diff --git a/quad/quad/scribblings/quad.scrbl b/quad/quad/scribblings/quad.scrbl
index 8936b402..4da0bd6c 100644
--- a/quad/quad/scribblings/quad.scrbl
+++ b/quad/quad/scribblings/quad.scrbl
@@ -625,11 +625,17 @@ TK: OT feature attributes, bullet attributes
 (render-pdf
 [qx qexpr?]
 [pdf-path (or/c path? path-string? #false)]
-[#:replace replace? any/c #true])
+[base-dir (or/c path? path-string? (current-directory))]
+[#:replace replace? any/c #true]
+[#:compress compress? any/c #true])
 (or/c void? bytes?)]{
-Compute the layout for @racket[qx] and render it as a PDF to @racket[pdf-path]. If @racket[pdf-path] is @racket[#false], then the rendered PDF is returned as a @tech[#:doc '(lib "scribblings/guide/guide.scrbl")]{byte string}. Otherwise it is written to @racket[pdf-path]. 
+Compute the layout for @racket[qx] and render it as a PDF to @racket[pdf-path]. If @racket[pdf-path] is @racket[#false], then the rendered PDF is returned as a @tech[#:doc '(lib "scribblings/guide/guide.scrbl")]{byte string}. Otherwise it is written to @racket[pdf-path].
+
+The optional @racket[base-dir] argument sets a base directory for resolution of any relative path names passed as attribute values. The default is @racket[(current-directory)]. 
 
 The optional @racket[replace?] argument controls whether an existing file is automatically overwritten. The default is @racket[#true].
+
+The optional @racket[compress?] argument controls whether data inside the resulting PDF is compressed. The default is @racket[#true].
 }
 
 
diff --git a/quad/quadwriter/render.rkt b/quad/quadwriter/render.rkt
index 71ff4c4e..56c3482e 100644
--- a/quad/quadwriter/render.rkt
+++ b/quad/quadwriter/render.rkt
@@ -93,14 +93,14 @@
 (define (parse-dimension-strings! attrs)
   (for ([k (in-hash-keys attrs)]
         #:when (takes-dimension-string? k))
-       (hash-set! attrs k (parse-dimension (hash-ref attrs k))))
+       (hash-update! attrs k parse-dimension))
   attrs)
 
 (define (complete-every-path! attrs)
   ;; relies on `current-directory` being parameterized to source file's dir
-  (for ([(k v) (in-hash attrs)]
+  (for ([k (in-hash-keys attrs)]
         #:when (takes-path? k))
-       (hash-set! attrs k (path->string (path->complete-path v))))
+       (hash-update! attrs k (compose1 path->string path->complete-path)))
   attrs)
 
 (define (handle-cascading-attrs attrs)