How to improve PDF export image quality? Now is very compressed blurred crap.
There is anyway to decrease file compression?
I know one wants the pdf file mostly tiny and portable, but Musescore gone to the extreme: exported PDF files looks like sh*t all blurred.
I've found a workaround using the 'Cute PDF Writer' software or any other soft which 'prints' to PDF file with nice quality and still maintaining low file size (62KB-Muse- vs 180KB-Cute-).
If you know a way how to change this please let me know. Thanks in advance. ^^
Comments
Us the print option and print to PDF rather than exporting. Many PDF viewers have a PDF print option that is added to your list of printers.
In reply to Us the print option and… by mike320
Well... i'm asking for help to NOT DO that... you ever read my post?
In reply to Well... i'm asking for help… by victor.tabas
You said you export it to PDF. Export is not print.
In reply to You said you export it to… by mike320
Lol.. you clearly can't read me. Tx for help anyway (?)
Example needed, I'm using export to PDF since ages and never had a problem with that.
Some PDF printers though are know to have issues.
In reply to Example needed, I'm using… by Jojo-Schmitz
OK here you go:
First the one exported:
__
This is the one 'printed to file' with Cute PDF Writer:
You see the difference? This is crap to me, and totally unusable for a serious 2019 software....
PS: don't look at the different images resolution & sizes, i tried my best to reproduce the issue and the usual image capture from windows are sh*t showing accurate results (too much blurring, no matter if source are sharp..) so i used other methods (other softs..) to reduce quality 'on purpose' to be more similar on what im normally viewing on my PC screen in front of my eyes so you can effectively note the difference.
In reply to OK here you go: First the… by victor.tabas
The second one is far superior visually. No blurring whatsoever.
In reply to The second one is far… by mike320
Thats the idea: We need the ability to EXPORT with this quality with no need to use the 'printing' workaround.
In reply to OK here you go: First the… by victor.tabas
The thing is simple: Musescore uses a VERY HIGH COMPRESSION for the PDF exporting.
We need a way to custom modify that either if we want a highly portable file or a nice and SHARP (but kinda bigger) file.
BTW about file sizes: the crap one was 69KB and the good 'printed' one was 195KB, not a really considerable difference in fact.
In reply to The thing is simple:… by victor.tabas
Edit => Preferences => Export
PDF
Resolution: xxx dpi <=Adjust this setting.
My dpi is 300
a sample export is attached.
In reply to Edit => Preferences =>… by Ziya Mete Demircan
Crisp and sharp even at highest zoom factor.
I believe the DPI setting affects embeded images only, but I'm not 100% sure there
Edit: just tested: even at the lowest possible setting, 75DPI, the score is still sharp and crisp and any zoom factor. And the filesize is almost exaclty the same
In reply to Edit => Preferences =>… by Ziya Mete Demircan
Yes i tried even with 2000 dpi (LOL!) and is the same for me, even almost didnt change file size at all, which is strange... should be really bigger..
In reply to Yes i tried even with 2000… by victor.tabas
Not for vector graphics, so not if your score doesn't contain any images
In reply to Not for vector graphics, so… by Jojo-Schmitz
Ok WTV... so they need to change that or let us customize it for better results.
In reply to Ok WTV... so they need to… by victor.tabas
The DPI is configurable, for images, the rest is at optimum already, there's nothing better thet vector graphics.
We'd need to find out why this doesn't work for you.
In reply to The DPI is configurable, vor… by Jojo-Schmitz
Well... no matter if theres 'nothing better than vector..' but for me is not any kind of better on the actual form. So it needs to change somehow.
In reply to OK here you go: First the… by victor.tabas
Please share a score. MuseScore's PDF are vector graphics, and as such scale and are crisp and sharp in any zoom factor, PDF printer files should be bitmaps and as such larger and blurry if zoomed.
I don't get why it would be the other way round for you, hence I'd need to see the score and play with it myself.
