Tag: pdfs

Compressing PDF using free tools

Luke Johnson

Do you have some large format black and white PDF drawings that are taking up excessive space?  Perhaps they contain multi-layered vector information that is clogging them up.  You can easily make them smaller by recompressing into TIFF format with G4 compression.

Option 1 – PDF Tools and Irfanview

  1. Convert PDF to multipage TIFF using PDFill PDF Editor with FREE PDF Writer and FREE PDF Tools
  2. Open TIFF and save as TIF with G4 compression in Irfanview (suggested dpi setting 200 dpi)

Option 2 – PDF-Xchange Viewer

  1. Open PDF in PDF-Xchange Viewer
  2. File – Export – Export to Image
  3. Page Range – All
  4. Use TIFF format, Options – Compression – CCITT Group 4 fax
  5. DPI settings at 300 all round (for other settings also see image below)
  6. Click Export…

If you want to make a TIFF into a PDF again, just open in Irfanview and Print to PDF file using CutePDF or similar.  The resulting PDF will generally be way smaller than the original PDF.

    Free PDF Viewing programs

    Luke Johnson

    I have been using Foxit Reader for a number of years. It allowed me to print PDFs with a custom scale of 50%. In Australia, we often print A1 size drawings to A3 paper for in-office review, so Foxit was a better alternative than Adobe Reader. It was also nice and fast.

    However, after installing Foxit version 5, I was very disappointed. Custom scale printing seems to have disappeared! And there was silly looking themes as well! You can even turn on a Ribbon!

    Looks like PDF-XChange Viewer has come to the rescue. As with other free PDF viewing programs it is crippled a little bit compared to the Pro version. However, it has some nice features:

    • Custom scale printing

    • Ability to save PDF as an image direct from the viewer (File – Export – Export to Image)

    • Ability to stamp / markup PDF files and then save them (and that’s without using Pro version)

    • Measuring tools

    • One-click access to open in Adobe Reader

    Check it out at link below.  I recommend using one of the MSI installer options.
    Tracker Software Products :: PDF-XChange Viewer, Free PDF Reader

    Print Multiple Files At Once With Drag And Drop

    Luke Johnson

    To do this in Windows 7, open up the printer from the Devices and Printers option on the Start menu (or search for your printer by name). Drag the relevant files onto the printer window, and you’ll see a dialog box asking if you want to print multiple files. Click ‘Yes’ and they’ll all be opened and printed in their entirety, with the default settings.

    from
    Print Multiple Files At Once With Drag And Drop | Lifehacker Australia:

    Jump on the DWF train!

    Luke Johnson

    Autodesk is getting very, very serious about DWFs. They will not replace PDFs overnight, but it is looking like DWF will become the exchange format of choice in the future. Particularly in the BIM / building delivery industry anyway.

    Revit wants you to adopt this technology. Well, Autodesk does 🙂

    So, why not try the DWF printer driver from Autodesk? Check it out at:
    http://www.autodesk.com/dwfwriter

    Without breaching confidentiality, I can’t tell you much…but…there are some very exciting developments in the PDF vs DWF war coming up soon!

    Thanks to Shaan Hurley