[Love Calm Quiet]

Among those who use PDF extensively (for sending to prepress for a printer, for web dev, for emailing, etc.), I'm wondering if you stick with what Apple provides in OS X? Since 10.2.4 it is possible to create scripts to put in the PDF Services folder, but I haven't seen a *compress* script publicly available.

Some of the shareware like PDF Compress provide scripts, but so far as I can find don't integrate with the Print Dialogue's PDF Workflow to compress automatically from there. (Plus: it's been crashing my Safari 1.2 upon the subsequent attempt to Print).

I'm wondering what strategies are employed by the pros among you that are using PDFs regularly - are you satisfied to use the (sometimes huge) files generated from Apple's PDF-conversion scheme - or do you compress from there with a 3rd party app? Or do you use 3rd party app that comes with script for compression in the PDF Services (and thus shows up in the Print Dialogue's PDF Workflow)?

[macsfromnowon]

I guess I don't see the concern about compression - I transport files to my printer by burning a CD and since they're on Macs there's never a problem.

I don't really know whether the COMPRESSION routines in the shareware will reduce quality when I'm taking a file to be printed at >2500 dpi, but I really would rather not risk it. Anybody know about the effects of compression on image quality - some day I may want to email a PDF - and some compression would sure be handy then!

[JKT]

FWIW, there is zero need for third party software in Panther - there is a built-in way to create your own compression routine for PDF's printed in Panther.

I wrote a how-to a while ago here

[Love Calm Quiet]

Wow! That's an awesome "how-to"... Shows me how to do just about everything. (don't know why that thread didn't show up when I search "pdf compress")

Maybe someone can clarify what the ColourSync Filters option does that lets you adjust PDF characteristics? (In your pix you just show the adjustments for "Images") In particular there's a sub-option for "PDF/X-3:2002" ... can anyone explain why one would or wold not check "Create PDF/X-3 document" ... is that a particular PDF standard or something? What gives the greatest compatibility across systems?

Thanks

[macsfromnowon]

Yes, Thank you JKT ! I see that the jpeg compression certainly *does* involve some quality loss (at least when set to MEDIUM quality) as in your example. I guess if I want hi-resolution going to my printer I'm going to need to use the uncompressed version - but that's great to know we have those options built-in.