Maybe a difference between Windows, Mac and Linux, which are you using?
In reply to Please share a score… by Jojo-Schmitz
Lets see: i opened the exported file on Foxit viewer and thats the result: BLURRY file at 100% zoom. I opened the 'printed' one and it looks sharp at same zoom rate.
Of course if i zoom it more i can see more sharper... BUT THATS NOT THE IDEA.
I want to see my PDFs at aprox 100% zoom (depends on file..) über sharp.
So.. i think no need to share the score... i showed pictures of it here. So nothing is bad with my score file (*.mscz)
In reply to Lets see: i opened the… by victor.tabas
Share the score, and the PDFs, else we can't check and if we can't check we can't help nor fix.
What you're claiming to happen simply doesn't happen to me, not have I come accros tasn issue like that in the past 9+ years I'm here
In reply to Share the score, and the… by Jojo-Schmitz
Ok.... will do. Wait please.
In reply to Share the score, and the… by Jojo-Schmitz
Here you are:
Score, bad pdf, good pdf:
In reply to Here you are: Score, bad pdf… by victor.tabas
Crisp and sharp in Adobe Acrobat Reader, the smaller one even more than the larger (which overall is a but fatter), at 100% zoom.
At max. zoom, 6400% (!) the larter one shows artifacs, the smaller still scales up perfectly. Zoom in on a fermata, the dot is perfectly round in the smaller, but not in the larger.
And try select something with the mouse in either, that should show single elements in the smaller (vector graphics elements) and won't work at all in the larger (bitmap)
In reply to Crisp and sharp in Adobe… by Jojo-Schmitz
Dunno man... maybe its your eyes... (?)
But, i will try another viewers like Adobe or wtv. I were using Foxit.
(always at 100% zoom)
In reply to Dunno man... maybe its your… by victor.tabas
Maybe my eyes, but (much) more likely the viewer.
In reply to Here you are: Score, bad pdf… by victor.tabas
just like that?
In reply to just like that? by Shoichi
Same issue at 100% zoom on Foxit viewer.
In reply to Same issue at 100% zoom on… by victor.tabas
I'd blame it on Foxit then
In reply to I'd blame it on Foxit then by Jojo-Schmitz
Give me some time and i will compare other viewers.
In reply to Give me some time and i will… by victor.tabas
Maybe Foxit doesn't deal well with vector graphics?
You may not like Adobe, but is is definitly the reference platform (except when it comes to using its PDF printer, it is crap by default and needs an extra kick in the butt to render MuseScore files properly)
In reply to Maybe Foxit doesn't deal… by Jojo-Schmitz
Ok, i tested it:
Adobe Acrobat looks sharp with the exported file and inversely it looks poorer with the 'printed' one, as you said before.
Seems that Musescore its optimized for use with Adobe Acrobat, which is sh*t for me, always hated it long.
I love Foxit reader on the contrary.
So i hope they add an option when saving for disable the 'vector' thing and we can export it as the 'goodold' way, as the pdf printer does.
(i issued a Feature Request for that)
Meanwhile i will search another reader too instead of Acrobat or Foxit... i hope ill find one with same 'level' as Foxit.
Thanks for help. ^^
ps: anyway, ill keep using the printing workaround.., shamefully. I really hate Acrobat Reader.
In reply to Ok, i tested it: Adobe… by victor.tabas
MuseScore is defintily not optimized for Adobe (and there are times I hate it too), but for PDF viewers that deal with vectorized graphics properly, and apparently Foxit does not. There are other alternatives though.
But you may bring this issue up with foxit, ther have a forum too.
In reply to Ok, i tested it: Adobe… by victor.tabas
I use foxit and have no issue with MuseScore pdf.
In reply to I use foxit and have no… by frfancha
Ive updated to last Foxit version and problem persists.
So here really are your eyes....
