I miss something, or there is no way to "completely" link to an external bitmap?
I'm importing some huge bitmaps, and I don't want to make my CDR files so huge.
If you import with "link bitmap externally", then the bitmap is actually embedded, not linked. The link is used to update the embedded bitmap when the external file changed, but the full bitmap is still saved with the CDR file.
There is an option to insert a generic "object". But then I can't see the bitmap at all.
Thanks,
HI VJ
Status bar shows the object information when the object is selected.It it shows "Externally linked bitmap" if the bitmap is linked externally.
vjCorel:If you import with "link bitmap externally", then the bitmap is actually embedded, not linked.
I dont think this is the case. However you can confirm it by saving two different files. one with an image embedded in it and the other one with the same image linked in it. Then compare the file sizes of the DRAW files. I am sure the file with linked image will be smaller in size than that of the one with embedding.
vjCorel:The link is used to update the embedded bitmap when the external file changed, but the full bitmap is still saved with the CDR file.
vjCorel:I miss something, or there is no way to "completely" link to an external bitmap?
If you want a 100% external (something like a link of any web page, that don't increase the file size) the answer is not. When you pace a linked image, a small information is placed in the file, and the size will increased a little. But is not the same of import the bitmap, which place a full copy of the bitmap inside the CorelDRAW file.
No, if you link externally a bitmap when import, the file size is smaller than the same if you simply import the bitmap. And you can change and update the link using the Links Manager
If you link externally a file, is not embedded on the CrelDRAW file.
vjCorel:There is an option to insert a generic "object". But then I can't see the bitmap at all.
This option if for use other kind of files, from other installed programs
Ariel Garaza Díaz
arielgaraza.com
Thanks both Anand and Ariel for your replies.
Ariel:No, if you link externally a bitmap when import, the file size is smaller than the same if you simply import the bitmap. And you can change and update the link using the Links Manager If you link externally a file, is not embedded on the CrelDRAW file.
VJ
I shall definately try this. I am at home while I am writing this post. I shall try it tomorrow.
vjCorel: Try the following. Create an empty new CDR file, link externally to a huge bitmap, like a 50MB JPG image, then save the CDR file. You'll see that the CDR file is over 50MB.
Yes the low res placeholder of the image remains in DRAW but the link will be broken. If you try to print from DRAW, you get low res prints of the image.
vjCorel:Link externally to any bitmap file, save the CDR file, and then delete the original bitmap file. Open the CDR file again, the bitmap is still there, which obviously means it was embedded.
I do the test.
using a 5 Mb TIF RGB
Import normally, save: file size of CDR: 4.521 Kb
Import using "externally linked images": 215 Kb
If you want I can send the files for you
Here is the link for download my files
http://www.gigasize.com/get.php?d=dt933hqd4vd
I download your file and it certainly contains the image itself, not an external link. But I've tried it here (with a 23Mb TIF file) and there is a 10Mb difference between the size of the saved file comparing import and external link.
What type of file was it, before you imported? Perhaps there are some file formats that can only be imported, not embedded?
I've used external links quite often, though there are some pitfalls. Often, CorelDraw will export a page containing an external link and use its internal preview rather than getting an up to date copy from the external file. The same may also apply when printing to some printers, though I believe it works properly when printing to postscript printers.
But I haven't (so far) come across the case where it embeds instead of importing.
Thanks again to both of you.
I think I know now what Corel is doing. As Anand said, Corel does embed a low rez image, even when linking.
The problem is that the resulting "low rez" might still be huge. If you link to something like your TIF file, Ariel, which is a high rez uncompressed TIF, then the linked CDR file would be tiny in comparison (as in your example). However, if you link to a JPG file that is already in not so high rez, then the resulting linked CDR file might be almost as big as the original JPG file.
Try creating a huge low rez JPG in the order of 100MB, and import it with external linking. The CDR file created would be at least 50MB (size vary depending on rez and compression). So the "low rez placeholder" is still huge.
<vjCorel> wrote in message news:59265@coreldraw.com... Thanks again to both of you. I think I know now what Corel is doing. As Anand said, Corel does embed a low rez image, even when linking.
Jeff Harrison MacroMonster.com Daily Diversion Blog
Jeff Harrison: I think the resolution of the placeholder can be changed in the registry. For many years they were 45 DPI by default. It would be best for user to choose their preferred setting in options somewhere. I'm not sure this would be very useful for me. I'm already using low res images. For getting a significant reduction in the placeholder size, the DPI would need to be too coarse. I assume Draw displays the placeholder, and I need a resonable resolution on screen when working. What I need is "true" linking. Don't embed any placeholder whatsoever in the CDR file, just read the bitmap content of the original link whenever I open the CDR file. I understand this is, currently, not possible. It is quite annoying when you are working with so huge JPG images. It is not just the issue of the file size. Whenever auto-backup time arrives, Corel freezes for a minute or so (because of the processing of saving the huge CDR file size).
I'm not sure this would be very useful for me.
I'm already using low res images. For getting a significant reduction in the placeholder size, the DPI would need to be too coarse. I assume Draw displays the placeholder, and I need a resonable resolution on screen when working.
What I need is "true" linking. Don't embed any placeholder whatsoever in the CDR file, just read the bitmap content of the original link whenever I open the CDR file. I understand this is, currently, not possible.
It is quite annoying when you are working with so huge JPG images. It is not just the issue of the file size. Whenever auto-backup time arrives, Corel freezes for a minute or so (because of the processing of saving the huge CDR file size).
vjCorel:What I need is "true" linking. Don't embed any placeholder whatsoever in the CDR file, just read the bitmap content of the original link whenever I open the CDR file. I understand this is, currently, not possible.
Perhaps it could be also changed to only "cache" bitmaps for pages on either side of, and including the existing one. That should save enormous amounts of RAM for multipage files with tons of linked bitmaps.
There's another novel commercial solution you may be interested in - RasterControl. Corel's linking has quirks as you've discovered, this other way is more like other programs.
vjCorel:It is quite annoying when you are working with so huge JPG images. It is not just the issue of the file size. Whenever auto-backup time arrives, Corel freezes for a minute or so (because of the processing of saving the huge CDR file size).
Many of us turn Auto-Backup off soon after install. The reason you say... it happens at random times, making you think Corel has frozen/crashed when you are working with large files.
Best auto-backup is in your fingers, called CTRL+S. :-D. It only works when you desire!
As a bonus, it works in almost every Windows program! :-)