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Re: More problems with tables, PDF, and screen readers

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From: chagnon
Date: Apr 4, 2018 8:30AM

Hi Glenn,

Karen and Duff gave excellent advice about the other issues in your post.

Here are my comments about the use of Save As PDF without having Acrobat or Adobe PDF Maker installed.

First, there is a big difference in how various software programs convert a source document (like a Word file) into a PDF. The key concept here is that a utility, script, program, etc., must convert or translate the original file into something else. Some software do a better job of that.

Second, a regular PDF is different from one that is accessible per the PDF/UA-1 standard. In order to get an accessible PDF from a Word document, the conversion program must be able to meet the current PDF/UA-1 requirements, not just the requirements of a regular PDF. Again, some programs do a better job, especially in keeping up to date with the latest standards, requirements and industry recommendations.

I believe that the File / Save As / PDF utility that ships with Word is Microsoft's conversion utility and I have not been satisfied with it for most documents that my firm has tested. Simple documents with just text and headings seem to be fine, but not those with more complex items like tables.

I just took my Word file for testing tables and exported it 2 ways; one through Adobe Acrobat PDF Maker plug-in and the other via MS Word's Save As PDF utility.

— The Acrobat PDF Maker version was perfect; one table tag holding a 3-page table with both Row and Column Header TH tags.

— The Word Save As PDF version had the problem you're seeing; 3 separate table tags, one on each page. Each table did have both the Row and Column Header TH Tags.

So I think the problem you're seeing in your files is that the Word Save As PDF utility isn't doing the job right.

For those still reading, similar accessibility "shortcomings" happen when the Print to PDF option is used.

Four options:

1. Continue to use your current Save As PDF method and then manually fix the PDF in Acrobat Pro DC or another PDF remediation program.

2. Purchase Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and let it install the PDF Maker utility into your Word ribbon. Then use the Acrobat ribbon to export compliant PDFs from Word.

3. Purchase CommonLook Office Global Access, which does the same job as Acrobat Pro and makes compliant PDFs from Word.

4. Complain to Microsoft about its poor Save As PDF utility. If users don't complain to the software companies, we'll never get the tools we need to make our ICT accessible. The URL to submit feature requests for all Microsoft products is at https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/o365guy/2018/01/02/submit-product-feedback-or-feature-requests-to-microsofts-virtual-suggestion-boxes/

For Word, it's at https://word.uservoice.com/

Hope this helps you solve the mystery.
—Bevi

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Bevi Chagnon, founder/CEO | <EMAIL REMOVED>
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PubCom: Technologists for Accessible Design + Publishing
consulting ' training ' development ' design ' sec. 508 services
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