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Incorrect file structure

avivcastro
Registered: Nov 24 2009
Posts: 15
Answered

I'm working on a booklet that contains 15 chapters. All were made in indesign. I made a pdf for each individual chapter and made those pdfs accessible. They passed the Acrobat full accessibility check.

I needed a master TOC, so I duplicated all the indesign docs (so the original pagination wouldn't be compromised just in case booking them did something weird), combined them into a book, made a separate doc for the TOC, put that in the book, and generated a TOC with links. Note that when I exported the TOC to a pdf, I did not include links or bookmarks. I'll tell you why in a sec.

I then went to Acrobat and merged all the accessible pdfs into one pdf. I can't remember if I used File>Create PDF>Merge files into a single PDF or File>Combine>Merge files into a single PDF. (Does it make a difference?)

The reason I didn't include links or bookmarks in the master TOC was because I knew I'd be combining pdfs that were already created; thus I knew that I'd have to manually link TOC line items. I only write this to give you as much info as possible.

So I went through the combined pdf, made sure the tags were correct (although I haven't yet tagged the master PDF yet), and ran the full accessibility check. It noted that none of the content of the master TOC is accessible. That was expected. What wasn't expected was the following warning: "An incorrect structure was found in the PDF file." But there weren't any hints as to how to fix it.

Does anyone have an idea what might have caused the warning? Should I heed the warning? Does it affect accessibility? As always, your answers are much appreciated.

Thanks,
Aviv

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 9.0, Macintosh
avivcastro
Registered: Nov 24 2009
Posts: 15
Hello again,

I thought perhaps my first question was too long for people to actually read through it. Here's a shortened version:

Does anyone know what it means when the full accessibility check results in this: "An incorrect structure was found in the PDF file."

It gives no further direction.

Everything is properly tagged, to my knowledge. If you need some background, read the previous post in this thread.

Any answers would be much appreciated. I'm on deadline now and I'm starting to get very nervous that I may have to re-accessibilize a 230 page document.

Thanks!
Aviv
daka630
Expert
Registered: Mar 1 2007
Posts: 1420
Hi avivcastro,
I suspect the "merge" discumbulated the structure tree.
If file01.pdf has file02.pdf inserted [i]after[/i] file01.pdf then file02's structure tree will be congruent with the page content. Thing is, however you go about integrating mutliple PDFs into one PDF, Acrobat wants to put the "new" portions of the structure tree at the end of the designated (i.e., open) PDF. A "merge" does not lock in "file01" as that "designated" first, open file.

Something to try.
Assure that each individual chapter PDF is actually "good to go".
Assure that your toc PDF is good to go (less the links).
Open TOC.
Insert chap01 - save to new file name - check- fix as needed.
Insert chap02 - save to "new_file_name01" - check - fix as needed.
Continue through last chapter file.
If, along the way, there's an oops - step back to last "good" file and start again from there.

When all is "good" - Add links
Then, integrate each link into structure tree (you'll be in the tree "pruning" so save as frequently to incremented new file names - there is no "undo")

As Bob the Builder states - "Can we build it? - Yes, we can" - just takes some time and attentiion to detail .Be well...

Be well...

avivcastro
Registered: Nov 24 2009
Posts: 15
Brilliant! Thank you!
kristacreel
Registered: Dec 2 2011
Posts: 3
I'm having this same problem trying to merge two accessible pdfs. Both consist of multiple pages; however, neither has a TOC. Is there an alternative fix to this problem that doesn't involve creating/editing TOC's?
daka630
Expert
Registered: Mar 1 2007
Posts: 1420
Since neither PDF has a "TOC" it would seem that you'll have to create them in the authoring application of choice. Then output the PDFs. Then build the links.


Be well...