Exporting interactive PDF - different images need different resolutions

[juliew58607933]

I am working on an interactive PDF with a mix of:

• tiny, detailed images such as apps/logos (about 1/2 inch in size)
• large photos

I am exporting it as 100 dpi to keep the file size below 5 MB which is a requirement. The tiny images look awful — very pixelated with fuzzy edges — when compressed to 100dpi but the large photos look fine. Is there a way to preserve a higher resolution for certain images but not all? For instance: all app/logo images would be 300dpi and photos would be 72dpi.  

[Derek Cross]

What kind of interactivity does your PDF have?

[juliew58607933]

Nothing fancy, just URL and page hyperlinks throughout the document. I
suppose it does not have to be exported as an Interactive PDF if that helps.

[JonathanArias · Accepted solution]

answer is no. you can't pick and choose what resolution you can have in some images and not others when you export a .pdf. it all gets exported at one resolution. 

however, you logo should be vector inwhich case the piexalation would not be there.

next, why does the user need to zoom in that much for the small images?

why don't you work in vector for the smaller graphics if zooming in and seen sharp graphics is so important?

[juliew58607933]

The small logos/app images are PNGs, not vector art (provided to me by my
client). They look bad/fuzzy when the image is at 100%.

The only solution I can come up with is to save out all the large photos at
72dpi then compress the PDF to 300dpi so the remaining, small images are
preserved at the higher resolution. There are a ton of images so don't want
to do all that work if there is an easier way.

[JonathanArias · Accepted solution]

You can't make resolution. If you were provided low res the client needs to see it and be aware of the issue, if they are fine with it, move on. If they are not, they must provide what you need or you need to remake it. Present those options?

if you are getting paid by the hour remaking things benefits you.

[Jens Trost]

Maybe Zevrix LinkOptimizer is worth taking a look if you have recurring use cases.
I don't use it neither do I know if it can do exactly what you're looking for – but there is a 30-day trial.

Another way:
– package the whole InDD
– run a batch downsample via Bridge/Photoshop on the images you want to be smaler resolution
– overwrite the packaged (NOT the original ones!) images
– refresh all links and
– export like you described with a higher ppi setting.

Just make sure you package/backup your image files and don't overwrite you're original images.