PDF to JPG loses edge on printing

[JWP1938]

The title more or less says it. To explain: I have a preloaded PDF document I have to modify each week (no problem there) and then email somewhere. A PDF file is just much too big to email (well known) as it would takes ages to load and send. So, I have used various (free) converters to change it to a jpg file. Looks good on my PC but when printed at the other end it always has some of the left hand side cut off. I have tried making a new file with a physically smaller picture (larger margins) and on my PC it looks good again with a blank border all round it. Printing it though still has the same result. I have seen the term "bleed" but that seems a bit too technical for me. Anyone help please?

[Mad Monk]

A PDF can be one of the smallest file types, far less than a JPEG.
It has been the standard for sending to Press for a decade.
I suggest you look at your PDF settings. Distiller, the PDF maker of Adobe, has several presets and is almost infinitely variable.
If you are sticking to Acrobat, have a look at your 'Save as' settings.
Once again there are many variables, have a play and see what suits.

[LookingForAJob]

Don't worry about bleed - it's to do with printing things that go right up to the edge of the paper. The item is printed onto a larger piece of paper than the final product and then trimmed down to the final size. It's done in commercial printing but it will rarely be possible with domestic printers.

But the problem printing your page may actually be connected. Only a few printers can print up to the edges of a sheet of paper - the sheet has to be gripped to take it through the machine and printing in that area will lead usually result in smudging of ink or toner and very messy insides of the machine. Those that do full sheet print also tent to waste ink. So, the printer you are using will probably have a defined printable area, where the printer can lay down the image. It is possible that part of the image that you have sent in being printed outside the printable area. Without knowing more about the application that is being used to print the image it's hard to give any definitive advice but look for options like 'Scale to fit' or 'Centre on page' and try selecting these.

The fact that you have reduced the size of the image and it still doesn't print is puzzling - my suggestion above may not work but it's worth a try.

[cdtaylor_nats]

Is it possible the printing end is using Foolscap rather than A4? Its only 7mm but it might just be enough.

[Radix]

............

[mixture]

JWP1938,

Pretty much what you've already been told....

If your PDF files are too big, then nine times out of ten, its your fault, not the PDF file format.

What software are you using to generate PDFs ?

If Adobe Acrobat, check your settings and perhaps also use the built-in optimizer function.

If not Acrobat, Google "PDF optimizer" and try out some software such as Apago PDF Shrink.

[JWP1938]

The pdf files are generated elsewhere for me to edit and return so I have no control over the actual original file. I tried many optimizers but they didn't really reduce them by much. The originals are about 45 mb and the optimized ones are about 42 mb generally.
With regard to converted to jpg files:
The cutting off depends on which program I use to convert the file. However, if I use a converter which does NOT show cutting off when I open it then, as you suggest, the problem IS with the printing options. Not all programs give you a preview or chance to change the settings. However, on ones that DO give this option (MS Photo Editor) then I find unticking "fit image to frame" or similar solves the problem. So, I have told my recipient about this and they have tried it and it works so I will consider the problem solved.
Thanks for all help.

[Booglebox]

My small amount of fiddling around with Acrobat's PDF optimizer has resulted in JPEG-y pixelated images and PDFs either very slightly reduced in size, or larger :\