Inserting pictures into Word. Why is resulting file size so big? 2

[JimmyL]

When cutting & pasting pictures (usually JPEG) into Word, I can end up with a word file which is huge (for example after inserting 6 pictures of 200kb and a bit of text, the word file ended up at 22mb !!).

However, when I "Insert > Picture > From file", this doesn't happen. The word file size is much more acceptable.

Why is this? How does Word handle images?

 

[MoiraT]

By selecting Insert Picture you are using the coding in Word that manages picture files. If you copy and paste you are not using this coding and are making the job more difficult for Word to manage

 

[cheerio]

This may also depend on Word version.

Certainly PowerPoint used to decompress images and store them internally in the enlarged state. This was fixed in Office 2000 resulting in much smaller files.

The same might be true of Word?

 

[nberryman]

In the Access Forum we have had this discussion, it would appear that when you Copy and Paste the host App (Word) acts as an OLE server. Microsoft seem to prefer bitmap formats and therefore removes JPG compression.

When you Insert a Picture OLE doesn't come into it.

Not a cure but just a thought.



Neil Berryman
IT Trainer
neil_berryman@btopenworld.com

 

[JimmyL]

Many thanks for your help on this!

With the comment about OLE, I've looked the subject up and learnt a lot more about the subject.

Cheers, JimmyL

B-)

 

[substitute]

This is an important point about images - I get a lot of queries along the lines of "I can't open this JPG image, the program says it is too big but it is only 300Kb". Of course the opening application immediately converts the JPG to an 8000x8000 24 bit colour bitmap occupying 180Mb.

When placing images in a document, especially a powerpoint presentation, always use a paint program to cut out unused pixels. Crop the picture to the desired outline then take the dimensions down to what the final device can display (300pixels/inch for print or 72 pixels/inch for screen). Even though Word can store an imported JPG compressed, it expands it every time you view or print the document which can cause a major slow down or crash.