Techy question re EPS vs PDF

T

Thurman Merman

New Member
So I make large, complicated vector-based maps in Adobe Illustrator. Usually with lots of subtle shading and tones.
For years I've been converting them to outline, exporting as an EPS, then importing them into InDesign to be incorporated into the rest of my design for the leaflet. When the leaflet's designed, I then export that IDD as a print-quality PDF and send it to the Printer for four-colour litho printing.
Thing is, some of these EPSs are huge and unwieldy.
If I convert them to outline and export the mapping file as a PDF instead of a EPS before importing them into my IDD and making a print-ready PDF of the whole thing, it obviously saves a world of Mb.
But my question to you is: Should I save the mapping file as an EPS or a PDF? Is there any noticeable drop in print-quality in terms of colour profiles when it's printed?

Eg: I just exported the same map out of AI as an EPS (717Mb) and as a PDF (34Mb). When I import the EPS of the map into the IDD the resultant print-ready PDF is 81Mb, and when I use the PDF of the map it's 28Mb.

AI > EPS > IDD > PDF,
or AI > PDF > IDD > PDF?

I suppose I should know this sort of thing by now. But not sure if it matters.
 
EPS is considered an outdated format, and there's no real benefit to using it over PDF or AI. Instead of exporting an EPS, you can simply save your Illustrator file as an AI with PDF compatibility enabled (which is required for InDesign previews). Then, place the AI file directly into InDesign.

As for colour profiles, InDesign ignores the embedded profile of placed files and instead applies the colour settings from your InDesign document when you export the final PDF. So whether you place an EPS or a PDF, the colour profile is determined by the settings in your InDesign PDF export.
 
Hey, thanks for that. Yes, I've often simply placed the AI file into my IDD file, but from experience it's more prone to glitches...

EPSs feel a 'safer' and more reliable format for an exported/imported mapping file, but that's probably only because that's what I was taught to use, and what I usually use. I'll use PDFs from now on, but I feel the urge to check them even more carefully than usual :)

I did always wonder if IDD ignored the colour profile of the imported file. Now I know :)

Thanks again.
 
EPS is outdated - you're better off using .ai

If you're using .pdf from illustrator tag the option to preserve editing capabilities so you can safely open them in Illustrator again for edits.

Again, use .ai - but if you're hellbent on using PDF then have at it.
 
What I meant by 'hellbent' is that it won't make a difference

Regarding PDF, it’s essentially just a wrapper it encases your Illustrator content (whether vector, raster, or other elements) in a format that can be viewed in PDF readers. When you export a PDF from Illustrator, it's still maintaining the vector data (unless you specifically rasterise it).

Think of a PDF like a high-tech gift box for your Illustrator artwork. When you save an .ai or .eps file as a PDF, nothing “magical” is happening to your vectors, they’re simply being packaged inside a standardised container. That container (the PDF file) includes a header, a body with your content (whether it’s vector paths, text, or even embedded images and multimedia), plus some additional data like a cross-reference table and trailer that help PDF readers quickly locate and render each part.

In other words, the PDF isn’t altering your design; it’s just wrapping it up in a format that guarantees the document will display exactly as intended, regardless of the operating system or device. This is why you’ll often see that if you zoom in on text or vector graphics in a PDF exported from Illustrator, they remain crisp and scalable, they’re still vector data inside the PDF wrapper.

This container approach is what makes PDFs so versatile, they can hold everything from simple vector art to complex interactive elements without changing the essence of your original design.
 
Just curious, but:

"... it won't make a difference..."

I just imported both options, and it does to file size :)

Using a PDF of the image in IDD creates a print-ready PDF of 28Mb.

Using the original AI file creates a print-ready PDF of 189Mb.

If there's no difference (other than edits to the AI file updating in IDD directly), why not use a PDF over AI? It means the print-file is more manageable, takes up less storage, quicker to transfer etc...

Like I say: just curious!
 
Well I've no idea if what your PDF setting is from illustrator, or from InDesign.

Or what setting the ai file is.

Could be compression setting, no idea without seeing it.
 
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