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Number of posts in this thread: 7 (In chronological order)

From: Sherman, Joseph
Date: Tue, Jun 06 2023 10:27AM
Subject: Adobe update breaks Alt-Text?
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Hello all. I just updated to Acrobat 2023.003.20201 and PDF Library 23.3.223. When I converted a Word to PDF, all the Alt-Text were changed to things like "P57#yIS1".

Is this just me or did Adobe reintroduce this bug?

Joseph Sherman
Digital Accessibility Analyst
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = <mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >

From: chagnon
Date: Tue, Jun 06 2023 2:25PM
Subject: Re: Adobe update breaks Alt-Text?
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Oh NO! Say it ain't so, Joe!

Tested with our sample using Word 365 build 16327.20248 and PDF Maker/Producer 23.1.206 (earlier than yours, Joseph) and the PDF was fine.

Will update our Acrobat PDF Maker to match Joseph's and try to confirm the bug.

In the meantime, if you're having problems, switch to the built-in MS utility, File / Save As PDF.

— — —
Bevi Chagnon | Designer, Accessibility Technician | = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
— — —
PubCom: Technologists for Accessible Design + Publishing
consulting • training • development • design • sec. 508 services
Upcoming classes at www.PubCom.com/classes
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Latest blog-newsletter – Simple Guide to Writing Alt-Text

From: Steve Green
Date: Tue, Jun 06 2023 3:30PM
Subject: Re: Adobe update breaks Alt-Text?
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I'm afraid it's as Joe says. PDF Maker was working ok, but I just updated Acrobat to v23.003.20201 (32-bit) and I now get the same nonsense Alternate Text that Joe mentioned.

Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd

From: chagnon
Date: Tue, Jun 06 2023 4:16PM
Subject: Re: Adobe update breaks Alt-Text?
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URGENT NOTICE TO ALL:
Please, TURN OFF auto-update for your copy of Adobe Acrobat. Stay with the previous version, build 23.001.xxxx. PDF Maker is part of Adobe Acrobat itself. And spread this around your office to your colleagues and IT department.

Instructions to help you check your version is on our blog, https://www.pubcom.com/blog/software-versions/index.shtml

The new version that's not working was released on June 6 — today.

Joseph, can you post the problem to the Acrobat UserVoice website? Let us know the post's URL so we all can chime to "encourage" Adobe to put some muscle on the fix! I'll let the engineering team know about it, too.

— — —
Bevi Chagnon | Designer, Accessibility Technician | = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
— — —
PubCom: Technologists for Accessible Design + Publishing
consulting • training • development • design • sec. 508 services
Upcoming classes at www.PubCom.com/classes
— — —
Latest blog-newsletter – Simple Guide to Writing Alt-Text

From: Philip Kiff
Date: Tue, Jun 06 2023 4:35PM
Subject: Re: Adobe update breaks Alt-Text?
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Thanks Bevi, and Steve, and Joe. I managed to turn my autoupdates off
just in time after reading your messages. I've also shared the info on
Mastodon.

Phil.

On 2023-06-06 18:16, = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = wrote:
> URGENT NOTICE TO ALL:
> [snip]

From: Laura Roberts
Date: Wed, Jun 07 2023 6:48AM
Subject: Re: Adobe update breaks Alt-Text?
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Are we doing a group complaint to Adobe user voice again?

On Tue, Jun 6, 2023, 6:34 PM Philip Kiff < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> Thanks Bevi, and Steve, and Joe. I managed to turn my autoupdates off
> just in time after reading your messages. I've also shared the info on
> Mastodon.
>
> Phil.
>
> On 2023-06-06 18:16, = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = wrote:
> > URGENT NOTICE TO ALL:
> > [snip]
> > > > >

From: chagnon
Date: Wed, Jun 07 2023 10:47PM
Subject: Re: Adobe update breaks Alt-Text?
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Adobe's engineering team and accessibility team now have the details and a formal bug listing. Response from an Adobe engineer: they've been able to confirm the bug and are "looking into it." Response from the accessibility team: the engineers are now working on a fix.

So I think Adobe got the message and is fast-tracking a hot fix. Usually takes at least 10-20 days for a hot fix so don't look for this to be corrected this week.

In the meantime, please notify your work colleagues, IT department, and members of other accessibility lists about the bug. It's a nasty little one and prevents us from making compliant accessible PDFs from Windows/MS Office documents. Big royal P I T A.

Solution #1:
Don't update Adobe Acrobat on Windows. It's companion utility, PDF Maker for MS Office, has the bug. It's a plug-in installed into your MS Office apps.

Check your software versions:
– Acrobat 2023 version 23.003.20201 has the bug. It was released yesterday, June 6. Earlier versions are OK so don't upgrade those...yet.
– Check a recently made PDF from your computer. In File / Document Properties and the first tab Description, look for the PDF Producer in the lower section of the dialogue box. PDF Library versions 23.3.223 and 23.2.162 have the new bug. Older versions do not so don't upgrade your Acrobat.
– If you need assistance checking your software versions, refer to our blog at https://www.pubcom.com/blog/software-versions/index.shtml

Solution #2: A Workaround
– Use Microsoft's built-in utility to export accessible PDFs.
– Do NOT use the Acrobat Ribbon nor File / Save As Adobe PDF — they trigger the buggy PDF Maker plug-in.
– Use File / Save As / PDF and then select the option to tag it for accessibility.

Hope this helps!

— — —
Bevi Chagnon | Designer, Accessibility Technician | = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
— — —
PubCom: Technologists for Accessible Design + Publishing
consulting • training • development • design • sec. 508 services
Upcoming classes at www.PubCom.com/classes
— — —
Latest blog-newsletter – Simple Guide to Writing Alt-Text