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Re: Untagged PDF doc with table structure

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From: Chagnon | PubCom
Date: Feb 19, 2015 8:34PM

Since version 5.5, there's been no need to use the structure pane for accessible PDFs from InDesign. Just use the tools built into current versions of InDesign. It's worth upgrading to the latest version of InDesign, ver. CS 2014, because the export of accessible PDFs is more accurate. You're spending an awful lot more labor doing it the old way with an outdated version of the software.

Accessible PDFs don't need a nested, XML-like structure because at this time, the PDF's tag tree is read sequentially, so which tag is nested inside which is ignored by screen readers and other AT.

You can read a detailed tutorial I wrote for InDesign Magazine a few years ago for step-by-step instructions: Edition #46 February-March 2012 at www.InDesignMagazine.com Today's InDesign creates a more accurate PDF now than when I wrote this article, but the steps and tools remain the same.

Repeating what I wrote in a previous post regarding tags from InDesign:

In InDesign, certain tags must be set in the export tag options for each Paragraph Style:
Headings 1 through 6.
Artifacts (for text).
For everything else, leave the export tag options set to Auto. Auto does recognize:
- Tables (and if you've set repeating headers, it will put in the TH tag).
- Lists, both numbered and bulleted, as long as you've formatted them with a paragraph style setting bullets/numbers. No hand formatting.
- Hyperlinks if you've used the hyperlink utility.
- TOCs if you've used InDesign's TOC utility.
- Figures (add the Alt-text through the Object Export Options utility or through Adobe Bridge).
- And pretty much the core of any InDesign document.

Except for grouped items, anchored text frames, un-hyperlinked footnotes, un-hyperlinked indexes, and a whole lot more advanced features, the basics of an InDesign document are tagged correctly in the PDF.

And I have a hands-on class in creating accessible InDesign layouts & PDFs in a few weeks. Two seats are available for online distance learners. Contact me off-list if you'd like more information.

--Bevi Chagnon

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