Optimize ABCpdf file size

Question

We've got a web system that generates dynamic pdf files with ABCpdf. While it works... okay, the file sizes are a little large.

For example, this morning as a test I generated a 140+ page file with lots of little graphics (actually, the same six little images repeated over and over.) The total file size was 12 megs and change.

Taking that file, opening it in Acrobat Pro and running it through the default optimization settings got me a 600k file.

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting the original file a little closer to that second number?

Answer 1

ABCpdf appears to have many options for embedding images. Which did you use? What size are your images? What format? How many per page?

You may have some luck making your images smaller, either lower resolution or a better compression format (i.e. JPEG).

Answer 2

This is almost guaranteed to be an image compression issue.

PixMap provides JPEG compression of underlying images. It's possible to actually have the software uncompress JPEGs that you've inserted and have it store as a Bitmap, and that would easily bloat the size.

Also ensure that your sizing is correct - don't include a 1600x1200 image and have it show in a tiny 2" frame - you can resize/scale it down in that case.

Answer 3

It sounds like ABCpdf may be repeating the images rather than inserting each of them once into the PDF and referencing them. You could try CosEdit to see if that is the case. If it is you will get a lot of stream objects, whereas optimised output would have lots of references to the same few stream objects.

Answer 4

Have you tried the latest version of ABCpdf? You should find this particular issue has been fixed ;-)