.pdf compression

[Web Jedi]

Please can someone help?

I am about to embark on a project which is going to require me to construct a catalogue of around 200 product pages, which must be fit for going to print but must also be available on a sister web site (promotional CD's are also part of the project).

My question being...

What is the best way to compress pdf files (if possible)so that they are of a reasonable size for the web? and if you can, could you reccomend a way of doing this?

I am getting a full brief next week but I have been told to do some background research on the matter so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance

[Hierophant]

PDF files are highly compressed when they are created. We recently converted documentation on our Security Patrol and Spatial Navigation applications from MS-Word to HTML and PDF to be displayed on the department's new intranet. The Word documents averaged in size from 10 megabytes to 15 megabytes. The PDF files range from 345 Kbytes to just under 1 megabyte in size.

One document in particular went from 10,316 KB to 346 KB after conversion. These documents include a lot of bitmaps because we include a screenshot for every function in the application.

Also if you use Acrobat Writer 4+, it employs a pseudo-streaming technology where only one page of the document is download at a time to make it more manageable and appear on the screen faster.

I'll send you a prototype copy of one of our PDF's if you desire. It has some problems with layout and graphic placement but you can get the idea. The document was created by selecting "Create Adobe PDF..." off of Word's file menu.

[Edited by wluke on 09-13-2000 at 04:39 PM]

[WebKat]

Just a couple sites that may help with your background research for tips & techniques -- PDF Zone and Planet PDF -- you never can anticipate the types of questions that will be asked!

[Web Jedi]

Thanks for your replies...

I like the sound of being able to compress the pdf's so much but do you know if I'm going to be able to convert them directly from Quark? I think this is the package my boss is going to have me use, he was saying something about it being easier to set up a template layout. Like I said, I get my breifing next week so I'm in the dark at the moment!

It's a new job however so I'll stick with it...

Oh, if you want to send me that example my e-mail address is as follows: ba55monkey@aol.com

Thanks

More replies are welcome if anyone else has some decent input for me...

[Hierophant]

When you install Adobe Acrobat Writer, it installs a "Printer Driver" therefore you can print PDF files from any application just by changing the printer setup in the application. Can't really get simpler than that.