WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: PDFs that read one word per line

for

From: Moore,Michael (DARS)
Date: Jan 26, 2010 7:12AM


A quick check of the document with Adobe Pro indicates that the document is not tagged. The best course of action would be for the person who created the document to do the following.

1. Check the source document and make sure that it structurally sound. (Uses headings, properly structured tables, and lists, and that the paragraphs are complete - ie there is not a paragraph break at the end of each line)
2. Reconvert the document and make sure that the option to create a tagged PDF is enabled. The location of this setting depends upon the converter that is being used. If you are using Acrobat Standard or Pro with Office 2007 you will find this on the Acrobat Tab under preferences, just make sure that the enable accessibility and reflow with tagged PDF.
3. Given the structure of the document it should work pretty well but can be tested in Adobe Pro.

More information on Adobe is available at http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/products/acrobat/training.html

PDFs may not be perfect but something as simple as your example should be able to be made to work pretty well.

Mike Moore

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Geof Collis
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 7:55 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] PDFs that read one word per line

Hi Everett

It is my understanding that the CNIB has a course on how to create
accessible pdf documents. :O)

cheers

Geof
At 08:29 AM 1/26/2010, you wrote:
>Good morning,
>
>Once in a while I run across a PDF that reads with JAWS one word per
>line (example URL below). Even when saving the PDF as text the
>content is saved one word per line. Can anyone tell me if there is a
>common structural error that people are making with these documents,
>and if so what it might be?
>
>Example PDF document that reads and saves one word per line:
>http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/pdfs/board/10jan18/12.pdf
>
>Thanks,
>Everett
>
>Follow me on Twitter
>http://twitter.com/ezufelt
>
>View my LinkedIn Profile
>http://www.linkedin.com/in/ezufelt
>
>
>
>