Category: Accessible PDF Best Practices

ACCESSIBILITY TESTING: How to Copy Comments from One PDF to Another

Posted on by Mary Gillen

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC Comment Icons

As an accessibility testing auditor & remediator, I provide commented layouts in PDF format to website developers to help them fix the sections of web pages that need to meet WCAG 2.1 Guideline compliance.

Many of the web pages have the same header and footer content. It is time consuming to have to comment the same sections over and over again for each PDF website page layout.

SO…HERE’S THE FIX

1) In Acrobat Pro DC, add comments to the header and footer (or any other sections that are consistent on all the website pages you are testing) of a “master” layout PDF file…most likely the Home Page. Save the PDF file.

PDF Comments - Files

2) In Acrobat Pro DC, open the “clean” copy of the PDF where you want to import the comments.

3) Click the Comment Tool to open the Comments panel.

Adobe Acrobat DC Comment Tool

4) Click on the three dots in the top right corner of the Comments panel.

5) Select Import Data File.

Import Data File in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

6) In the Import Comments dialog, select the PDF file that contains the tester’s comments you want to import.

7) Click Open and the comments will be imported into the “clean” PDF. Save the PDF.

Import Comments - After

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PDF Accessibility Remediation How to Fix 40 Common Errors

Whether you have limited experience with the PDF remediation process, are expanding your knowledge on how to remediate PDFs, or simply need a resource that can help remind you how to fix a frustrating error, the info provided in this e-book can help.

Download now.

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ACCESSIBLE PDFs: Discover How to Correct Typos in Tagged Text

Posted on by Mary Gillen

Four Adobe PDF Icons in a row

What happens when your tagged text doesn’t match visual text?

Even though the text in your PDF looks correct, there may be typos or extra spacing behind the scenes that causes screen readers to announce the content incorrectly.

Tagged text must be free from line breaks and split words. The Adobe Accessibility Checker does not alert you to these issues.

Here’s how you can determine the back-end content issues and fix them, using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

How to Figure Out What is Wrong with the Content

1) Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

2) Select File > Save as > Text (Plain).

3) Save the file to your computer.

4) Open the text file in Microsoft Word.

5) Use the grammar and spell check tools to find typos or spacing issues.

How to Fix These Problems in the PDF File

1) With the PDF open in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, select the Tags Tree

Tags Tree Icon in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

2) Locate the tag containing the typo or spacing issue.

3) Right click and select Copy Contents to Clipboard

Copy Contents to Clipboard Command in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

4) Right click the tag again and select Properties

Properties option in Adobe Acrobat Pro

5) Paste the copied content into the “Actual Text” field and make the corrections.

Actual Text field in Object Properties of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

6) Save the PDF file.

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PDF Accessibility Remediation How to Fix 40 Common Errors

Whether you have limited experience with the PDF remediation process, are expanding your knowledge on how to remediate PDFs, or simply need a resource that can help remind you how to fix a frustrating error, the info provided in this e-book can help.

Download now.

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HOW TO: Batch Process PDF Files to Text Files

Posted on by Mary Gillen
Four Adobe PDF Icons in a row

Exporting a PDF document to a text file can be accomplished using the File > Save As process using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

But what if you have hundreds of PDFs that you need to convert to text so that the content can be imported into a database? And what if some of those PDF files are scanned documents that also need to be converted to text as well?

The good news is you can create an action to run this “batch” conversion using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1) Gather all the PDF files you want to convert to text in one directory on your computer.

2) Open Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

3) Select the “Tools” from the main Acrobat toolbar.

4) Double-click on “Action Wizard” tool icon or click the Open button to access to tool controls.

Adobe Acrobat PDF Action Wizard button

5) Click on “New Action” icon on the “Action Wizard” toolbar to create a new batch processing “action”.

6) In the right column (Action steps to show) of the Create Action dialog box, click the folder icon, then choose the directory on your computer where the PDFs that need to be converted are located.

7) Under the Choose tools to add column on the left side, click the Recognize Text option. Click the right arrow in the middle column to add the tool to the batch action.

8) Under the Choose tools to add column on the left side, click the Save & Export option. Click the right arrow in the middle column to add the tool to the batch action.

9) Under the Action steps to show column on the right side, click the Save option. Click on the Security Settings option. In the Output Options dialog, select the Keep original file names option. Click the Export File(s) to Alternate Format button. From the Export to: dropdown menu, select Text (Plain). Click the OK button.

10) Click the Save button. In the Save Action dialog, type in the Action Name. Add a (optional) description. Click the Save button.

