I have to zip pdf files to email them to someone with a PC. The problem is they aren't smaller after zipping and I can't email them. I tried adjusting the Quartz filter to the Reduce file size. Now they're smaller, but the recipient can't read them. Help!

Split the PDF into smaller files.

Generally, a PDF file is already as compressed as it's going to get. So zipping it just ends up storing the PDF within the ZIP container. Which makes the .zip file larger than the PDF since it also have to contain the information for its own format.

Reducing the size through the Quartz filter knocks any embedded raster images way down. By default, as 72 dpi, highly compressed JPEGs. Which is why they look so bad. Sure saves a lot of space, though.

In short, you can't have it both ways. It can't be small, and have high resolution images embedded in the PDF at the same time.

As Tony T1 noted, split the PDF into smaller documents. Which you can do if the PDF contains multiple pages.

If it's a single page document, there's not much of anything you can do without reducing the quality of the information in the PDF.

You use the word "docs". So assuming the plural as stated, send each PDF in it's own .zip file one email at a time. A nuisance if you have a bunch, but at least the files can be smaller to get past email size limitations you, or your client may have.

I am having some PDF sizing issues also, I am a BETA tester for TurboCAD Mac, and with the usage of (public) version 5, I have had some scaling issues. I have had (auto sent) 15 plus crash reports, (available as text) and had posted my scenario within the "lion- problems so far" article, so not to use up extra bandwith- or whatever- there are pictures there. I was not able to upload a PDF on site, and the staff @ Turbo CAd is working on it also. this is Lion specific new update, as I have posted many large format PDF's

Here (edit to add url)

Thanks for the helps!

Johnny

and here are some Tiger generated sample PDF's

Thanks , Johnny

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15492432&postcount=78

(Using a PC wouldn't change anything)

Use a service such as YouSendIt. It's free and the recipient doesn't even have to sign up to retrieve the file. Many architectural and engineering firms use it to exchange large files, without having to set-up a n FTP site.

https://www.yousendit.com/

I have found that IMSI has an export option, which works out the scaling OK, Preview opens generated file OK, so I'm wondering if there is a sourcing within the creations of needed PDF's that need to be adjusted.

As was already stated above, PDF (same as JPG) files, are already compressed, so looking for another compression method is unlikely to result in any significant size reduction.