Hello,

I am having problems saving a PDF. Once I select my options of how I want the PDF to be saved, Inkscape encounters a serious error and shuts down. The PDF file is saved, but when I try to open it, there is an error stating that Adobe cannot open it.

Any suggestions? Is there a size limit when it comes to exporting a document as a PDF?

Welcome to InkscapeForum!

I don't think Inkscape has any size limits. But a crash like that can often happen if the size of the image (or the process of saving an image of that size) challenges your system's RAM. It's not the only thing that can cause a crash, but that's a common reason. How large is the image, and how much RAM does your computer have?

Hi Brynn thanks for the reply!

My RAM is 2GB and the svg is composed of multiple items and it is a size of 14,223KB (there are multiple PDFs that I imported). I am trying to make a poster (40inx60in) for a class with text and maps (pdf format). So, when you ask about the image size, I am not sure how to answer that question.

I have tried to export the svg on my work computer which is a much better computer and had no luck.

Do you have any suggestions on a different format that I can save my poster as, then convert to a PDF? I need to keep as much detail as possible with little generalization due to the maps that are on the poster.

Thanks so much for your reply!!

Ok, so using a handy calculator I found, 14,223 kb is a little under 14 mb. And 14 mb can definitely challenge a computer with 2 gb RAM. It depends on exactly how the work computer is "better", as to whether it should be able to handle the conversion.

I'm actually not sure how much RAM would be needed to save something of a particular size to PDF, so it would be hard to say for sure. When you tried it on your work computer, did you try to open the result in Adobe?

Well if by "Adobe" you mean Adobe Illustrator, can't you open the SVG directly with AI? Or at least import? If you have trouble with Inkscape SVG, try saving as Plain SVG. That might work better when opening with AI. Ooorrr....well maybe I'm wrong about that. I thought AI could open SVG, but there's a nagging little question, somewhere in my head.... But actually, if you have AI, why don't you draw it from the beginning in AI? Then you could avoid any kind of file conversion issue.

On my work computer, I tried to export as a PDF and it did not open.
I am not trying to open a SVG in Adobe Illustrator. I am trying to get the document in a PDF. When you try to open a SVG in Illustrator you need a plug-in and I don't have it downloaded.
Yes, drawing it in AI would be a good idea. However, I prefer Inkscape and I don't have an arm and a leg to pay for AI for my home computer.
I have exported the file as a png and then opened it in Microsoft Publisher and saved it as a PDF that way.

Thanks for your help!

If that works for you, that's great! But note that after you export to PNG, it's no longer a vector image. PNG is a raster format. If you scale the image, it will become pixelated.

falkland, since your problem seems to be different, I've started a new topic for you: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13818

I have since found why I was experiencing such problems!

It appeared that I imported a map as a pdf. Then, when trying to export the svg document as a pdf, Inkscape would crash.