HELP!! Very Large Spooling / File Size after Data Merge

Question

My question is: If the image is the same and only the text is different why not use the same image over and over again?
Here is what happens...
Using CS3 and XP (P4 2.4Ghz, 1GB Ram, 256MB Video Card) I have taken a postcard pdf (the backside) placed it in a document, then I draw a text box. Then I select a data source and put the fields I wish to print (Name, address, zip, etc.) in the text box.
Now, under the Create Merged Document menu I select Multiple Records and then use the Multiple Records Layout tab to adjust the placement of this postcard on the page. I use the preview multiple records option to lay out 4 postcards on my page. Then I merge the document (it has 426 records).
Now that my merged document is created with four postcards per page and the mailing data on each card I go to print. When I print the file it spools up huge! The PDF I orginally placed in the document is 2.48 MB but when it spools I can only print 25 pages at a time and that still takes FOREVER. So again my question is... If the image is the same and only the text is different why not use the same image over and over again?
How can I prevent the gigantic spooling? I have tried putting the PDF on the master page and then using the document page to create the merged document and still the same result. I have also tried createing a merged document with just the addresses then adding the the pdf on the Master page afterward but again, huge filesize while spooling. Am I missing something? Any help is appreciated :)

Answer 1

The size of the EMF spool file may become very large when you print a document that contains lots of raster data
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Article ID : 919543
Last Review : June 7, 2006
Revision : 2.0
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SYMPTOMS
CAUSE
RESOLUTION
STATUS
MORE INFORMATION
Steps to reproduce the problem
SYMPTOMS
When you print a document that contains lots of raster data, the size of the Enhanced Metafile (EMF) spool file may become very large. Files such as Adobe .pdf files or Microsoft Word .doc documents may contain lots of raster data. Adobe .pdf files and Word .doc documents that contain gradients are even more likely to contain lots of raster data.
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CAUSE
This problem occurs because Graphics Device Interface (GDI) does not compress raster data when the GDI processes EMF spool files and generates EMF spool files.
This problem is very prominent with printers that support higher resolutions. The size of the raster data increases by four times if the dots-per-inch (dpi) in the file increases by two times. For example, a .pdf file of 1 megabyte (MB) may generate an EMF spool file of 500 MB. Therefore, you may notice that the printing process decreases in performance.
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RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, bypass EMF spooling. To do this, follow these steps:1. Open the properties dialog box for the printer.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Click the Print directly to the printer option.
Note This will disable all print processor-based features such as the following features: N-up
Watermark
Booklet printing
Driver collation
Scale-to-fit
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STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
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MORE INFORMATION
Steps to reproduce the problem
1. Open the properties dialog box for any inbox printer.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Make sure that the Print directly to the printer option is not selected.
4. Click to select the Keep printed documents check box.
5. Print an Adobe .pdf document that contains many groups of raster data.
6. Check the size of the EMF spool file.