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Thread: Can mobile users choose not to download pictures and graphs in PDF documents, Mac and accessible PDF?

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Number of posts in this thread: 3 (In chronological order)

From: Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Date: Sun, Nov 18 2012 1:22PM
Subject: Can mobile users choose not to download pictures and graphs in PDF documents, Mac and accessible PDF?
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Hi listers

I am creating a little brochure (in Icelandic) with information on PDF
accessibility (mostly based on the excellent content of the WebAIM
website on the subject, with full credits and references of course
when it is ready). It is aimed at people producing PDF documents,
mostly with Adobe Acrobat.

I am wrapping up the "alt text" section of the document, and
explaining the need for adding alt text.
I would like to extend the potential users of alt text to phone users
with low bandwidth data connection who choose not to download
pictures. I know this is true for HTML graphics, but I suspect when
you download a PDF document to your phone, you cannot choose to not
download graphics.
Can anyone verify this for me?

Also, can I make the statement that it si near impossible to produce
accessible PDF files using a Mac (OSX)? I have not found any programs
that do this on a Mac, and I have seen statements, though not brand
new, to that effect, but of course I do not want to insult Mac users,
or make such sweeping statements without being pretty sure of being
correct about this.

Thanks very much
-Birkir

From: Paul J. Adam
Date: Mon, Nov 19 2012 10:26AM
Subject: Re: Can mobile users choose not to download pictures and graphs in PDF documents, Mac and accessible PDF?
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Hi Birkir, it is possible to create tagged, accessible PDFs on a Mac using Acrobat Pro. The built in app used to view PDFs on a Mac, Preview, does not pick up on any of the accessibility structure or tags though, neither does Adobe Reader. So basically PDFs are not accessible to VoiceOver users. They can only be read as plain text documents without access to the headings, alt text, table headers, etc.

Paul J. Adam
Accessibility Evangelist
Deque Systems
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
www.PaulJAdam.com
@pauljadam on Twitter

On Nov 18, 2012, at 2:22 PM, Birkir R. Gunnarsson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> Hi listers
>
> I am creating a little brochure (in Icelandic) with information on PDF
> accessibility (mostly based on the excellent content of the WebAIM
> website on the subject, with full credits and references of course
> when it is ready). It is aimed at people producing PDF documents,
> mostly with Adobe Acrobat.
>
> I am wrapping up the "alt text" section of the document, and
> explaining the need for adding alt text.
> I would like to extend the potential users of alt text to phone users
> with low bandwidth data connection who choose not to download
> pictures. I know this is true for HTML graphics, but I suspect when
> you download a PDF document to your phone, you cannot choose to not
> download graphics.
> Can anyone verify this for me?
>
> Also, can I make the statement that it si near impossible to produce
> accessible PDF files using a Mac (OSX)? I have not found any programs
> that do this on a Mac, and I have seen statements, though not brand
> new, to that effect, but of course I do not want to insult Mac users,
> or make such sweeping statements without being pretty sure of being
> correct about this.
>
> Thanks very much
> -Birkir
> > >

From: Jonathan C. Cohn
Date: Mon, Nov 19 2012 4:27PM
Subject: Re: Can mobile users choose not to download pictures and graphs in PDF documents, Mac and accessible PDF?
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Can PDF Pen support tags either reading or creating?

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 19, 2012, at 12:26 PM, "Paul J. Adam" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> Hi Birkir, it is possible to create tagged, accessible PDFs on a Mac using Acrobat Pro. The built in app used to view PDFs on a Mac, Preview, does not pick up on any of the accessibility structure or tags though, neither does Adobe Reader. So basically PDFs are not accessible to VoiceOver users. They can only be read as plain text documents without access to the headings, alt text, table headers, etc.
>
> Paul J. Adam
> Accessibility Evangelist
> Deque Systems
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> www.PaulJAdam.com
> @pauljadam on Twitter
>
> On Nov 18, 2012, at 2:22 PM, Birkir R. Gunnarsson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
>> Hi listers
>>
>> I am creating a little brochure (in Icelandic) with information on PDF
>> accessibility (mostly based on the excellent content of the WebAIM
>> website on the subject, with full credits and references of course
>> when it is ready). It is aimed at people producing PDF documents,
>> mostly with Adobe Acrobat.
>>
>> I am wrapping up the "alt text" section of the document, and
>> explaining the need for adding alt text.
>> I would like to extend the potential users of alt text to phone users
>> with low bandwidth data connection who choose not to download
>> pictures. I know this is true for HTML graphics, but I suspect when
>> you download a PDF document to your phone, you cannot choose to not
>> download graphics.
>> Can anyone verify this for me?
>>
>> Also, can I make the statement that it si near impossible to produce
>> accessible PDF files using a Mac (OSX)? I have not found any programs
>> that do this on a Mac, and I have seen statements, though not brand
>> new, to that effect, but of course I do not want to insult Mac users,
>> or make such sweeping statements without being pretty sure of being
>> correct about this.
>>
>> Thanks very much
>> -Birkir
>> >> >> >
> > >