How to Run the Batch Conversion

1) From the Action Wizard, click on the Batch Action Name from the Action List.

NOTE: If the folder where the PDFs you want to batch does not show up, you can select it by clicking Add Folder > Add Folder, then navigating to the directory where the PDFs are located.

2) Click the blue Start button to begin the batch process.

3) The converted text files should be saved in the same directory as the original PDFs.

REMEDIATING PDFs: How to Fix 40 Common Errors

Posted on by Mary Gillen

 PDF Accessibillity Remediation: How to Fix 40 Common Errors

REMEDIATION HELP: “PDF Accessibility Remediation: How to Fix 40 Common Errors” by Mary Gillen.

Step-by-step guide…available for immediate download >> https://accessiblewebsiteservices.com/how-to-fix-40-pdf-accessibility-errors/ #pdf #accessibility #PDF #stepbystep #instruction #diy

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ACCESSIBLE PDFs: How to Make Math Formulas Accessible to Screen Readers

Posted on by Mary Gillen

Four Adobe PDF Icons in a row

NOTE: Have been receiving lots of questions concerning the accessibility of math and scientific formulas in PDF documents. This post is the first in a series of how to make STEM content accessible in different document content.

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Sometimes just complying with basic standards is not enough if you want your PDF document content to be accessible to all assistive technologies.

Case in point: consider STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) formulas.

According to PDF/UA accessibility guidelines, “All mathematical expressions shall be enclosed within a Formula tag and shall have an ALT attribute.”

How to Describe an Equation

Have a look at this math equation:

m equals begin fraction m sub 0 over begin square root 1 minus begin fraction v sup 2 over c sup 2 end fraction end square root end fraction

You have to remember that the screen reader user is listening to the equation, so its ALT text description would be set to:

ALT=”m equals begin fraction m sub 0 over begin square root 1 minus begin fraction v sup 2 over c sup 2 end fraction end square root end fraction” [SOURCE]

Advice from Adobe

“Because speech software may handle Formula tags differently from normal text, it may be necessary to add a description using alternate text.”

However…

…according to Ted Page of Accessible Digital Documents, if you do so, the content may not be read by some earlier versions of the NVDA screen reader, with or without an ALT attribute.

Solutions That You Should Test

  1. Nest a <P> tag in the Formula tag that has a text alternative in an Actual Text attribute. This content can be accessed by NVDA.

    P tag nested in Formula tag
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    Actual Text option in PDF file

  2. The Formula tag is an inline level element. If it is used as a block level element, the attribute “Placement: Block” is required. Otherwise some assistive technologies are not able to present it correctly. Follow these steps:

    1. In the Acrobat Pro Tags pane, right click the Formula tag.
    2. Select Properties.
    3. On the Tag tab of the Object Properties dialog, click the Edit Attribute Objects button.
    4. In the Attributes dialog, if there is not a “/Attribute Object # <<Dictionary>>” item, click the New Item button.
    5. Select “/Attribute Object # <<Dictionary>>” and click the New Item button.
    6. In the Add Key and Value dialog, enter Placement in the Key field, and Block in the Value field. Leave Name as the Value Type.
    7. Click OK.

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PDF Accessibility Remediation How to Fix 40 Common Errors

Whether you have limited experience with the PDF remediation process, are expanding your knowledge on how to remediate PDFs, or simply need a resource that can help remind you how to fix a frustrating error, the info provided in this e-book can help.

Download now.

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ACCESSIBLE PDFs: How to Remediate a PDF Document with NVDA for Accessibility

Posted on by Mary Gillen

Five PDF icons in a row

Watch as Certified Accessibility Professional Dax Castro remediates a PDF using NDVA (screen reader) to test and ensure a good user experience. You can also learn NVDA shortcuts while creating an accessible PDF document.

Video Dax Castro Remediate PDF with NVDA

Learn more about Dax at section5oh8.com

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PDF Accessibility Remediation How to Fix 40 Common Errors

Whether you have limited experience with the PDF remediation process, are expanding your knowledge on how to remediate PDFs, or simply need a resource that can help remind you how to fix a frustrating error, the info provided in this e-book can help.

Download now.

ACCESSIBLE PDFs: How to Fix Nested Alternate Text Failed Error

Posted on by Mary Gillen

Four Adobe PDF Icons in a row

Screen readers don’t read alternate text for nested elements.

