Problem exporting large Xara file to PDF

[Dilaco]

I have a large Xara file of about 32 MB that I am trying without success to export to a PDF file. The Xara project is about 100 pages long - about 80 of which are text and 20 are detailed illustrations. When I try to export it the process is apparently happening - with the windows processing animated circle whirling around - but it goes on indefinitely without completing. Any suggestions? (I'm going for a high resolution PDF file of 300dpi)

I have exported smaller files to PDF format successfully in the past so I know the basics of how to do it. I'm using Designer Pro version 8.

Thanks

[gwpriester]

I have Adobe Acrobat and if something like this occurs, I export the document in several manageable sections then use Acrobat to reassemble the sections back into a single document.

There are other PDF document processors that can probably do this as well. Mwenz may have a recommendation.

[mwenz]

Nah, I would use Acrobat as well.

There are a multitude of PDF utilities on the web that can do it, both web-based and standalone utilities. One such standalone application I have heard referenced in posts on other forums is PDFill.Never downloaded it, never used it :

https://www.pdfill.com/pdftool_merge.html

There is a set of PDF utilities hosted on SourceForge as well that I have heard mentioned:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfsam/

Beyond those, I typically locate the source of PDF'ing problems and see if I can fix the problem. I do that by exporting in ranges (just like you would need to do to use one of those utilities above). Often times I can isolate an image that is way larger than needed (in which case I'll optimize it for its placement size), too complicated of a vector illustration (I'll typically make a bit map of it), etc. But all this applies to layout applications of far larger size. I don't use XDP for large page-count publications. I would think some of the principles apply.

Mike

[Dilaco]

Thank you Gary and Mike

It looks like I am going to have export it in sections, or “ranges” as you guys suggest. This shouldn’t be a problem for me on the Xara end of the process, but I have never worked in Acrobat before. I have only used acrobat as a medium to export to, I have never tried to modify a document in the PDF realm.

I wonder if anyone can give me a few clues to get me started and then I guess I can take it from there? Main thing I need to know is do I make several PDF files with different names – say PDF 1 for pages 1 to 35; PDF 2 for pages 35 to 70; PDF 3 for pages 71 to 100? How do I combine the 3 PDFs without one overwriting the other?

[mwenz]

Yes, export the ranges in any way that makes sense to you. If you have Acrobat, the Tools, Pages, Insert from file, works. As does the Tools, Pages, Combine Files into PDF command.

Mike

[EJ]

Hi Delaco,
Sounds like sound advice except for using Acobat. Don't like it - never have.

I would use PDFill PDF Tools available from https://www.pdfill.com/download.html. I have used Version 11 extensively in the past and they are at Version 12 now I notice.

You need to have your PDFs with recognisable names. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 is fine.

Step 1. "Merge PDF files" takes you to a dialog box where collect the files you want to merge.
Step 2. You can rearrange the order of merging etc and do a number of other things like handle graphics in the files etc. But your requirement is simple so just keep them in mind.
Step 3. When this is done "Merge files" gives you your complete PDF with an appropriate name like "Complete PDF".

The best part is this software is free and does not have hidden nasties like watermarks.

cheers, Erik

[Dilaco]

Thanks Mike and Erik for taking the time to help me out. I will act on this advice as soon as I get a moment and will report back later.