Reduce PDF file size

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multicentric technology sdn bhd
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Reduce PDF file size

Post by multicentric technology sdn bhd »

I have a large PDF file (over 300 MB) with 251 pages. Is there any Tracker Software Products that can help me reduce the size of this file?
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Tracker Supp-Stefan
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Re: Reduce PDF file size

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hello multicentric technology sdn bhd,

You can try to "reprint" the file which I presume is image based through our printing drivers - and this will reduce the image quality slightly but also the file size.

Another option is to e.g. OCR the file, then make the OCR layer visible and remove the images underneath. This will result in huge reduction of the file size, but unfortunately you can not automate the process for now, and will need to perform it manually.

Regards,
Stefan
multicentric technology sdn bhd
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Re: Reduce PDF file size

Post by multicentric technology sdn bhd »

Stefan,
The PDF document is text based, so I have to print it out first with embedded fonts converted to curves. I then OCR the output file.
I cannot print as image as I need to edit the document content.

I find that I cannot use the XChange Editor for printing as it will include printer markers on the border, so I have to use the XChange viewer.

The document is in Malay language, so I OCR using the nearest language - Indonesian. The OCR recognizes the characters but not most of the words, i.e. a lot of extract spaces.

Any suggestions?

KK Aw
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Re: Reduce PDF file size

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hi KK Aw,

If the document is text based already, then little to no optimization can be offered really. I suspect that the fonts are embedded in the document and that's making it so big, but if you do not include the fonts inside - you will be unable to guarantee that the file will look the same at the recipient's end.

Actually if that's a collection of similar pages that were before individual files - please try running the file through our PDF Tools optimization process. It normally reduces file sizes with just a few percent, but in some extreme cases when the same info is repeated multiple times - it can bring significant results.

Can you please also provide a few pages sample extract from this document?

Regards,
Stefan
guebert
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Re: Reduce PDF file size

Post by guebert »

Tracker Supp-Stefan wrote: Another option is to e.g. OCR the file, then make the OCR layer visible and remove the images underneath. This will result in huge reduction of the file size, but unfortunately you can not automate the process for now, and will need to perform it manually.
Hm, unfortunately there's no "huge" reduction:

https://forum.pdf-xchange.com/ ... 62&t=21084

document with 300dpi
ScannedDoc.pdf = 1076 kb

ocr run with resample to 150dpi
OcrDoc150.pdf = 954kb

resample to 100dpi
OcrDoc100.pdf =1179kb

Michael
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Re: Reduce PDF file size

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hi Michael,

I will post in your separate topic shortly, but to elaborate on this "image removal" I had in mind - take a look at your file with the first two pages images removed, and only the OCR layer left on top - this reduced the file's size to 818KB.

This will however not work for pages where you have handwriting as you can't remove just part of the images, and is for now a manual process. In the future we might add this as a feature to the OCR process - so that it automatically removes the images as part of the OCR, but I can't say if or when.

Regards,
Stefan
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guebert
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Re: Reduce PDF file size

Post by guebert »

Tracker Supp-Stefan wrote: take a look at your file with the first two pages images removed, and only the OCR layer left on top - this reduced the file's size to 818KB.
Stefan,

the file is worthless without the image layer. Take a look at the letters - the OCR made a lots of mistakes!

Maybe you have access to an Adobe pro tool - try to shrink the file size there or use the ocr feature with downsample - the files are MUCH smaller than those produced by PDF-Editor/Viewer.

Michael
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