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KTdid.
KTdid.
Inspiring
March 28, 2022
Question

InDesign to Acrobat issues with links on master page

  • March 28, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 1628 views

The following error is flagged in PAC 2021 for links that exist on an InDesign master page footer.

 

"Link" annotation is not nested inside a "Link" structure element

 

Why is this happening and how can it be avoided so that it does not need to be manually fixed for every page that the master is applied to in Acrobat?

 

(Cross-posted in InDesign forum.)

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com
Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com
Legend
March 28, 2022

This happens because everything on a Parent (Master) page is automatically artifacted by InDesign when the PDF is exported.

 

The PDF/UA-1 standard is now violated because you can't have a <Link>/Link-OBJR tag on a artifacted element.

 

One solution we use at our shop:

  • Place the element on a live document page, not on a Parent (Master) page.
  • Have it appear only on one page, not all pages.
  • This should correct the annotation error and allow it to be properly hyperlinked and tagged.

 

Question to you:

Every accessibility standard has a clause about redundant information. Basically, you should not be repeating the same information throughout the document. If we could put a hyperlink on a Parent (Master) page, it would appear on every page and that would violate this clause in the standards.

 

One reason why people run into this problem is because they are trying to create a menu or navigation system in the footer or header of the PDF's pages.

 

A PDF is a document, not a webpage. Therefore, a menu or navigation system like that is dysfunctional in PDFs when they are used by people with disabilities.

 

In PDFs, a navigation system consists of all of the following that allow the user to find and click to various sections of the PDF document:

  • A table of contents that is tagged and fully accessible. Per the standard, a PDF must contain a TOC if it is 10 pages or longer in length, but it's very nice when it appears in shorter PDFs, too.
  • Bookmarks in the PDF. Per the standard, a PDF must contain Bookmarks if it is 10 pages or longer in length, but it's very helpful when they appear in shorter PDFs, too.
  • Cross-reference hyperlinks where appropriate (such as See table 10 on page 20).

 

You might need to adjust your design or INDD layout to make this work for you.

 

—Bevi Chagnon

US Delegate to the ISO committees for PDF and PDF/UA (accessible PDF)

 

|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bevi Chagnon &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;Designer, Trainer, &amp; Technologist for Accessible Documents ||&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;PubCom |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Classes &amp; Books for Accessible InDesign, PDFs &amp; MS Office |
    Frans v.d. Geest
    Community Expert
    Frans v.d. GeestCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 28, 2022

    Ah yes, stupid, missed the Master/Parent page. Oh boy. In my defense: fever with Covid-19 the second time, so not totaly a clear head 😉

    Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com
    Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com
    Legend
    March 28, 2022

    @Frans v.d. Geest, welcome to the COVID club. I've had it 3 times and yes, I've had my shots and boosters (which made it less intense).  Some of us are just special that way!  Please get better.

     

    FYI, up until a few versions ago, we could put live hyperlinked elements on Parent (Master) pages, so they did not cause the annotation error @KTdid.  had.   We were able to designate which items on Parent Pages were artifacted, and which were kept live and tagged.

     

    But without much announcement, InDesign changed the defaults and now automatically artifacts all items on Parent Pages. We have no control over this. This has wreaked havoc on several clients' automated workflows, as well as getting us into the pickle of this thread's topic.

     

    Would like to get back our ability to decide which items to artifact on Parent Pages, or said another way, keep the default to "every element" but give us a way to override a Parent Page element and make it live and tagged, not artifacted.

     

    Vote for this feature at https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601021-adobe-indesign-feature-requests/suggestions/33805267-artifacting-master-page-items-accessibility  And be sure to add a comment, as well.

     

     

    |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bevi Chagnon &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;Designer, Trainer, &amp; Technologist for Accessible Documents ||&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;PubCom |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Classes &amp; Books for Accessible InDesign, PDFs &amp; MS Office |
      Frans v.d. Geest
      Community Expert
      Frans v.d. GeestCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      March 28, 2022

      What kind of link? A simple web-hyperlink? Or are you trying to link to a page? What does the tag code show in the tag tree in Acrobat, is there an  OBJR?

      And: which version of InDesign??

      KTdid.
      KTdid.Author
      Inspiring
      March 28, 2022

      The following error is flagged in PAC 2021 for links that exist on an InDesign master page footer.

       

      "Link" annotation is not nested inside a "Link" structure element

       

      Why is this happening and how can it be avoided so that it does not need to be manually fixed for every page that the master is applied to in Acrobat?

       

      (Cross-posted in Acrobat forum.)

      Frans v.d. Geest
      Community Expert
      Frans v.d. GeestCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      March 28, 2022

      What kind of link? A simple web-hyperlink? Or are you trying to link to a page? What does the tag code show in the tag tree in Acrobat, is there an  OBJR?

      And: which version of InDesign??

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