the GB range.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 01, 2022 Apr 01, 2022

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JPG  is not a format you should be placing into Illustrator. JPG is a compressed final format for web. Try using .PSD and linking to the images not embedding. Yes ofcourse turn OFF PDF-Compatible when saving, if you do not need that.

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Contributor ,
Apr 01, 2022 Apr 01, 2022

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Thank you, PSD is always better practice. I'll remind myself of that. Yet just means AI file will be more behemoth. But what are you going to do..

 

I'll try paying more attention to the PDF compatible off switch when saving.

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