Embedded images result in enormous filesize

Question

I'm using Illustrator to crop and arrange a number of raster images. However, I'm starting to have file management problems, because the Illustrator files quickly balloon in size.
Example: I got public domain jpg image of a deer off the Wikimedia Commons. This jpg image is 0.35MB. I opened up a new Illustrator document, placed and embedded the image, and saved the document (with the 'pdf compatible box' unchecked). The resulting Illustrator file is 7.7MB in size, over 20 times the size of the embedded jpg image.
I've looked around these fora, but other than the 'pdf compatible box', I couldn't find any good solutions. Could anyone suggest a workaround? Or is there some other option or preference that I could tweak? I need to use embedded images rather than links, but the files are getting out of control (>100MB).
The screen capture at the end of this post shows the situation. In the top folder in the screencapture, the image file is highlighted, so you can see the filesize. In the lower folder in the screencapture, the Illustrator file is highlighted, so you can see it's filesize. Then you can see the open Illustrator document on the right.
(edit: the forum software is no longer allowing me to add images, so I've put the screencapture on Google Drive here:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0Hoxcl5zTEtX0d3MlFQWnhSWEU/edit?usp=sharing)
The .ai file with the embedded image is here:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0Hoxcl5zTEtMGhiOVRnMnhSVGM/edit?usp=sharing
I'm using Illustrator CS6 64-bit, v16.0.3 on Windows 8-64.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated,
Tim

Answer 1

My IT guy told me a few years ago that the reason Illustrator links turn to garbage is because in Illustrator the entire filename location is used in remembering the link (not a relative link as you can use with a web site) and there is a limit of 256 characters, and it's an absolute link, meaning includes the root level server/disk name. For example if you use: MyMainServer/2013ClientProjects/PrettyLongClientName/TopofthelineProductline>DeliciousFla vorline/HeightWeightSizeline/ProductFancyLongName/Labelstructure/Links, for your folder hierarchy, you have used over 150 characters already for your links, and if you think you have the modern 256 characters for your filename, think again. If you get garbage links, then you have exceeded 256 characters in your absolute filename. Keep it short!!
Linking files is still the best, but you need short folder and file names, not too deep, and putting links in the same folder as the art are recommended.
Sort your items in the folder by naming them, not by putting them in folders (such as, start image names with "IMG_", other categories give them their own prefix.)
If you think you need to embed, think again. If you just need it to send a proof to the client, do one of two things: (1) take a screen shot (you have a big monitor right?) or (2) more professional, save an eps (then you will need to embed) and then process it into a pdf of the desired resolution in Distiller (then toss the eps of course). (Adjust settings of an existing setting to get the size you want and "Save As" settings if necessary in Distiller.)
If you are sending to a commercial printer, it really shouldn't matter in most cases how big the files are, but if you're sending a proof to your own printer and don't want to hog the bandwidth, do one of two above.
If you are worried about file size for storage, new 2T drives are about $120 and falling.
Sorry there is no simple answer, but that's the way it goes for those of use whose first application is Illustrator, not InDesign. It would be nice if somebody at adobe took a look at harmonizing functions such as saves, links/imports, tool behavior etc., across applications.