Photoshop conversion from TIFF to PDF with ultralarge images

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
April 26, 2024
6 replies
4706 views

Hi,

I am generating a CMYK image with 2 additional alpha channels (spot colors). It is large, 34000x15000 pixels.

The image can be saved correctly in TIFF format, but when I try to save it as PDF, the accesible formats are reduced to six or seven options, not showing PDF.
If I modify its width to 30000, then all the format options appear again in the "Save as type:", PDF included.

Does anybody know of this limitation, what the exact limit is and a workaround to generate large PDF files with spot colors?

Thanks,

Ignacio

This topic has been closed for replies.

Willi Adelberger

Community Expert

To convert a TIFF into a PDF you can open the TIFF in Acrobat Pro. In many cases it is even better, as Photoshop does not support every flair, but Acrobat does, like multipage TIFF files.
why do you convert your image files into CMYK. You do not have any advantage but the file has a 33% bigger file. Even with spot color channel files you can stay in RGB.

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Ignacio28085554rudjAuthor

Known Participant

Opening it in Acrobat Pro does not work: it ignores the alpha channels. Only CMYK colors are included in the generated PDF. Thanks, anyway

rob day

Community Expert

Rob,
that´s a nice surprise! If I understand it correctly, your suggestion is to generate the PDF from InDesign, isn´t it?
Let me attach a 33000x1100 pixels CMYK TIFF image with 2 additional channels (orange and violet, ignore their alternate colors).
Would you mind confirming that InDesign can generate the PDF correctly?
I would appreciate it very much, for I´m pretty sure Photoshop has 30000 as a hard limit for its width.
Thanks,
Ignacio

The Export from ID is 6 plates, DeviceN Color Space. I used the default PDF/X-4 preset with Compression turned off. See attached

Export_Oversized.pdf

JR Boulay

Community Expert

Eugene Tyson Don't PDFs have a maximum width/height?

You should read this : https://alexwlchan.net/2024/big-pdf/

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

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Eugene Tyson

Community Expert

Yeh not reading all that - I know limitations are set somwhere by some apps and some particulars.

Can be a stumbling block.

rob day

Community Expert

Hi @Ignacio28085554rudj , I was able to get around Photoshop’s 30,000 pixel limit by saving an image as a .PSB, Placing it in InDesign (you might need to drag and drop the .PSB rather than using File>Place), and exporting to PDF with no compression. An Export to PDF/X-4 with AcrobatPro‘s Object Inspector showing my image width at 38,834px:

BobLevine

Community Expert

Two questions.

What does this have to do with InDesign
What are you designing?

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Ignacio28085554rudjAuthor

Known Participant

Bob,
1 - My question initially had nothing to do with InDesign, but.. it happens that InDesign might be a solution to the issue I posted. InDesign can generate a PDF with a dimension larger than 30000 pixels, while PS can´t.
2 - I´m trying to put a file though a RIP driving a large format printer, at high resolution.