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Re: PDF Remediation Tools

for

From: Duff Johnson
Date: Feb 17, 2013 10:15AM

Validation software may be restricted to syntax and similar issues, ignoring the task of evaluating reading order and tag choices. In such cases a file may easily "pass" this-or-that 'checker' with incorrectly ordered content and leaving tables tagged as figures (among many, many other issues).

To assure high-quality results, software that addresses accessibility in PDF files needs to account for the following:

- Verifying that the document's reading order is represented in the structure tree.

- Verifying that the tagging represents the semantic structures present.

Those interested in such software need to consider whether (and how) their chosen implementations address these needs.

The following information may be of interest.

- Advisory to vendors planning tools to create, check or repair PDF files for accessibility:

http://duff-johnson.com/2013/02/14/warning-human-judgment-required-for-pdfua-conformance/

- Update on the status of Matterhorn Protocol development:

http://www.pdfa.org/2013/01/pdfua-validation-the-matterhorn-protocol/

- Vendors planning support for PDF/UA:

http://duff-johnson.com/software-supporting-pdfua/

Duff Johnson

Independent Consultant
ISO 32000 Intl. Project Co-Leader, US Chairman
ISO 14289 US Chairman
PDF Association Vice-Chairman

+1 617 283 4226
<EMAIL REMOVED>
http://duff-johnson.com