PDF File Saving

[Graphic Extremes]

I was wondering what PDF settings everyone is using for these setting when saving as PDF:

Adobe Preset:
Standard:
Compatibility:

I have been playing with these setting and having mixed results with each of them..

Are there any special settings that should be set in the setting box..

 

[Graphic Extremes]

Found this:

Adobe Illustrator PDF Presets. Which should you use?

An in-depth analysis on the science behind Adobe Illustrator's PDF presets, and a look into which option you should use.

pixelbakery.com

File sizing is crazy different in this article..

 

[Boudica]

I just usually use the Illustrator PDF default or "high quality print" and the settings that go with them.

 

[Graphic Extremes]

Article says should be using Press quality if sending to a print shop,, high quality is for home printers.. Trying to find the best settings.. no real info on what all the settings are..

 

[Boudica]

I've often wondered about the different settings too, just haven't taken the time to look into it. Thanks for sharing that article - I plan to check it out and read it when I have some more time.

ETA - I do know that some of the settings can really mess with the artwork, and make it less editable. Like creating a clipping mask for every single element and a zillion layers. I would like to figure out what that setting is and forbid people from using it.

 

[Solventinkjet]

The presets are just combinations of various settings in that same dialog box. So each one will have different transparency resolutions, image compression and down sampling, input color profile settings etc. The standard and compatibility settings have more to do with who's opening and using the file. So if you have a customer with old software who needs to open your file, you would tweak those settings to allow them to open the file and see the intended result. You can also make your own custom preset depending on your needs. Check out this article. It's for InDesign but it applies to pretty much all PDF saving from Adobe products.

The Best Adobe PDF Presets for Printing | Printing for Less

Choose the best Adobe InDesign PDF presets for printing. This guide covers 'high quality print', PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-4 presets, and custom Adobe PDF presets.

www.printingforless.com

 

[Boudica]

In my past life when sending a catalog to the printer, the printer would send us a PDF profile to use. We had to load that and use that specific PDF profile with the presets they want. Someday I'd like to dig into this enough, create my own and send that to customers to use when exporting or saving their artwork to send to us. I may have to write up instructions on how to import the setting as well.

 

[Graphic Extremes]

In my past life when sending a catalog to the printer, the printer would send us a PDF profile to use. We had to load that and use that specific PDF profile with the presets they want. Someday I'd like to dig into this enough, create my own and send that to customers to use when exporting or saving their artwork to send to us. I may have to write up instructions on how to import the setting as well.

Let me know if you ever do this, I would like to see what you come up with.

 

[VizualVoice]

I've often wondered about the different settings too, just haven't taken the time to look into it. Thanks for sharing that article - I plan to check it out and read it when I have some more time.

ETA - I do know that some of the settings can really mess with the artwork, and make it less editable. Like creating a clipping mask for every single element and a zillion layers. I would like to figure out what that setting is and forbid people from using it.

That clipping mask BS is the often the bane of my existence and I too wish I knew what caused that so I could berate my customers into not doing it.

 

[Graphic Extremes]

Certain setting can auto flatten, auto outline strokes and so on, that's what I am trying to figure out which is the best to use.. Could make a custom one with setting that I know are needed, but file sizes can get crazy