[scribus] Re Smaller file sizes?

[Julian Robbins]

How can I produce a reasonable looking 2 page (A4) PDF file that is less
> than 1 Mb?

> I have done everything in the export to PDF to get the file size down
> (resample to 72 DPI etc).
> How do the competition manage such small file sizes?

I have this problem a lot with datasheets I produce.

I recommend using this script http://wiki.scribus.net/index.php/Web_optimised_PDF that someone came up with that is excellent for two reasons :

1: It uses ghostscript and postscript to completely reform the PDF, resulting in far, far smaller PDF's without losing image resolution. Scribus devs have always said that the way Scribus produces PDF's is compliant but not good at small file size. This gets around it. I have compressed PDF's by 10 times without any loss of image quality with changing image DPI.

2: The way that Scribus produces PDF's also does not form proper readable, indexable plain text. Go to Adobe Reader and try save as text, and see what happens. If indexation of text is important to you, then the script reforms the PDF so the file is completely indexable - great for web PDF's, and for Google to index it too.

The only issues I have noticed is :-

Stick with PDF1.4/1.5 format for export, PDF1.6 seems to give blurry text. Dont know why.
If you use images with transparent sections, ie pngs. then the transparency isnt respected, and you will get a black area where it should be clear.

Good luck

Julian




-- 
Kind regards

Julian Robbins
Applications Engineer

Q-par Angus Ltd

Barons Cross Laboratories
Leominster
Herefordshire HR6 8RS
UK

Tel +44 (0) 1568 612138
Fax +44 (0) 1568 616373

Web www.q-par.com

(Registered office)
Incorporated in England No 1826221