---
name: "deillustrate"
section: "1p"
platform: "linux"
package: "libcam-pdf-perl"
version: "1.60-5"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/deillustrate"
---

# deillustrate(1p)

Remove Adobe Illustrator metadata from a PDF file

## NAME

deillustrate - Remove Adobe Illustrator metadata from a PDF file

## SYNOPSIS

```
 deillustrate [options] infile.pdf [outfile.pdf]\n";
 Options:
   -o --order          preserve the internal PDF ordering for output
   -v --verbose        print diagnostic messages
   -h --help           verbose help message
   -V --version        print CAM::PDF version
```

## DESCRIPTION

Adobe Illustrator has a very handy feature that allows an author to embed special metadata in a PDF that allows Illustrator to reopen the file fully editable.  However, this extra data does increase the size of the PDF unnecessarily if no further editing is expected, as is the case for most PDFs that will be distributed on the web.  Depending on the PDF, this can dramatically reduce the file size.

This program uses a few heuristics to find and delete the Illustrator-specific data.  This program also removes embedded thumbnail representations of the PDF for further byte savings.

## SEE ALSO

CAM::PDF

## AUTHOR

See CAM::PDF