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Illustrator 9 File Size v Print Size Inconsistency

Hi

I'm a network admin not a designer so this is foreign territory. Part of my duties now is to support a graphic design project. Currently certain images produced in Illustrator 9.02 on Win 2k /SP4 show up as being relatively small - ie 7.5k. If you then print them to our Xerox DCCS 50 Digital Colour Copier - the printer spends up to 30 mins processing them - showing the file size as 130Mb in the printers web access console - Other larger illustrator images don't have the same problem even though to me they look the same kind of thing. All images are embedded - Can someone enlighten me as to what's happening?

Thanks

Deb :))

weed

It may be that an image that is embedded is 1) a raster object and 2) is EXTREMELY high rez. That can dramatically change the amount of time it takes to send it to the printer, and process it.

Lobo042399

Hi Debsyl99,

Are you printing directly from Illustrator?

Debsyl99

ASKER

Hi

Yep - we are, although I think I've figured out the problem - but I'd be interested to hear what you have to say first,

Deb :))

Debsyl99

ASKER

And sorry Weed, thanks for your comments - They're not extremely high res - they've been amended in photoshop to be correct size and 300dpi - they don't seem to be the problem as I've been experimenting with the little swines - 40 mins to print a doc - A3 size is a tad long,

Deb :))

weed

The dimensions of the doc have little to do with the time it may take to print but 300 dpi does sound reasonable. Are there any funny fonts in the doc?

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Lobo042399

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Debsyl99

ASKER

This one I think is the little monkey - "One is that, although vector files are generally quite small in size, at print they become rasterized by the RIP"

On further examination of files themselves I find, well, practically hundreds of layers, all containg pretty intricate little paths, all building up into one very pretty image that the printer just can't cope with. On shoving these all on a separate layer of their own, then isolating them, taking them into photoshop, converting them, then importing them back in to illustratorthe docs print in 4mins rather than 40, which is liveable with,

Thanks

Deb :))

weed

So, which was it?

weed

Nevermind, posted at the same time..heh

Debsyl99

ASKER

Hope my post answered your question ok Weed - We have a print deadline of next Tuesday (aargh) and 40 mins for first print was a nightmare - now we just have to sort out the colour profiles - give me a network anyday ;-)

Thanks very much for all your help and input,

Deb :))

Lobo042399

So the RIP had to chew, churn, and ruminate a couple hundred tiny little objects, huh? Nice one.

Thanks for the points. Glad we could help :o)

Good Vibes!

Lobo