PS and large file handling

JB
Posted By
Jose_Batalla
May 24, 2005
Views
561
Replies
7
Status
Closed
Hi everyone!

We created a large tradeshow banner for a client in InDesign. The dimensions are 108" X 12". I exported the file as a PDF. When I open the file in Acrobat, it opens beautifully. However, if I try to open the file in PS, it almost crashes the program. When the file finally opens (about 2 minutes later), if I want to save as, it only gives me the option to save as .stn (GF PrintPro trial), .raw, or .tiff.

A few observations…

– I flatten the file before trying Save As

– If I open the file in PS at 150 DPI instead of 300 DPI, it will open fine and let me save it as anything I want.

– Opening the file in RGB or CMYK makes no difference. It still won’t work.

– Even though the file’s dimensions are 108" wide, PS insists on opening it at 106.66" wide.

– I checked and double-checked the InDesign file to make sure there was nothing weird in it.

– I checked and double-checked my PDF export settings to make sure there was nothing weird in them too.

Is there a problem with PS handling large files? I know that files wider than 30,000 pixels are not compatible with older versions of PS. Nonetheless, I’m on CS. I shouldn’t have a problem…

I posted the PDF file on our FTP site in case you guys want to give it a try opening it. Go to ftp.josebatalla.com/pdf. The file is 7megs and its called relay_header_banner_108X12_v1.pdf.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jose
Related Tags
file handle large

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S
stevent
May 24, 2005
May I ask why you want to open it in Photoshop?
Maybe a memory issue, I’ve never worked(or needed to) on a file that big in Photoshop.

Got it open though, forgot to try and save it!
BL
Bob Levine
May 24, 2005
Why are trying to open it in Photoshop? Just print it from Acrobat.

Bob
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
May 25, 2005
At 300 dpi the image is over 30,000 pixels wide. That’s the limit for any single dimension in many formats.

As to the 106.66" width, perhaps there is a rounding error; was it created in metric dimensions originally?
CC
Chris_Cox
May 25, 2005
"almost crashes" is much like being "almost pregnant". Either it crashes, or it doesn’t. Just taking a long time is not the same thing as crashing.

The file dimensions depends on the information that InDesign put in the file.

At 300 dpi, it is probably over 30,000 pixels – a limit imposed by many file formats. And it sounds like you haven’t enabled the large document format in CS.

It sounds like you’re just rasterizing a really large image, and it’s taking a long time – which should be expected for rasterizing a large image.
JB
Jose_Batalla
May 25, 2005
Chris, Michael, Robert, stevent.

I don’t need to open it in PS. The print shop does. They called us telling us they were having trouble opening the file. We tried to duplicate the problems they were having and experienced the same trouble they did.

Michael, good observation! Since the banner is going to Europe, we converted the file to cm. The 106.66 might be an export rounding error.

Chris, by almost crashes I meant the computer hangs-up. I’m running a Dell Precision 370, P4 3Ghz processor with 2 gigs of ram. I’ve never seen this computer hang. It’s blazing fast. The image being rasterized is not large by any means. While the banner is wide, is not tall at all. It contains one image (1meg) and 2 Illustrator logos (150k each). The rest is all colored boxes in ID.

Hope I answered your questions… I guess it boils down to a 30,000 pixel file format limit.

Thanks for your help!

Jose
CC
Chris_Cox
May 25, 2005
If it’s close to 30,000 pixels – that is large.

That will take a lot of time to rasterize.
S
stevent
May 25, 2005
Are you sure that the printers need the file full size? Most work I’ve done that size, the printer has scaled up the files sent to him.

Double check with them.

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