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Re: Use of <H> tag in PDF

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From: Duff Johnson
Date: Aug 29, 2013 7:19AM

> Trying to get clarification for a client who was instructed by his agency's
> accessibility office to use the <H> tag in PDFs, not <H1>, <H2>, etc.
>
> <H> is a predefined accessibility tag in Acrobat, but does anyone actually
> use it? If so, are there any drawbacks to using it for all headings or maybe
> just the top-level heading or title of a document?

The correct use of the <H> tag in PDF depends on valid nesting of the tag tree. For this reason (among others) I do not believe that <H> is as well-supported by today's AT as are enumerated headings (corrections are welcome).

> I think the client was misguided and should use <H1>, <H2>, etc., but he's
> afraid of getting cited for not obeying his agency's "rules."

No-one's "rules" should require the use of <H> over <H#>; that's absurd. H2, H3, etc. are *certainly* safer than <H> in terms of AT support.

> Maybe another way to ask my question is: Do you think it is wrong to use <H>
> for either the title of a document or all the headings in a document?

Yes.

HTH

Duff.