So slooooowww....

[ldg40]

Illustrator is running so slow! This is what I have on a single page: 5 vector images, the largest one at 648kb. The overall image dimension size is 23in x23in. I was able to select each image and group, but this literally took almost 10 minutes. I, in my frustration, decided to save the overall image (took another 5 minutes and is 24.8 mgs in size), shut down the puter and start again. Same issues on re-boot.

Am I going at this the wrong way? Should I be starting at a 1/4 the size? It is vector after-all! Or is there a (hidden to my brain capacity) somewhere in preferences, a setting that I am not using, yet, abusing?

I have never had anything but pure running perfection in Illustrator before....

[Scott]

if you switch to artwork mode is it faster?

Often with complex vector image screen redraw can slow Illustrator down a lot especially on older machines.

[ldg40]

Hey Jolt,

I do have it set to "outline view", but this has not made a difference. I don't know how or where to switch to "artwork" mode.

Would it be a bad choice to just start with a new project at just a 1/4 the size?

[swillox]

Tiens, tiens... anything to do with this ? http://www.pixeladdiction.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1321?do=markread

[ldg40]

[QUOTE=swillox]Tiens, tiens... [/QUOTE]


Not sure how to translate ^^ that??? Excellent link Swillox. Haven't tried again yet this morning. May have to give it a try.

edit: I would like to try the getting rid of the preferences, I did try South-Canuck's shortcut tip, but it didn't work. I am not sure what is safe to toss. The entire folder, or just it's contents? Should the .plist go too? Any suggestions?

[Scott]

Hold down command-option-shift while you launch Illustrator Linda. You'll be asked if you want to reset the preferences.

Outline view = Artwork mode.

[ldg40]

So here's an update:

I tossed out the preferences, then I tossed out Illustrator and re-installed, then I finally did the "archive and install" with Tiger, then I upgraded to the new upgrade.

All this made no differance. But then I looked at the vector files, each one individually, and noted that just one was 14.5 mgs. Deleted it, and now everything works perfectly. I have to wonder why this one image is so darn big? I really need the image. Anyway, how to make it smaller & more user friendly? Perhaps it's a bad file? I dunno know. I'll try to build the entire project, and put it in, in the end....

On a brighter note, at least I did get my OS finally upgraded!

[Scott]

hard to say why the file is so large without seeing it Linda. If there are placed raster images or raster effect they will seriously balloon a file size and slow down screen redraw.

[reddaisy]

Hi ldg

- did you put in any placed images that were hidden/in hidden layers?
- Did you by accident make a lot (i mean a Loooootttttttttttttt) of copies of something (an object, gradient, etc): you can check this by opening the layers iin the layer palet, just click the black squares to object level
- try object > path > clean up: when it doesn't give a message it means that there where stray points, empty textpaths or empty frames
- did you use effects on objects that already had effects?
- did you use the spray tool a lot?
- did you do weird things with text? endless texts that go to the end of the universe?
- zoom out untill you cannot zoom any further: then select all and see if there's anything outside the artboard.

try these things and try to solve them if they're there: it might help.

success
tom