InDesign questions

[joshfree]

I'm wondering if anyone out there knows of an easy way to reduce the file size of photos you've place in an InDesign layout.

When you use an image at, say, 15% of the original file dimensions, the linked (source) file remains the same size (naturally). This results in bloated final packaged files that transmit over the Internet slowly and inefficiently.

Once a design is locked, I'd like to be able to automatically have the SOURCE files be reduced so that they are displaying at 100% at 300dpi (instead of at 15% of an unnecessarily huge file, at a net effective dpi of 2,000). As far as I know, one would normally have to do this manually, and replace all the images in a project by hand. So I don't. Anybody know of a good way to do this more automatically? A Plug-in for example? Applescript? Etc.?

Thanks!

[agusgriego]

Isn't exporting as PDF a good alternative? you can have all your images reduced to the dpi you specify, of course you will be losing your archive's editability, but if the design is locked, what's the problem with this?

[Natobasso]

You're butting heads with one of the older "burning questions" in the graphic design biz--why do we have to resize all our images all the time!!! Always a fun question when you're up way past midnight for a next-morning deadline, or chasing the closing door at FedEx 5pm. It's not a problem with an easy answer.

However, if we look at your question, sending smaller pdfs over the internet, I would first File/Export as a PDF/X-1a (I do this all the time to big print houses and they love this file format--it's ISO 9000 certified and you won't get a pdf if you have an error).

Then, and this is if you aren't going to be printing the file on the other end, you can open the file in Acrobat (Pro, I believe) and File/Reduce File size. Usually you can trim a file in half or more by doing this, but your print resolution goes way down to save MB's. But this depends how many pages of photos you have and what you ultimately want to do with them.

So, what end result are you really trying to achieve? With these steps you would be able to email the file (unless you have pages and pages of photos) probably.

If you want to just share your photos with friends you could make web pages directly from photoshop (file/Automate/Web Gallery) and you'll end up with jpg images of all your variously sized photos, automatically sized. But, again, not exactly print ready.

Let us know if any of these suggestions help.

[joshfree]

We do use PDFs much of the time. But we have several designers who work at remote locations and transmit "live" files via the Internet. I just had one guy go on paternity leave and I had to take over a half-done project. I have also had several printers who wanted the source files to work with (so they could color-correct the placed images and so on). Having the flexibility to work on active files this way would be great.

[Natobasso]

Have you investigated FTP?

[joshfree]

Of course. We use it every day.

[Natobasso]

It seems to me that's the answer to your question, for now. No?