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Hans Bos
Participating Frequently
February 4, 2010
Question

Indesign export to pdf. How to reduce page size to 80%?

  • February 4, 2010
  • 6 replies
  • 63996 views

When i export from indesign to pdf i have no option to reduce the page size. The pdf i get is then far too big. The thing is that i can not make the indesign document itself smaller since i need it to export it to jpeg too. Is there a way that i oversee? Thanx, Hans

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    6 replies

    Willi Adelberger
    Community Expert
    Willi AdelbergerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 11, 2016

    If soemeone needs a PDF in a different size, he should use Adobe Acrobat Pro. In Print Production > Preflight exists a profiile which will change the size of the PDF with one click. Scale Page commands, you can access this command via quick access.

      Blippo
      Blippo
      Inspiring
      April 18, 2013

      The solution is simple: do it like you have done it before the convenient PDF export function has come up:

      - Download Adobe PDF 9.0 Printer description (.ppd)

      - Put it into Library / Printers (where the other .ppds are)

      - Add a new printer with this PPD in the System Printer Setup

      Then in Indesign:

      - Print the design. If you choose the PDF printer you can setup scale in the printing dialog.

      - Save the print file (it's just a virtual printer, so it just delivers a Postscript .ps file)

      Then drag the .ps into the Distiller (Choose settings first)

      Voilá - scaled PDF!

      Please ADOBE: add scaling to the Export. Cannot be that hard to build in (at least for you guys)

      PS: To all the "you just work the wrong way"-guys. It IS an issue and a missing feature.

      If you want to send large format designs (Posters, Billboards) for approval or

      vice versa if you simply want to build the design in a smaller scale (let say 1:10) there is a need for scaling the output.

      G
      grant_gittus
      Participating Frequently
      April 18, 2013

      Thanks Blippo - I've tried that: on my system 10.6.8, it just doesn't see the PPD as a printer, so I've been unable to add it. I found Adobe's thread on this http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/save-as-pdf-options-not.html#main_InstallAcroPPD to download the PPD, but found this doesn't work either, at least with CS6, which I'm now using.

      My current workaround is to create a series of presets with progressively lower resolution (down to 5dpi) so that if I need to email a billboard I can export it, see if it's small enough, if not, go lower etc.ain as

      Still a pain, as the old 'fit-to-page' solved it automatically.

      Blippo
      Blippo
      Inspiring
      April 19, 2013

      Well, it works for me perfectly fine on OSX 10.7.5 and CS6.

      But I did not put it into the Indesign Folder as Adobe suggests. I've copied the ADPDF9.ppd manually to the folder library/printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources and when I've added a new printer the "Adobe PDF 9.0" printer was an option to choose.

      G
      grant_gittus
      Participating Frequently
      July 29, 2010

      I'm aware of, and have used all the work-arounds suggested on this thread.

      In my case, the issue is that I do a lot of large-format material (Billboards, shop windows etc.) Some are at actual size, some are at 10% as InDesign maxes out at 5486mm. A 26m wide window is still 2600mm at 10%, which makes for a really big PDF, even at low res. Too large to email for approval.

      The 'old' print option of fit-to-page is extremely useful in these cases, as I can send the client an A4 200dpi PDF, no matter what the scale of the job.

      That functionality no longer exists, so far as I can tell (CS5, Mac OS 10.6.2). I will have to resort to one of the work-arounds to achieve the same end. It's disappointing that software upgrades have removed a feature I've been using for some time.

      Cheer

      Grant

        Stix_Hart
        Stix_Hart
        Inspiring
        July 29, 2010

        @ Grant, any old PDF printer would work for reducing the size, a quick Google search reveals this list... Helpful?

        G
        grant_gittus
        Participating Frequently
        July 29, 2010
        B
        Björn Öst
        Participating Frequently
        April 27, 2010

        To me it sounds like the original poster is more concerned about filesize rather than pagesize. If so, the different options under the compression tab in the pdf export might be what he needs to explore.

        Mr. Met
        Mr. Met
        Inspiring
        April 27, 2010

        I too wasn't sure if the OP was concerned with file size as opposed to physical size (8.5 x 11 reduced to smaller proportion?). One would think that the recipient of the PDF would just print at x% would suffice to get the PDF to fit on the page without cutting off any live matter. But we all know the first thing he'll hear is "why doesn't it all fit on one page?"

        Did a quick test and the print to postscript and distill works pretty well if you want to reduce the page. The PDF page remains 8.5 x 11 but the elements on the page will be reduced based on what you enter in the print dialog. 85-90% should be more than sufficient.

        BobLevine
        Community Expert
        BobLevineCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        April 27, 2010

        Did your test include a lot of transparency? Printing to PDF is a poor substitute for export especially for anyone viewing on screen.

        As for the "why doesn't it fit on one page?," the default for Reader is to fit to page. I suspect that anyone who's changed that has enough knowledge how to figure out how to change it back.

        Bob

        Peter Spier
        Community Expert
        Peter SpierCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        February 4, 2010

        If you decide you want to place the file into a new one, you'll wnat this:

        InDesignSecrets » Blog Archive » Zanelli Releases MultiPageImporter for Importing both PDF and INDD Files
        Jongware
        Community Expert
        JongwareCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        February 4, 2010

        If you're lucky, you can set a reduction factor in your Print setup dialog -- then you could use Print To File instead, and use the Distiller.

        That would not include any bookmarks or hyperlinks, though.

        Another option could be to create a new document of 80% size, then place your old doc as images into this. A placed ID page can be reduced in size just like a placed PDF.

        H
        Hans BosAuthor
        Participating Frequently
        February 4, 2010

        Thanks Jongware, yes these ideas are okay. (i used them over the last year and a half:)

        ... So i understand there is simply no page size option available under the normal Export to pdf?

        Such a shame

        BobLevine
        Community Expert
        BobLevineCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        February 4, 2010

        No, there's not...and under normal circumstances I don't see a need for it.

        Acrobat can scale pages on output so what's the difference when it happens?

        Bob

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