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Participant
February 6, 2024
Question

Language in PDF from Word causes <SPAN> tag

  • February 6, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 676 views
Hi,
I've already posted a question in MS Community and on MS Feedback as requested. I was asked to send my feedback and request here as well, so here we go.
 
Problem is: When exporting a document from Micorosft Word on MacOS to pdf (Save as, Create PDF and share link, Adobe Document Cloud, Create PDF on the Acrobat Ribbon), it all creates an interactive pdf, but in English, although language settings in docx is Dutch (Nederlands). All content is wrapped in <Span> tags.
 
 
When creating a document in MS Word for Mac, saving it online (Onedrive), opened in Word online in browser, then saved as pdf, the language settings stay correct and no unnessecary <Span> tags.
Tested on Windows PC, in Micorsoft Word for Windows, save as pdf the language settings also stay Dutch and no unnessecary <Span> tags. Using Adobes Document Cloud, or Create PDF on the Acrobat Ribbon, it works fine as well.
 
So, there are workarounds, but this is not what may be expected. Same document, different devices, different ways of creating a PDF should all have the same result: Document settings without overruling language settings and no unnessecary <Span> tags. (Like in WCAG: Robust... this is not robust).
 
Does anyone (Adobe) have a fix for this problem?
 
Thanks in advance.
 
Kind regards,
 
Linda van der Berg
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1 reply

Participating Frequently
May 9, 2024

Hi, Linda

I have the exact same problem with adobe and foxit pdf's, I can't even get the work around by saving as pdf online to work, I have no idea why it doesn't but it just doesn't want to work, it's been a pain in the ass of many users,

We got the same thing the run around from microsoft and adobe as they don't seem to know what the cause is