RE: Need tips on reducing Word file size

["Steve Hudson" <cruddy -at- optushome -dot- com -dot- au>]

Don't think anyone mentioned some of these yet - especially the end of point
2 - so as my blog is down (changing domains and a few other widdle teknikal
fingos) here's the relevant topic, from Word FAQ > Graphics

Avoiding bloat and other problems
Use GIF or JPG wherever possible.
Use linked inline graphics wherever possible

I'll re-iterate what I know, and I know that therein that smallish scope
lies an answer to ""Why is my word document so BIIIIG after whackin in a
graphic.
1.	Word doesn't understand any graphic except .wmf, .emf (wmf's bigger
cousin) and .bmp.
2.	Word will import SOME OTHER graphic formats. When it does so, it must
have TWO copies of the graphic. One as the original .whatever file. One as
an internal-use only bitmap that word can use to display a representation of
the inserted graphic. See Q224663 on the MS Knowledge Base.
3.	When you crop or otherwise adjust a picture using word's built-in
controls, it needs at least two copies (both of which CAN be satisfied by
point 2 above) - an original and a display copy.
4.	BMP is the most inefficient way of storing a picture.
5.	Linked pictures should not be stored with the document, but this rule is
subordinate to 3).
6.	Embedding pictures can cause total nightmares extracting the picture for
export to a decent package to change it.
7.	Linking pictures enables a source identifier with the picture object -
useful for control and developmental labeling purposes.

My personal solution:
*	Always use linked pictures, of type .jpg (full-color photo-like stuff,
usually 79% compression) and .gif (screenshots, 2' color palette, high
contrast theme) and perform NO graphic adjustments to the picture inside of
Word - excepting scale.
*	Always use a relative path link, and either store the gfx in the same root
as their host document, or in a subdirectory directly underneath same.
*	Use a controlled naming prefix schema to identify picture categories.
*	Use my KillMetaData tool to embed the suckers for distribution copies only
or use Edit > Links, select all graphics and select Break Link.
*	Use Save as HTML page when people send my embedded graphics to separate
them out.
*	I also have a simple macro to list the filenames of the linked pictures in
Reporter.


Of course <has a good laugh> you COULD always split your document into
sub-documents... there is an articull on the big raycomm site n all ya know
:-)

Steve Hudson - Word Heretic, Sydney, Australia
Email: heretic -at- tdfa -dot- com
For MS-Word questions please use msnews.microsoft.com before
heretic -at- tdfa -dot- com -dot- 
You agree by writing to me personally that any material from this message
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