I was unable to replicate the issue with the latest Beta.

I appreciate you and the team Egor!

Hello All,

I wanted to bring to your attention a bug that a few colleagues and I have encountered after updating to Illustrator versions 27.9 and 28. This issue pertains to saving revisions of proofs and using Adobe PDF presets for compression. Any help resolving this issue would be greatly appreciated!

Our workflow involves saving two versions of a proof: one using the "[Illustrator Default]" Adobe PDF Preset as our working file and another with a custom Adobe PDF Preset for email purposes (see attached "Email Proof"). When running our script for the first time, it correctly compresses the proof, resulting in a smaller file size suitable for emailing.

However, the problem arises when we need to make revisions to the proof. We make these changes in the "[Illustrator Default]" version and then run the same script to save the document, attempting to replace the previous file. In versions 27.0, 27.4.1, 27.5, and 27.8.1, this process works as expected, maintaining the compression profile. Unfortunately, starting with version 27.9 and continuing with version 28.0, the script fails to apply the compression profile, resulting in an email version of the proof that's the same size as the "[Illustrator Default]" version.

Here are the test results across various computers and Illustrator versions:

Process:

Save Proof
Close Proof
Open Proof
Save Proof
Results:

User 1: Version 27.0 - Compressed
User 2: Version 27.4.1 - Compressed
User 3: Version 27.5 - Compressed
User 3: Version 27.8.1 - Compressed
User 3: Version 27.9 - Failed to compress
User 3: Version 28.0 - Failed to compress
User 4: Version 27.8.1 - Compressed
User 4: Version 27.9 - Failed to compress
User 5: Version 27.9 - Failed to compress
User 6: Version 27.9 - Failed to compress
User 7: Version 27.9 - Failed to compress

We hope this information helps in identifying and resolving this issue. If you have any insights or updates regarding this matter, please feel free to share.

Proof File: 1337123.pdf (feel free to use your own file)
Email Proof Settings: Email Proof.txt

File size after save:
Version 27.8.1
1337123.pdf - 282 KB
1337123_Proof.pdf - 150 KB

Version 28
1337123.pdf - 400 KB
1337123_Proof.pdf - 399 KB

Here is a simplified version of our script that can help with any troubleshooting!

Related posts:
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/47384957
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/47311145
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/47299277-illustrator-27-9-adobe-pdf-preset-will-match-what

You're awesome Egor.

"Small File Size Hardly reduces PDF size since recent update" is the same issue. That's actually how I noticed it, my usual workflow was resulting in files that weren't smaller.

I'm unsure about "Bug; Save as, PDF, does not remember PDF settings". I'm unable to replicate it but may just misunderstood their steps.

I appreciate you weeding through comments and connecting issues.

1. This is related.

2. The link is the same as issue 1. But searching for the title I found this:
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/47311145
and the issue seems to be releated.

Another problem that might be connected to this:
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/47384957

There are two more related problems, that seem like to have the same cause:

1. Bug; Save as, PDF, does not remember PDF settings
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/47384957

2. Small File Size Hardly reduces PDF size since recent update
http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/47311145

Do these look like the same problem to you?

There are two similar problems already reported here at UV:

1. Illustrator 27.9 Adobe PDF Preset will match what it was last modified to.
http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/47299277

2. Small File Size Hardly reduces PDF size since recent update
http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/47299277

Jonas, can you please review both and comment?

Having the same issue! Very annoying that I have to now remember to double check the preset when I save a copy of a pdf using the presets. Presets should maintain the correct settings as they were saved originally.

Wow. I confirm that. Indeed, when I save the third file out of three, the preset magically switches from PDF/X-4 to None.

Open at least 3 illustrator files.
First file:
1. Save As
2. Choose PDF as the target file format.
3: In the PDF options dialog choose a standard (PDF/X-4:2010) and click Save PDF.

2nd file:
3: The PDF settings say Standard: PDF/X-4:2010 so click Save PDF

3rd file:
3: The PDF settings say Standard: None

I expected the 3rd file to also say Standard: PDF/X-4:2010.

Lee, it seems like it’s the same bug as this: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/47299277
Can you please try and follow the described steps there and see if the option gets check on its own / does not follow the preset?

Preserve Ai Editing Capabilities has been checked! which it wasn't previously, unchecking brings the file size right down to 1MB again.

Thanks for all your assistance Egor, Life saver!

That’s an impressive difference :/
I won’t ask more details about the contents of the document, let them figure this out, but 1.8 MB assumes it doesn’t contain any images at all...
Are you sure the settings you have in the Save Adobe PDF dialog all match between the 27.9 and previous build? The same compatibility, Preserve Ai Editing Capabilities is unchecked?

I have just sent some files over to sharewithai@adobe.com

These include:

The original file (767MB)

The original file saved using smallest file size pre update (1.8MB)

The original file saved using smallest file size today v27.9 (385MB)

As you can tell by the file sizes there's a huge difference and that particular job isn't an anomaly and has been happening across many jobs.

Reducing size is inconsistent. Some projects get compressed very noticeable, because the data’s nature allows this, some others get packed in a less dense package. It affects both vector and especially raster images. Project can have different amount of objects, artboards, points, there a many factors! You can’t expect all project to get compressed in the same way...
Without files to prove the claim, nothing can be really done. If you make up a synthetic file (it does not have to be the real project) that gets compressed fine with the previous versions, but gets treated differently with the latest one, using the same exact save settings — please send it. The files sent via the email I shared earlier stay private, and only the team can access them.

Hi Egor,

I am currently using version 27.9

I'm unable to send you the files unfortunately, Me and my colleagues save as 'smallest file size' to then send of to clients which has always greatly reduced the size of the files in the past. however we've all noticed that it is no longer reducing the same as previous versions (which was usually below 10MB)

Lee, can you share files that were getting smaller alright in the previous versions, but do not do it this one (which is the one, by the way? 27.9?)
You can share them here, if you are OK with making these public, or you can send them to sharewithai@adobe.com — in this case please also put the link to this report so the team can track the issue (http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/47311145)

Confirm that!

Windows 10 - Illustrator v27.9

Save as PDF
When selecting a preset in the "Save Acrobat PDF" form, not all options are loaded correctly. We have a preset to save PDF files without Illustrator editing capabilities, but this option remains checked when we select this preset. This behaviour persists even when we edit and update our preset.

Step-by-step:
1. "File" => "Save As ..."
2. Save dialog apears => set file type to "Adobe PDF" => click "Save"
3. "Save Acrobat PDF" dialog apears => select any preset which is defined to be without editing capabilities => editing capabilities remains checked