TechNote (Archived)

Creating Accessible PDF Files from FrameMaker 6.0 in Windows

What's Covered

Tagged PDF,FrameMaker, and Acrobat

Creating Tagged PDF Content from FrameMaker

Limitations

This document explains how to use Adobe FrameMaker 6.0 in Windows to create accessible PDF files for use on a variety of devices, including hand-held computers and screen readers.

Tagged PDF,FrameMaker, and Acrobat

For best results in creating an accessible PDF document, you should use tagged PDF. Tagged PDF contains a logical structure tree in addition to extensive meta data that lets you repurpose content. For example, you can convert a tagged PDF document to other formats, such as RTF, with excellent results; you can reflow the document into different-sized devices such as eBook reading devices; and you can make the content accessible to the motion- and vision-challenged through a screen reader.

Unlike previous versions, Adobe Acrobat 5.0 creates tagged PDF. FrameMaker 6.0 was developed before Acrobat 5.0 and includes Acrobat Distiller 4.0. FrameMaker 6.0 is designed to produce structured PDF, the forerunner to tagged PDF. Structured PDF contains a logical structure tree but has less meta data than tagged PDF. You can use structured PDF to create accessible PDF documents, but the content is less versatile than tagged PDF. For best results in creating accessible PDF documents from FrameMaker 6.0, you should upgrade from Acrobat Distiller 4.0 to Acrobat 5.0. However, because FrameMaker 6.0 was not verified for use with Acrobat 5.0, results may vary. For information about upgrading to Acrobat 5.0, visit the Adobe website athttp://store.adobe.com/products/acrobat/ .

For comprehensive information about Acrobat and accessibility, visit the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/enterprise/accessibility/ and www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/solutionsacc.html.

Creating Tagged PDF Content from FrameMaker

Do either of the following solutions to create tagged PDF content from FrameMaker 6.0 using Acrobat 5.0. Because results may differ, you should evaluate each solution to determine which better suits your needs.

Solution 1: Add a marker to the header.ps file.

Edit the FrameMaker header.ps file to include a special marker, and then create a tagged PDF document. Acrobat 5.0 uses the special marker to identify content as tagged PDF.

To edit the FrameMaker header.ps file to include a special marker:

1. Exit from FrameMaker.

2. Make a copy of the header.ps file, which is in the /FrameMaker 6.0/fminit folder. (You can revert to the copy should problems occur.)

3. Open the header.ps file in a text editor (for example, Notepad).

4. At the end of the file, add these lines:

%Special markinfo for creating tagged PDF

[{Catalog} <</MarkInfo <</Marked true>>>> /PUT pdfmark

5. Save the file.

To create a tagged PDF document:

1. Open the FrameMaker document, and choose File > Print Setup.

2. Choose Acrobat Distiller from the Name pop-up menu, and click OK.

3. Choose File > Print, and click PDF Setup.

4. Click the Structure tab, and select Generate Logical PDF Structure. Select other PDF Setup options as desired.

5. Click Set.

6. Deselect Print Only to File, and click Print.

Solution 2: Install the Make Accessible plug-in.

Install the Acrobat 5.0 Make Accessible plug-in, which you can download from the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=1161 . After you install the plug-in, the Document menu in Acrobat includes the Make Accessible command. Running this command on a PDF document created from FrameMaker causes Acrobat to analyze the content and structure of the PDF document and to add tags. You can view the document's structure by choosing Window > Tags.

Limitations

Tagged PDF content created with FrameMaker 6.0 contains the following limitations. Future versions of FrameMaker are expected to contain improvements in creating tagged PDF.

Page Content

Some content on a page isn't marked as an artifact and, as a result, isn't in the correct location.

Order of the Content Stream

Content artifacts such as headers and footers are placed at the beginning of the content stream instead of the correct locations. If necessary, use the Tags palette in Acrobat 5.0 to reorder elements.

Bounding Box Content

The bounding box for an object may not correspond to the visible part of the content.

Empty Label Elements

The content contains empty <Lbl> elements for figures, tables, and footnotes. You can use the Tags palette in Acrobat 5.0 to remove unwanted <Lbl> elements.

FigureElements

<Figure> elements don't contain references to an actual figure.

Order of Figure Elements' Siblings

<Figure> elements are placed as the last children of their parent. As a result, screen readers may read the tagged PDF in the wrong order; that is, they may read the other content before reading the Alt text associated with each figure. You can use the Tags palette in Acrobat 5.0 to reorder elements as needed.

AltText or ActualText for Figures

The content doesn't contain AltText or ActualText properties for figures. These properties allow a screen reader to describe a figure.

You can insert AltText or ActualText properties using Acrobat 5.0:

1. Open the PDF file in Acrobat 5.0.

2. In the Tags palette, select the <Figure> element tag.

3. Choose Element Properties from the Tags pop-up menu.

4. Type the AltText or ActualText meta data.

AltText or ActualText for Tables

The content doesn't contain AltText or ActualText properties for tables. These properties allow a screen reader to describe a table, not simply state its title.

You can insert AltText or ActualText properties using Acrobat 5.0:

1. Open the PDF file in Acrobat 5.0.

2. In the Tags palette, select the element tag: <Table>, <TableTitle>, <TableHead>, or <TableBody>.

3. Choose Element Properties from the Tags pop-up menu.

4. Type the AltText or ActualText meta data.

Language Property

The content doesn't have a language property, which screen readers often use to enable a text-to-speech synthesizer.

You can select a language property in Acrobat 5.0:

1. Open the PDF file in Acrobat 5.0.

2. Select the element tag (for example, <Table>, <TableTitle>, <TableHead>, or <TableBody>).

3. Choose Element Properties from the Tags pop-up menu.

4. Select the Language desired.

Table Rules

The content has table rules in the last element of the table. You can use the Tags palette in Acrobat 5.0 to move them to their correct location.

Unnecessary Child Arrays

The content may have elements with unnecessary child arrays because Acrobat Distiller 5.0 doesn't optimize the generated structure. Although this issue doesn't affect accessibility, you can remove these child arrays in the Tags palette of Acrobat 5.0.

Expansion Text

The content doesn't contain expansion text. Expansion text lets you describe an instance of text such as an abbreviation or acronym. In Acrobat 5.0, you can add or modify expansion text.

Link Annotations

The content doesn't have link annotations, which screen readers use to create links. You can insert Link elements in the Tags palette of Adobe Acrobat 5.0.