🚀 go-pugleaf

Distiller isn't used to print from framemaker (sic) to a postscript (sic) file. We assume that you are trying to create a PostScript file from a FrameMaker document by printing �to File� via the Acrobat Distiller printer driver instance? Or what?

You can dramatically speed up performance of the Acrobat Distiller printer driver instance by changing the print properties for spooling to �spool� instead of �direct� printing.

� Dov

where can i change those options?

I found that .. thanks.. I will test it again

are there any other ways to speed this up? Will a much faster computer help?

we are printing to 11X17 and its extremly slow. When i do it to normal sized paper its 1/3 of that time

You haven't really told us much about your system. What speed is it?
What printer do you have? How is the printer connected?  And, above
all, how is Distiller involved?

Aandi Inston

Ok. We have a Framemaker file that is 500k. It has a lot of high-res images that are linked in. When I chose to print to postscript using Distiller it takes about 18 mins; printing to 11x17. The resulting file is 800mb. From that I distill it into a pdf which takes about 6 mins. The computer running this has a dual PIII 500 and 1GB of ram and 10k drives. I have ordered a P4 2.8 but I don�t think that is going to have the affect of cutting thtat 18 mins down.

I also have to print it to file. so I can then distill it into a PDF

another question that i have is.

If i was to be using framemaker on unix would it print to postscript faster than a windows OS?

So, why are you doing it that way?  That is, why not just print to
Distiller to let it make PDF?

Aandi Inston

doesnt it still make a PS file?

Yes, but have you tried it? It still might be quicker.

Aandi Inston

James,

What version of Distiller are you using? If you have Acrobat 5, the
default Distiller printer instance that is created will automatically
be hooked into the "PDF:" port and this uses a plug-in to print
directly to Distiller. Even if you re-direct to file, it can be very
slow. However, there is a workaround.

Create a new Distiller printer instance (call it MyDistiller or
whatever) and hook that into to the "FILE:" port right of the bat.
This instance will not be using the plug-in and can result in a
ten-fold increase in performance.

Also, make sure that you have the printer instance set to spool as Dov
indicated. This also provides a performance boost.

If you are using FM7, and are *not* creating PDFs for composite colour
workflows, then printing to the original Distiller instance via the
PDF port (and avoiding manual distilling via an intermediate PS file)
should be relatively fast. There would be no need to print to file in
this scenario.

By the way, multiple processors is irrelevant in terms of performance boost here unless you are actually using CPU power with other programs concurrently, for example rendering 3D images while attempting to generate PostScript from FrameMaker or distill same with Distiller.

The fact that it takes six minutes to Distill would indicate that your linked-in graphics are fairly complex. Eighteen minutes might not be too far out of line in terms of creation of the PostScript especially if you generate "to file" instead of printing to the Acrobat Distiller printer instance, with spooling ON using the "start printing after last page is spooled option."

By the way, my best guess is that with nothing else changed, upgrading to a single 2.8 ghz Pentium 4 with current memory technology (not that of your current system) with 1 gigabyte of memory will cut your PostScript generation and distillation times to approximately 4 minutes and 1 minute, respectively. Both processes are highly CPU intensive.

- Dov

Your UNIX question is a "depends" ... it depends on the hardware configuration of the system you are running on.

I would definitely not advise it.

- Dov

thanks for all the help. Quick questio how do I "Create a new Distiller printer instance "

The installation of Acrobat should have created a PostScript printer driver instance labelled "Acrobat Distiller". If not, uninstall and reinstall Acrobat completely.

- Dov

it did.. but you wanted me to create another one

Run the latest AdobePS installer/setup program. When it asks to select
the printer to install, click the browse button and navigate to the
Acrobat \Distillr\Xtras folder and select the Adist5.ppd. When it
shows you the name (probably, "Acrobat Distiller 5.0 (2)" change that
to whatever you want, e.g. "MyDistiller").

Also, after you have installed this new printer instance, see Dov's
article on "FrameMaker-based PDF and Printing Workflow: How-To-Do-It!"
in the FM Forum at
http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?50@@.1de6dfdc This has all of
the optimizations that you need make.

No, you don't need to setup a new one! Use what was installed, but don't print �to file� with it.

- Dov