In reply to Give me some time and i will… by victor.tabas
It appears that the Foxit software is performing some smoothing when viewing the file.
Try Sumatra PDF...
In reply to It appears that the Foxit… by Ziya Mete Demircan
Sumatra PDF is even open source, and to be preferred alone because of that ;-)
In reply to Sumatra PDF is even open… by Jojo-Schmitz
Thanks! I liked Sumatra and works nice with the exported file! :)
In reply to It appears that the Foxit… by Ziya Mete Demircan
I tried disabling the smoothing options and results are really REALLY poor... shouldn't disable it.
Even Acrobat (or any reader) uses a kind of anti alias, or wtv calling it, filter.
The problem here is that Foxit treats the PDFs on a different level.
In reply to Give me some time and i will… by victor.tabas
@victor.tabas, for comparison
In reply to Here you are: Score, bad pdf… by victor.tabas
BTW, the PDF printer file is vectorized too, not a bitmap as I thought. It doesn't have the fonts embeded though, so has the letters converted to paths. That's probably the difference in file size.
In reply to BTW, the PDF printer file is… by Jojo-Schmitz
Yes, in fact in Foxit i can select the things on the exported file but on the 'printed' one i cant, its like an image.
In reply to Yes, in fact in Foxit i can… by victor.tabas
It isn't a bitmap though (I believe, meanwhile), try opening it in InkScape for example, there are pathes, not pixels.
In reply to It isn't though (I believe,… by Jojo-Schmitz
I dont know what are you saying really. Dont know what a 'path' is.
But maybe is related on when i zoom the 'printed' one it looks even and sharp even at 99999999999% giant zoom.
An image (bitmap?) probably wouldnt do that and deteriorate on every zoom step.
Its like fonts without being fonts (?)
Maybe you referring to that with pathes, point A to point B -> draw a line.
In reply to I dont know what are you… by victor.tabas
Yes. Zoom in on a fermata, the bow's end, compare MuseScore export with PDF printer, see and admire MuseScore's PDF
![Print.png]( "Print.png")
![export.png]( "export.png")
PDF Print:
MuseScore export:
In reply to Yes. Zoom in on a fermata,… by Jojo-Schmitz
Lol but in fact i need to 'admire' it just at 100% zoom no more... :p
So Foxit dont allow me to select paths either and treats that like a bitmap.
In reply to Lol but in fact i need to … by victor.tabas
Those to images you showed above are pretty obviously at different sizes, so can't be both at 100%, the blury one is smaller. Not sure what antialiasing kicked in there, on your computer and screen. So it may not even be Foxit's fault (it isn't MuseScore's teither though)
In reply to Those to images you showed… by Jojo-Schmitz
So... you didnt even readed the P.S below the images dont you..?
In reply to So... you didnt even readed… by victor.tabas
Doesn't really matter, it seems you're comparing apples with oranges anyhow.
Looking at the 2 PDFs shows which is (slightly) superior (MuseScore export), and none is blurry, at no zoom level, not on my machine and Adobe
In reply to Doesn't really matter it… by Jojo-Schmitz
I think the case is solved, nothing much to add. Don't understand why you still pickin and arguing..
In reply to OK here you go: First the… by victor.tabas
Ok just created same RESOLUTION size images so nobody can use the 'different sizes' argument...
'Bad' PDF (in Foxit reader 100% zoom -in Adobe Reader looks fine-):
_
'Good' PDF:
_
Btw, i've dropped a post on the Foxit forums. :)
In reply to Ok just created same size… by victor.tabas
I'm glad you finally got the result you wanted. :)
In reply to I'm glad you finally got the… by Ziya Mete Demircan
Well, not really heh i want to be capable of using PDF files on Foxit.. thats the result i want. :p
Tx anyway :-)
In reply to Well, not really heh i want… by victor.tabas
Then best suggestion is to file a bug report with Foxit.
In reply to Then best suggestion is to… by Marc Sabatella
I did!