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pcmodem · #1 (**permalink**) 05-12-2005, 07:43 AM

Has anyone found a way for OSX (Panther) to have a larger file size limit than 2 GB?

I am printing an Illustrator poster and the postscript file is bigger than 2 GB.

Buy the way PDF is not an option due to customer demand.

Cory · #2 (**permalink**) 05-12-2005, 07:55 AM

i'm 99% sure OS X does not have the 2 gig file size limitation anymore..

you might be running into a limitation with illustrator (are you using CS or 10)

i'm assuming you are saving the file locally, correct?

Cory · #3 (**permalink**) 05-12-2005, 07:57 AM

one other thing..is your drive formatted HFS+? HFS still have the 2 gig limitation.

pcmodem · #4 (**permalink**) 05-12-2005, 08:37 AM

I am using Illustrator CS and the Hard Drive format is "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)"

europa · #5 (**permalink**) 05-16-2005, 11:57 AM

Are you printing over a network? Not sure with the lastest upgrades, but it used to be you could print over 1.99Gb over the network. Try printing to your Local Hard drive.

Also see if you can slim down the illustrator file, it obviously has images in it, so see if there is dpi overkill, etc.

-europa

pcmodem · #6 (**permalink**) 05-16-2005, 04:17 PM

The Operating System is on a "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" Partition and I formated a spare partition to Mac OS Extended.

Today I copied the files from my network server to the new partition. I then disconnected the drive to make sure the graphics were not linked to the server.

I then proceded to make a postscript file straight from Illustrator CS (11.0.0) and it stoped at 1.99GB.

I can't reduce the file size in dpi due to customer request.
thanks for trying to help europa and Cory

Any other thoughts?

Kakuzo · #7 (**permalink**) 05-16-2005, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Buy the way PDF is not an option due to customer demand.

Quote:

I can't reduce the file size in dpi due to customer request.

Sounds like you've got a fun client.

Your client doesn't want you reducing the image resolution? Did they say why?

Past a certain point, resolution becomes pointless. Really huge files only make our jobs harder. I've never had a client look at a printed piece and be able to tell the difference between a 1000ppi image and a 1200ppi image. I'd never recommend going over 400 without a really good reason.

If they have a really good reason (other than being the client) for wanting a file that large, well...good luck. If not, I'd reassure them that dropping the resolution to an acceptable level isn't going to effect the final result.

Joe · #8 (**permalink**) 05-17-2005, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcmodem

The Operating System is on a "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" Partition and I formated a spare partition to Mac OS Extended.

Today I copied the files from my network server to the new partition. I then disconnected the drive to make sure the graphics were not linked to the server.

I then proceded to make a postscript file straight from Illustrator CS (11.0.0) and it stoped at 1.99GB.

I can't reduce the file size in dpi due to customer request.
thanks for trying to help europa and Cory

Any other thoughts?

If you've got it in Illustrator can you save as an EPS and drop it into a Nexus hotfolder? Or does the EPS hit the 2 GB wall also.

pcmodem · #9 (**permalink**) 05-17-2005, 04:31 AM

I can't save this as an eps because there is a DCS 2 file placed into Illustrator. Illustrator eps files do not support DCS 2 files the last time I looked.

And so I am printing seperated from Illustrator.

Sally · #10 (**permalink**) 05-17-2005, 05:21 AM

We have a couple cheap tricks to reduce file size. But not having seen the peice or knowing what you've done I'm not sure how helpful they will be. Still...
If you have any dielines in the peice, I'd remove them to another file if possible. Reason being, we noticed on our files coming from Esko, if we exported them to Illustrator using our Die Color- which is not a *pantone* in it's registery- it was adding a great deal more memory for the custom color than it was for an official Pantone variant.
Last cheap trick is removing any overprints you can and instead build the color manually. Of course, a 2g file doesnt sound very flat. But perhaps you can compromise in places?