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Lose Tags with PDF Optimize - need help

Alice_61
Registered: Mar 31 2009
Posts: 10

I'm using Acrobat Pro 9 on Mac 10.5.

I have pdfs that has been tagged in Acrobat. When I try to save them with every conceivable combination of PDF Optimize settings, the resulting files are all saved without the tags. Conversely, when I choose "save as" to another regular pdf (not optimized), the tags are saved. Additionally, when I use the "reduce file size" command, this saves the tags, as well.

I would love some insight into what is happening and what to do about it. We create tagged documents for accessibility and want to use the PDF Optimize as our final step in the workflow.

Thanks,
Alice

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 9.1, Macintosh
daka630
Expert
Registered: Mar 1 2007
Posts: 1420
Bon dia Alice,
The following is in context of Windows. However, it may have some correlation to the Mac.
If a PDF Optimizer Setting/Profile,has "Discard document tags" selected for "Discard Objects"
and is used to process a tagged, S508 accessible PDF then the output PDF will have no tags.

With "Discard document tags" de-selected, the tags remain intact.
(This is applicable for Acrobat 8.x Professional / 3D and Acrobat 9.x Professional / Extended.)

My guess is you have "Discard document tags" selected in the PDF Optimizer setting/profile is use.
(or, for Mac, it is a hard-wired default?)

re: PDF file compression - typically accomplished by optimizing page content.
One mechanism is to provide object level compression to Tags; however, the Tags remain.

re: Save As - expected behavior; structure tree is part of the file "package" and gets processed by the Save As action.

I wonder why PDF Optimizer is the last step.
Is it for PDF version compatibility?

For myself, to obtain a specific PDF version, I establish a Distiller job option for the desired PDF version to be produced.
This is selected as the "PDF Job Options:" in the PDF Setup dialog when using FrameMaker
or (for MS Word) as the "Conversion Settings:" under the Settings tab in the PDFMaker configuration dialog.
The output PDF is the desired version.

Be well...

Be well...

Alice_61
Registered: Mar 31 2009
Posts: 10
Daka,

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, even with "Discard document tags" deselected, the resulting file still loses the tags.

I tried saving another, longer tagged file as PDF Optimized with all the "discard objects," "discard user data," and "clean up" choices deselected and the compatibility set to Acrobat 7.0 or later. The resulting file had all the text for each page lumped together as one text item per page (in the Content Panel). The original file had ~ 5 headings and text boxes per page. Most, although not all, of the tags were also lost.

Thanks,
Alice
daka630
Expert
Registered: Mar 1 2007
Posts: 1420
Alice,
An interesting situation (although, for you, perhaps more than a little annoying, eh?).
I cannot replicate the behavior you identify.
Provided I do not select "Discard document tags", PDF Optimizer is not causing adverse effects to my testing tagged output PDFs.
No change to contents of Order, Content, or Tag panels.
The variable may be the application/OS mix (?).
As a data point; my trials have been with:
XP/Acrobat 8.1.4 3D
Vista/Acrobat 9.1Extended.
Vista/Acrobat 8.1.4 Professional

Be well...

Be well...

Alice_61
Registered: Mar 31 2009
Posts: 10
Daka,

Hi. Thanks for your help. I tried this experiment on a PC with XP Pro and Acrobat 9 and it also lost the tags.

Argh!
Alice
Alice_61
Registered: Mar 31 2009
Posts: 10
Well, a coworker helped me figure out the problem, although we are not sure why it is causing this error. In the PDF settings I had "Transparancy" checked and set for high resolution. With transparency set, the tags are pretty much removed. I had presumed that my boring document didn't have any transparency and didn't realize that the "standard" setting for Optimize PDF had transparancy unchecked.

Thanks,
Alice
kawusch
Registered: Feb 17 2010
Posts: 1
Hi,

i have the same probleme: I use Acrobat extended 9, Win XP SP 3.
I preoare a pdf with bookmarks and links to the sites from the title (it is a magazine).
I need the pdf for the acrobat 4 version.
When i optimize it, then the tags and bookmarks are away.
I tryed to avoid this with configuration in the optimize tool: Only the transparancy is checked (it is neccesary for acrobat 4) - but the tags are always lost.

*hmpf*
daka630
Expert
Registered: Mar 1 2007
Posts: 1420
Hi,
Using Optimizer to make an Acrobat 4 (version 1.3) PDF means you get just that.
Consequence is that [i]any[/i] features unique to newer versions are no longer available.
[i]Tagged PDF[/i] was introduced with Acrobat 5 (version 1.4) (see ISO 32000-1:2008 or the earlier PDF References).

So, if the PDF must be version 1.3 (Acrobat 4.x) then the PDF will not support [i]Tagged PDF[/i].

Be well...

Be well...

Bighouse
Registered: Mar 6 2010
Posts: 7
Sadly, I'm having the exact same issue. My image alternate text tags are clearly saved in my MS Word 2007 document. However, when I print to PDF, those tags are typically lost. I've looked at all the settings in the Standard printing scheme and adjust anything that seemed related to tags and optimization, but I've yet to find a way to get my tags to reliably print. :(
I see in an above post someone mentions turning off transparency- where do I find that in the setup???

FWIW I'm on 64 bit Windows7, MS Office/Word 2007 and Acrobat 8.2 Pro.
Bighouse
Registered: Mar 6 2010
Posts: 7
I think I've solved this issue- for anyone who's losing their Alternate Text tags on images please pass this along.

If your images are TOO close to the text, it creates a problem when exporting and your tags will get messed up or lost. So, in MS Word, follow these steps:
1. Right click atop image.
2. Select "Format Picture..."
3. Select the "Square Layout" and then the "Advanced" button.
4. Change the "Distance from Text" values to 0.1".
5. Save your file and use the Standard setup in the Create PDF tool.
My tags are now exporting perfectly!!!!

Here's where I stumbled on it- this is a great two page document!!!: blogs.adobe.com/accessibility/assets/WordToPDFReferenceCard_v1.pdf