If alternate text does exist in your PDF’s nested elements, you will see the Nested alternate text -failed error when using the Accessibility Checker in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

Adobe Acrobat Nested alternate text - Failed error

Here’s how to fix the problem:

1) In Adobe Acrobat Pro DC Accessibility Checker sidebar, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac OS) on the error, then select Show in Tags panel.

Adobe Acrobat Show in Tags Panel

2) In the Tags panel, Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac OS) on the  nested element and choose Properties from the context menu.

3) Remove the Alternate Text from the Object Properties dialog box, and then click the Close button.

Remove alternate text

4) Save the PDF file.

5) Test the PDF again in using the Adobe Acrobat DC Pro Accessibility Checker.

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PDF Accessibility Remediation How to Fix 40 Common Errors

Whether you have limited experience with the PDF remediation process, are expanding your knowledge on how to remediate PDFs, or simply need a resource that can help remind you how to fix a frustrating error, the info provided in this e-book can help.

Download now.

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ACCESSIBLE PDFs: How to Correct “F” or “UF” Key Missing in File Specification Error

Posted on by Mary Gillen

Four Adobe PDF Icons in a row

Using InDesign to export a PDF file?

Sometimes you will find the error “‘F’ or ‘UF’ key missing in file specification” when checking the accessibility of the PDF in PAC 3.

PAC 3 Error F or UF

Here’s how to fix it, using Adobe Acrobat Pro:

1) Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

2) Select More Tools > Print Production >Preflight.

3) Select the Acrobat Pro DC 2015 Profiles from the drop-down within the Preflight dialog box.

How to correct F or UF key using Preflight Tool in Adobe Acrobat Pro

4) Click the blue wrench icon.

5) Under the Document category, select the Insert missing F and UF entries for embedded files option.

6) Press the Fix button in the bottom right corner of the dialog.

7) Save the PDF file.

8) Test the PDF again in PAC 3.

PAC 3 F or UF Key Error Corrected

9) The original error should now “pass” as accessible.

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PDF Accessibility Remediation How to Fix 40 Common Errors

Whether you have limited experience with the PDF remediation process, are expanding your knowledge on how to remediate PDFs, or simply need a resource that can help remind you how to fix a frustrating error, the info provided in this e-book can help.

Download now.

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ACCESSIBLE PDFs: How to Correct Typos in Tagged Text

Posted on by Mary Gillen

Four Adobe PDF Icons in a row

What happens when your tagged text doesn’t match visual text?

Even though the text in your PDF looks correct, there may be typos or extra spacing behind the scenes that causes screen readers to announce the content incorrectly.

Tagged text must be free from line breaks and split words. The Adobe Accessibility Checker does not alert you to these issues.

Here’s how you can determine the back-end content issues and fix them, using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

How to Figure Out What is Wrong with the Content

1) Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

2) Select File > Save as > Text (Plain).

3) Save the file to your computer.

4) Open the text file in Microsoft Word.

5) Use the grammar and spell check tools to find typos or spacing issues.

How to Fix These Problems in the PDF File

1) With the PDF open in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, select the Tags Tree

Tags Tree Icon in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

2) Locate the tag containing the typo or spacing issue.

3) Right click and select Copy Contents to Clipboard

Copy Contents to Clipboard Command in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

4) Right click the tag again and select Properties

Properties option in Adobe Acrobat Pro

5) Paste the copied content into the “Actual Text” field and make the corrections.

Actual Text field in Object Properties of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

6) Save the PDF file.

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Instant Download!

PDF Accessibility Remediation How to Fix 40 Common Errors

Whether you have limited experience with the PDF remediation process, are expanding your knowledge on how to remediate PDFs, or simply need a resource that can help remind you how to fix a frustrating error, the info provided in this e-book can help.

Download now.

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ACCESSIBLE PDFs: How to Set the Document Root

Posted on by Mary Gillen

Human hands holding a young green plant

Every PDF document needs a “root.”

I get this question all the time from fellow PDF remediators:

“I am getting this error: ‘”Part” structure element used as root element.’ How can I fix it?”

You need to set the root of the PDF as “Document.”

HERE’S THE FIX

1) In the Acrobat Pro DC Tags pane, create a new Document tag and position it at the root under the Tags tree.

Accessibility Tag Pane Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

2) Select the rest of the tag structure and drag it inside (under) the root Document tag.

3) Save the file.

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Instant Download!

PDF Accessibility Remediation How to Fix 40 Common Errors

Whether you have limited experience with the PDF remediation process, are expanding your knowledge on how to remediate PDFs, or simply need a resource that can help remind you how to fix a frustrating error, the info provided in this e-book can help.

Download now.

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