MicroStation to PDF to reduce file size

Unknown said:

I am trying to convert very large .dgn file sizes to a smaller pdf size

MicroStation files contain 3D models.  They store data, such as 3D coordinates, in 64-bit precision floating point numbers.  DGN is a very different format to PDF, which uses a different representation for 3D geometry. It's not clear what you mean by 'convert very large .dgn file sizes to a smaller pdf size'.

You can print from a MicroStation to a PDF?  Have you tried that?

Yes, that is what I have been doing - print to PDF and in the settings I can change the dpi, which reduces the size, but I still need to make it smaller. I wasn't sure if maybe there are settings when printing to PDF that I can change to help reduce the size of the file once it is printed. I have tried to reduce the size once it is a PDF, but that hasn't worked too well either.

Could you please send me a private email with your contact information and I will call you.

I've run into this problem before, usually when there is a large air photo attached to the file, and when the plot has to rasterized because of transparent overlays. Use some combination of the following settings to reduce the pdf file size.

Change the driver resolution (sounds like you already tried this). If your plots are rasterized, there is a setting in this group called Rasterized Quality Factor. Lowering this can also reduce the file size. Also, under the Base Properties tab, pick Raster Printing, and lower the quality factor. You can try different values to find out what setting reduces the file size and still get acceptable quality.

You also may try setting Enable Optional Content to Off (this turns off creation of levels in the pdf).

Unknown said:

I've run into this problem before, usually when there is a large air photo attached to the file, and when the plot has to rasterized because of transparent overlays. Use some combination of the following settings to reduce the pdf file size.

Change the driver resolution (sounds like you already tried this). If your plots are rasterized, there is a setting in this group called Rasterized Quality Factor. Lowering this can also reduce the file size. Also, under the Base Properties tab, pick Raster Printing, and lower the quality factor. You can try different values to find out what setting reduces the file size and still get acceptable quality.

You also may try setting Enable Optional Content to Off (this turns off creation of levels in the pdf).

As to raster change resolution, I suggest you try  to do this at print time  at first  through the printer dialog box settings  when your  doing testing  rather than edit the driver settings as its easier to understand ( if your unfamiliar with mnst) and you can just  keep tweaking by the slider bar or value typed and it  doesnt change the driver  then when  youve found the optimum setting  you can visit the  driver and  make the change  once..

I tried all of the suggestions that you and John gave me and neither seem to really reduce the size. Thank you though! This is so frustrating. I'm thinking maybe I need to get on a forum for Adobe and Bluebeam to see how I can reduce the sizes once they are printed to a PDF.

If they are to be published on your website I assume they are not restricted > can you upload a few examples perhaps someone can give you better advice.

If they are to be published on your website I assume they are not restricted > can you upload a few examples perhaps someone can give you better advice.