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From: Karlen Communications
Date: Apr 2, 2019 9:15AM
Subject: Unique ID for PDF <Note> Tag?
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I have an accessible Word document that I've used for years and have updated
the file format and accessibility features about every 6 months or when I am
doing a workshop. I save the Word document as a tagged PDF document for
each workshop that I do in order to get any changes to the tagging tools.
Yesterday when I converted the Word document to tagged PDF using both the
Adobe Acrobat Ribbon for one iteration and the Microsoft conversion tool for
another iteration/perspective, I get an error on the <Note> Tag when I run
the PAC 3.
The error says I need an ID on the <Note> Tag.
The ability in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC to fix all PDF/UA problems won't fix
that one.I tried.
I've now spent time looking online for exactly what the syntax/semantics for
a <Note> Tag ID are and couldn't find any information.
I know where the ID would go in the Tag Properties dialog but have no idea
how to write one. Is there a specific number of characters, does it include
letters, if there is more than one <Note> Tag do the ID's have to be
sequential? Can I just press the Spacebar and be done with it?
Since this is a technical specification for ISO 32000 and ISO 14289, why
isn't it being done by the conversion tools?
Help?
Cheers, Karen
From: Philip Kiff
Date: Apr 2, 2019 10:44AM
Subject: Re: Unique ID for PDF <Note> Tag?
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I normally use 3rd-party software that includes a "one-click" fix to
PDFs that are missing Note tag IDs. I don't think any Microsoft or
Acrobat PDF conversion engines add Note IDs correctly. My current
up-to-date, but not bleeding edge, versions don't.
In terms of what the spec requires, I think you can just type in any old
ID that you like in that field in Acrobat as long as it is unique in the
ID tree. There is no value or need for the numbers to be sequential.
According to the PDF32000_2008 spec (Table 323 on page 558) it should be
a "byte string". The field is (Optional) in that spec but became
required in PDF/UA.
There is a site called taggedpdf.com from Kenny Moore that includes some
additional notes about this:
https://taggedpdf.com/508-pdf-help-center/id-missing-in-note-structure-element/
That page includes an embedded YouTube video with closed captions
explaining how to use Acrobat Professional to make the required change:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VAmFag6FHc
According to Kenny Moore in this video, the requirement to include
unique Note IDs is actually a mistake of some kind in PDF/UA: it is a
leftover requirement from when the PDF/UA folks intended to do manage
Note tags in some other way. Also, Moore claims that there is absolutely
no current accessibility benefit from actually using unique IDs. And
indeed, as far as I know, these IDs are not used by any machine reading
software or assistive technology for any purpose whatsoever.
Phil
Philip Kiff
D4K Communications
On 2019-04-02 11:15, Karlen Communications wrote:
> I have an accessible Word document that I've used for years and have updated
> the file format and accessibility features about every 6 months or when I am
> doing a workshop. I save the Word document as a tagged PDF document for
> each workshop that I do in order to get any changes to the tagging tools.
>
> Yesterday when I converted the Word document to tagged PDF using both the
> Adobe Acrobat Ribbon for one iteration and the Microsoft conversion tool for
> another iteration/perspective, I get an error on the <Note> Tag when I run
> the PAC 3.
>
> The error says I need an ID on the <Note> Tag.
>
> The ability in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC to fix all PDF/UA problems won't fix
> that one.I tried.
>
> I've now spent time looking online for exactly what the syntax/semantics for
> a <Note> Tag ID are and couldn't find any information.
>
> I know where the ID would go in the Tag Properties dialog but have no idea
> how to write one. Is there a specific number of characters, does it include
> letters, if there is more than one <Note> Tag do the ID's have to be
> sequential? Can I just press the Spacebar and be done with it?
>
> Since this is a technical specification for ISO 32000 and ISO 14289, why
> isn't it being done by the conversion tools?
>
> Help?
>
> Cheers, Karen
From: Karlen Communications
Date: Apr 2, 2019 11:12AM
Subject: Re: Unique ID for PDF <Note> Tag?
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Thank you! For some reason this resource didn't appear when I did a search.
Cheers, Karen
From: Philip Kiff < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Sent: Tuesday, April 2, 2019 12:44 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >; Karlen Communications < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Unique ID for PDF <Note> Tag?
I normally use 3rd-party software that includes a "one-click" fix to PDFs that are missing Note tag IDs. I don't think any Microsoft or Acrobat PDF conversion engines add Note IDs correctly. My current up-to-date, but not bleeding edge, versions don't.
In terms of what the spec requires, I think you can just type in any old ID that you like in that field in Acrobat as long as it is unique in the ID tree. There is no value or need for the numbers to be sequential. According to the PDF32000_2008 spec (Table 323 on page 558) it should be a "byte string". The field is (Optional) in that spec but became required in PDF/UA.
There is a site called taggedpdf.com from Kenny Moore that includes some additional notes about this:
https://taggedpdf.com/508-pdf-help-center/id-missing-in-note-structure-element/
That page includes an embedded YouTube video with closed captions explaining how to use Acrobat Professional to make the required change:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VAmFag6FHc
According to Kenny Moore in this video, the requirement to include unique Note IDs is actually a mistake of some kind in PDF/UA: it is a leftover requirement from when the PDF/UA folks intended to do manage Note tags in some other way. Also, Moore claims that there is absolutely no current accessibility benefit from actually using unique IDs. And indeed, as far as I know, these IDs are not used by any machine reading software or assistive technology for any purpose whatsoever.
Phil
Philip Kiff
D4K Communications
On 2019-04-02 11:15, Karlen Communications wrote:
I have an accessible Word document that I've used for years and have updated
the file format and accessibility features about every 6 months or when I am
doing a workshop. I save the Word document as a tagged PDF document for
each workshop that I do in order to get any changes to the tagging tools.
Yesterday when I converted the Word document to tagged PDF using both the
Adobe Acrobat Ribbon for one iteration and the Microsoft conversion tool for
another iteration/perspective, I get an error on the <Note> Tag when I run
the PAC 3.
The error says I need an ID on the <Note> Tag.
The ability in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC to fix all PDF/UA problems won't fix
that one.I tried.
I've now spent time looking online for exactly what the syntax/semantics for
a <Note> Tag ID are and couldn't find any information.
I know where the ID would go in the Tag Properties dialog but have no idea
how to write one. Is there a specific number of characters, does it include
letters, if there is more than one <Note> Tag do the ID's have to be
sequential? Can I just press the Spacebar and be done with it?
Since this is a technical specification for ISO 32000 and ISO 14289, why
isn't it being done by the conversion tools?
Help?
Cheers, Karen