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Re: tagging PDF's

for

From: Bevi Chagnon
Date: Mar 22, 2012 7:39AM

Karen wrote: "While it is preferable to have both the Tags Panel and the
Order Panel match up, adaptive technology reads through the Tags Tree so
making sure it is correct is the goal."

I've come across some AT (other than screen readers) that do use the PDF's
Reading Order but I can't recall which ones off the top of my head.

Keep in mind that Acrobat's Reflow utility is one that follows the Reading
Order, sort of. Reflow doesn't follow Reading Order precisely, but there is
a definite correlation for most of the items on a PDF's page. I've learned
that Reflow is being taught to low-vision users so that they can more easily
enlarge text and navigate through a multi-column PDF.

Dana, in InDesign, you can control the PDF's RO through the Articles and
Layers panels. The sequence in the Articles panel is top down, that is the
top most item will be read first in the PDF's RO. In the Layers panel, it's
the opposite: the bottom most item will be read first in the PDF's RO.

So put the 2 panels side-by-side on your monitor and try to get them to
match up, top down and bottom up. It won't be perfect because the Layers
panel will have more items in it than the Articles panel, but get as close
as you can.

One suggestion: minimize the number of layers used in InDesign to make it
easier to rearrange the order of layout items. INDD is not Photoshop and
most layouts don't need layers to create the visual design, but many
designers have gotten into the habit of using them unnecessarily.

- Bevi Chagnon

PS: The latest issue of InDesign Magazine has my article about making
accessible PDFs from InDesign layouts. http://indesignmag.com/ It's not my
full 3-day class, but it does cover the basics and should help you on this
project.

--
Bevi Chagnon | <EMAIL REMOVED>
PubCom - Trainers, consultants, designers, and developers
Print, Web, Acrobat, XML, eBooks, and Federal Section 508
--
* It's our 30th Year! *

-----Original Message-----
While it is preferable to have both the Tags Panel and the Order Panel match
up, adaptive technology reads through the Tags Tree so making sure it is
correct is the goal. There are some documents where you simply can't get the
two to match up. There is also a bug when converting Word documents
containing images to tagged PDF where the images will always be placed at
the bottom of the page items in the Order Panel no matter where they are on
the page. The Tags will be correct but the Order Panel is "off."

As long as the Tags are correct and in the correct order, you should be
good.

Cheers, Karen

-----Original Message-----
I have a dilemma. I created a document in InDesign and tagged every header,
paragraph and photo. I then set the tags in the proper reading order and
export to a tagged pdf file. The tags come across perfectly and in the right
order. But when I look at the reading order panel, the order is off. Do
screen readers read the tags in the order they are listed in the tag panel
or do I need to go by what I see in the reading order panel, which is
different.

Dana Tallon