Adobe Illustrator - embedding .jpg files leads to HUGE AI files

Author

embedding .jpg files leads to HUGE AI files

Gary L. Gray

2006-11-05, 10:21 pm

I am using AI CS2 (version 12.0.1) on a Mac and I would like to add a
few objects to a pair of JPEG photographs. To do this, I:

(1) Take the two JPEGs, open them in AI and put them in a single AI file.

(2) Add my labels and a small number of simple objects.

(3) Save the file as an Adobe Illustrator PDF using the default settings.

Each of the JPEGs is a little over 2MB. After saving the file, the
resulting AI file is 95MB!!! Why is this happening and what can I do
about it? It seems rather insane that the AI file should grow to such
monstrous proportions.

Thank you for your help.

Regards,
Gary L. Gray

tommix

2006-11-05, 10:21 pm

You can greatly reduce file-size by linking the jpg-files.
To do that you must open a new illustrator document and PLACE the
jpg=B4s into the document using the place function. Remeber to check the
"linked"-checkbox.

Note that should you send this file to someone else for example via
mail, you must also attach the jpg=B4s separately in the same mail too.

Another strategy would be to save the document as an pdf with high
compression settings and the "keep illustrator..." checkbox unchecked.
note that this will reduce the quality of the jpg=B4s.

Gary L. Gray wrote:
> I am using AI CS2 (version 12.0.1) on a Mac and I would like to add a
> few objects to a pair of JPEG photographs. To do this, I:
>
> (1) Take the two JPEGs, open them in AI and put them in a single AI file.
>
> (2) Add my labels and a small number of simple objects.
>
> (3) Save the file as an Adobe Illustrator PDF using the default settings.
>
> Each of the JPEGs is a little over 2MB. After saving the file, the
> resulting AI file is 95MB!!! Why is this happening and what can I do
> about it? It seems rather insane that the AI file should grow to such
> monstrous proportions.
>=20
> Thank you for your help.
>=20
> Regards,
> Gary L. Gray

dorayme

2006-11-05, 10:21 pm

In article <gray-8A4A08.18461802102006@news.adelphia.net>,
"Gary L. Gray" <gray@engr.psu.edu> wrote:

> I am using AI CS2 (version 12.0.1) on a Mac and I would like to add a
> few objects to a pair of JPEG photographs. To do this, I:
>
> (1) Take the two JPEGs, open them in AI and put them in a single AI file.
>
> (2) Add my labels and a small number of simple objects.
>
> (3) Save the file as an Adobe Illustrator PDF using the default settings.
>
> Each of the JPEGs is a little over 2MB. After saving the file, the
> resulting AI file is 95MB!!! Why is this happening and what can I do
> about it? It seems rather insane that the AI file should grow to such
> monstrous proportions.

My experience is that Illustrator is always a bit "funny" about
jpgs. It seems to hate them in fact. They load crazily slower
even if placed by link rather than embedded... i suspect it is
saying "Oh no.... a bloody jpg, lets process it into something I
am happy with..." and you have no control on what it does?

What I usually do is covert any jpgs to tiffs beforehand. This
has the advantage of having a copy that will not degrade as you
work and save it. Yes,the file size of the pics goes up but
perhaps not as much as you are experiencing. But what are you
doing? What are these objects, how big are they? And why are you
doing this in Illustrator? Is there not something you can do in
PS?

--
dorayme