When I am converting a document of 50 pages or more to PDF I have a problem with file size when I add tags to the document. An untagged PDF will increase in size many times when tags are added. How can I avoid or minimize this?
My primary concern is accessibility, but I am also interested in making forms in Adobe.
This issue about the size of a tagged PDF file comes up quite a bit. But, there's no need to let that keep you from tagging your PDF files to achieve accessibility.
In some instances you can actually make the file size of a tagged PDF SMALLER than an untagged original. Use the Acrobat 8 "Reduce File Size" command.
Select Document > Reduce File Size and set the compatibility to the latest available version. I was using Acrobat 8 so I set it to Acrobat 8.A simple experiment involving an InDesign and Microsoft Word generated PDF documents revealed the following for what it's worth.
2 page document from InDesign
Untagged Original 47K after Reduce file size to Acrobat 8 compatible 43K (-4K)
Tagged by Acrobat 54K after Reduce file size Acrobat 8 compatible 48 K (1 K larger than the untagged file!)
Tagged by InDesign 270K ! after Reduce file size Acrobat 8 compatible 160 K (113 K larger than untagged original but still reduced by 110 K).
With a document originating in Word:
Untagged 2 page PDF: 108K can be further reduced to 62K (- 46K)
Tagged by PDFMaker: 116 K (+ 8 K) Reduced to 70 K (38 K SMALLER than untagged original! 46 K smaller than tagged original)
Tagged by Acrobat: 119K (+ 11K) Reduced to 69 K (39 K SMALLER than untagged original and 50K smaller than tagged original)
This issue about the size of a tagged PDF file comes up quite a bit. But, there's no need to let that keep you from tagging your PDF files to achieve accessibility.
In some instances you can actually make the file size of a tagged PDF SMALLER than an untagged original. Use the Acrobat 8 "Reduce File Size" command.
Select Document > Reduce File Size and set the compatibility to the latest available version. I was using Acrobat 8 so I set it to Acrobat 8.A simple experiment involving an InDesign and Microsoft Word generated PDF documents revealed the following for what it's worth.
2 page document from InDesign
Untagged Original 47K after Reduce file size to Acrobat 8 compatible 43K (-4K)
Tagged by Acrobat 54K after Reduce file size Acrobat 8 compatible 48 K (1 K larger than the untagged file!)
Tagged by InDesign 270K ! after Reduce file size Acrobat 8 compatible 160 K (113 K larger than untagged original but still reduced by 110 K).
With a document originating in Word:
Untagged 2 page PDF: 108K can be further reduced to 62K (- 46K)
Tagged by PDFMaker: 116 K (+ 8 K)
Reduced to 70 K (38 K SMALLER than untagged original! 46 K smaller than tagged original)
Tagged by Acrobat: 119K (+ 11K)
Reduced to 69 K (39 K SMALLER than untagged original and 50K smaller than tagged original)
Greg Pisocky
Adobe Accessibility