How to Reduce File Size of PDF Version of a Live Script?

I have a live script (*.mlx) file that is about 800 kB. When I "save as PDF", the PDF file is almost 4 MB.

Now, I understand that my Live Script generates several plots, so I think that is why the file size is so bloated.

However, I would like some options to reduce this size. For example, the figures need not be at maximum quality. Also, if it takes less memory to save them as a raster scan (e.g., a *.PNG) instead of a vector graphic (e.g., a *.EPS), I would like to be able to do so. [That's just an example; I just want a means to reduce file size.]

(To answer why I care: the Live Script is part of a deliverable MATLAB toolbox (*.mltbx), and the file size of the package is important. I don't want to add 4 MB unless there's no other choice.)

My backup option is to only deliver the *.MLX file and not the *.PDF (right now we deliver both), but many users like the *.PDF version because it shows the outputs without having to run the code, and it shows what the outputs look like without errors.

Answer 1

[Nick Patterson]

One person suggested using an external tool (I was trying to find a MATLAB setting).

I found the following Bash command worked amazing (form 3007 kB to 277 kB):

• gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dCompatibilityLevel=1.4 -dPDFSETTINGS=/screen -dNOPAUSE -dQUIET -dBATCH -sOutputFile=output_small.pdf input_large.pdf

The image quality drops substantially, but the text and text colors all look great. The figures are still good enough, and a file size reduction factor of 10 is impressive. This is exactly what I needed.

Answer 2

[Lilian Smith]

if you want to comoress your pdf , try FoneDog PDF Compressor