Expert: Nick Putthoff - 2/8/2010

Question
Hi
For work I often have to bring large OS base map information into illustrator to use as a drawing base.  As this information comes from CAD its often quite large and memory intensive.  Is there a way to flatten this information without rastorizing it (ie without loosing the crispness?) We also have problems putting some of these pdf's from cad into indesign. If they have come from cad or from illustrator using a cad base.

It seems as if the vector data expands or something when you place it in indesign as well and it gives us trouble when we go to PDF using the export funtion (it will just stop when it gets to those pages) or clients have trouble printing a pdf we email or the pdf overall file size is massive.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Lora,
No answers but I have some suggestions:

If you have a relationship with the source of the cad files ask them to provide you with files using different export options.

Remove unnecessary objects like legends and drawing information.

Use some of Illustrator's selection filters to select and delete empty objects and stray points.

Reduce the size of the actual drawing if possible

Reduce the artboard size to a size just large enough to accommodate the objects.

Since you will be placing these drawings in InDesign try saving the finished CAD/Illustrator file as PDF and placing it. Keep your original AI version too.

Hope the helps.

Good Luck

Nick