: Reducing file size of vector graphics I have a vector graphics that's quite strange: when I open the file in Illustrator, every single element (line, surface) is enclosed in a frame. Also, there

@Samaraweera207

Depending on how this file was generated and how it was saved, there is a possibility that those 'frames' that you are seeing are actually lots of little embedded image files. One for each triangle. While they look like polygons with a grey fill, they may in fact be polygons with a flat, grey image pasted inside (or masked by) them. This would potentially explain the large file size.

There are a couple of ways to find (if they are there) and get rid of these embedded images:


Open up the links palette. If my theory is right then you will have a long list of embedded image files in there. You can then select them all in the links palette and use the 'go to link' button at the bottom to select them and then delete them
Use the Direct Selection (white arrow) tool to select the shape only. Click on any one of the lines making up the polygons, then go to Select > Same > Fill and stroke. Next, go to Select > Inverse and hit delete. Everything that is not a line should get killed.


In either case you will then have to replace the colour of the polygons with actual fill colours if you want to restore the appearance, but your new file will be considerably smaller.

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@Frith110

You only have one problem although you described two. Your first observation, "every single element is enclosed in a frame" is not a concern for file size. If what you are calling a "frame" is really a "mask", then these masks are also vector and hardly contribute to the file size.

There is hope to reduce file size in your second problem, "there is a part that is not visible but it's still there." This sounds like your file contains many, many masks. There are two ways you can delete unwanted masks and their elements. Or do a combination of these two:


Use the Layers Palette and start opening layers embedded inside layers. After digging deep in the layers, you will find each Mask is a parent layer. Delete these unwanted layers (Masks) by selecting the Trash Can icon at the bottom of the palette.
My favorite trick when deleting unwanted Masked Items is to use the Direct Select Tool (A) - also called the Open Arrow Tool. *You have to use the Direct Select Tool, not just the Select Tool. If you can see all the unwanted masks in Outline Mode, then (with the Open Arrow Tool selected) click and drag a large area to grab any part of the unwanted masked lines. Now that you have some of the unwanted lines selected, you can hit the delete key.


A bonus trick if using solution 2, after selecting part of the unwanted lines with the Open Arrow Tool, do these steps in order 1) Copy, 2) Paste, 3)Undo, and 4)Delete. Pretty cool, eh? The Undo step will go back to select your partial selection AS WELL AS select all the lines that are associated with that mask. This removes many unnecessary clicking and dragging.

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