FrameMaker enhancement: avoiding PDF bloat

["Jason Aiken" <jason.aiken@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ignore this message if you're not a Windows FrameMaker user concerned with PDF bloat.

I have often railed that PDF bloat on Windows is far worse than other platforms. In my case, the bloat source has been identified as printing with registration marks on. Since FrameMaker offers different options for registration marks (Western, Tombo, or none), we should request that future releases offer simple crop marks which do not bloat PDF file size to avoid making them manually.

If you are concerned about file size, I urge you to join me in writing an email message addressed to:

framemaker-feedback@adobe.com 

For those that don't remember or are new, this address is Adobe's channel to receive our enhancement requests to the product.


THE REQUEST

It would be nice if future Framemaker releases had an option for "Simplified Crop Marks" instead of the current Western, Tombo and none settings for registration marks. Fancy registration marks are useful for color printing, but in most cases, simple crop marks will do. The old lines in Frame 5.1.x days didn't bloat...can we get them back as an option?

This issue is more than a fluffy feature request, because of how FrameMaker prints with the GDI on Windows. FrameMaker must gain independence in PS production from the archaic Windows GDI. This would resolve its color deficiencies as well (CMYK to RGB).



BACKGROUND

Ever since the FM 5.5.x release came out, PDF bloat became a salient issue. Some of you may be aware of bloat factors, others of you may not care. For those that don't know, the following two factors are *FrameMaker 5.5.x release-specific factors* contributing to bloat (other factors may include Distiller settings, graphics, etc.): 

1. Named destinations.
Many are aware that Frame generates an ID for each paragraph to facilitate linking when Generate Acrobat Data is on. One may use the Adobe recommended header.ps edit (with the risk of bad links), Shlomo Perets' TimeSavers software (see www.MicroType.com) or wait for Frame 6.0 (with a dialog box to deselect all links...see review at www.front-runner.com).

2. Registration marks.
The fancy registration marks FrameMaker creates are rendered into bitmap graphics by the Windows GDI when printing to PS. These eight bitmaps appear on every page and are compressed (albeit inefficiently) based on Distiller settings. Unlike other elements repeated in PS files, Distiller can't just throw out these elements, nor would we expect it to since they are rendered as graphics. In a large book, say 400 pages, I have seen PDF file size go from 2.6 Mb to 18.6 Mb when registration marks are turned on. 

The Mac uses Quickdraw for these registration mark graphics, and the bloat isn't as noticeable. The Mac file with registration marks on is 5.7 Mb.

Best regards,

Jason Aiken
Frame Templar


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