[OS X TeX] 'Too many open files' error with pdftex

[Kevin Walker]

When I run pdtex on a file with a large number of PNG figures, I get 
a 'Too many open files' error.  Looking through the archives for this 
list, I found the following work-around:

   \let\mypdfximage\pdfximage
   \protected\def\pdfximage{\immediate\mypdfximage}

BUT: using the above trick doubles the size of my (already too large) 
output PDF file.  Presumably all the graphic files are being included 
twice.

Is there another way to avoid the 'Too many open files' bug?

(I'm willing to recompile pdftex if someone would tell me how to 
reconfigure or patch it.)

Thanks,

Kevin


Here's the version info for my copy of pdftex:

[sh prompt] /usr/local/texlive/2007/bin/i386-darwin/pdftex --version
pdfTeX 3.141592-1.40.3-2.2 (Web2C 7.5.6)
kpathsea version 3.5.6
Copyright 2007 Peter Breitenlohner (eTeX)/Han The Thanh (pdfTeX).
Kpathsea is copyright 2007 Karl Berry and Olaf Weber.
There is NO warranty.  Redistribution of this software is
covered by the terms of both the pdfTeX copyright and
the Lesser GNU General Public License.
For more information about these matters, see the file
named COPYING and the pdfTeX source.
Primary author of pdfTeX: Peter Breitenlohner (eTeX)/Han The Thanh (pdfTeX).
Kpathsea written by Karl Berry, Olaf Weber, and others.

Compiled with libpng 1.2.15; using libpng 1.2.15
Compiled with zlib 1.2.3; using zlib 1.2.3
Compiled with xpdf version 3.01