Converting Word Doc to PDF has issues... ( structure tags are not being converted ?)

[Storm-fly]

I am uncertain whether the recent update or some other issue is causing the problem. Previously, when I converted Word documents to PDF, there were no issues and all the headers were accurately preserved. I followed the same style structure that I have always used for my past documents and attempted to convert it to a PDF using both the "Save As" function and the Adobe Ribbon tool. However, both methods resulted in the same outcome - when I opened the PDF using Adobe Reader and run a accessibility check, everything was labeled as a "p," but the bookmarks revealed that there is a structure in the document. What is going on? Is there a new setting that I need to select to resolve this issue? It seems like Adobe Reader recognizes the document's structure in the bookmarks, but the tags section of the application isn't reflecting this at all. 

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

Adobe PDF Maker is a part of Adobe Acrobat and is automatically installed into MS Office apps.

There have been numerous glitches with the new PDF Maker. Can you tell us these things?

1. Which version of Acrobat are you using: In Acrobat, go to Help / About Acrobat. Need the full release/build number, such as 2023.003.20284.
    
2. After the PDF is made, please look at File / Document Properties in Acrobat and let us know these 2 items: Application and PDF Producer.
   
   
    
3. And which method did you use to export the PDF from Word? See here for details: https://www.pubcom.com/blog/tutorials/ms-office/export-pdf/index.shtml

—Bevi

[Storm-fly]

 Here are the answers to your questions: 

1. I am using Continuous Release | Acrobat version 2023.003.20284 on my Mac. 
2. For your second and third question, I combined them below after trying every option available:
   •  Method A: In Word, I only see the "Create PDF" and "Preferences" buttons in the Adobe ribbon. After running the accessibility checker, everything is a "P" tag, but the bookmark structure is correct. Document properties show "Application: Microsoft Word 2019" and "PDF Producer: Adobe PDF Services." 
   • Method B: Not available for Macs. 
   • Method C: Can't choose options on a Mac, but can still save as PDF. Everything changed to "span" except images and tables, which were tagged as "P." The Bookmark structure is correct; in document properties, both "Application" and "PDF Producer" are blank. 
   • Method D (use Adobe Readers create PDF tool): Adobe Reader converted everything to "span" except images and tables, which were tagged as "P." Document properties show "PDF Producer: Acrobat PDFMaker 15 for Word," but "Application" is blank.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

1. I am using Continuous Release | Acrobat version 2023.003.20284 on my Mac. 
2. For your second and third question, I combined them below after trying every option available:
   •  Method A: In Word, I only see the "Create PDF" and "Preferences" buttons in the Adobe ribbon. After running the accessibility checker, everything is a "P" tag, but the bookmark structure is correct. Document properties show "Application: Microsoft Word 2019" and "PDF Producer: Adobe PDF Services." 

By @Storm-fly

Sorry to have to relay bad news, but it's nearly impossible to make an accessible PDF from MS Office on the Mac. Adobe's PDF Maker utility is only available on Windows and not on the Mac (it's an Apple issue, I was told).

Adobe's solution is to upload your file to their Document Cloud service (that's the Adobe PDF Services in your details above) and they'll return what they think is an accessible PDF. Maybe it will be ok, but most likely it will have some inaccessible missteps in it. But you could remediate it in Acrobat afterwards.

Recommended solutions:

1. Move the Word.docx file to the latest version on Windows, and export a PDF via PDF Maker.
2. Take whatever you can get from any method, and remediate the PDF in Acrobat or with other tools.

Most folks on Macs who will be creating accessible PDFs find some way to have access to Windows. They either purchase a Windows computer and move the files between Mac and Windows, or outsource that task to someone or a company who will make the accessible PDF.

Our designers run Windows on their Mac via Parallels software and then install Word/Office as well as Acrobat via Parallels. Seems to work fine with few hitches.

—Bevi

(former Apple dealer but now migrated over to Windows)

[Storm-fly]

It's strange that it's nearly impossible now, because before this update, I could easily save a document as a PDF and select "Best for electronic distribution and accessibility (uses Microsoft online service)" and create an accessible document with no issues. It seems like the problem is more related to the update, which many in the community (From what I have briefly seen) don't need or want, than anything else. I'm not angry with you, just frustrated with the situation since everything was working fine before this ridiculous update.

I'm not sure if you can relay this to the Adobe developers, but it might be helpful to include a warning for Mac users that the application may not function properly for them. Alternatively, giving users the option to choose which version of the software to use would be helpful since this update has disrupted my workflow. However, I do appreciate you looking into the issue.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

If I could contact an engineer, I will and let them know about this post. Adobe's engineers rarely chime in on this user-to-user help forum.

The best option for you is:
 

1. Relay this problem to Adobe in their UserVoice forum, which does make it to the key people at Adobe. Log the issue as a bug at https://acrobat.uservoice.com/forums/590923-acrobat-for-windows-and-mac  Note that you'll need to create an account for that forum to login and post.
2. Roll back the user interface of the new 2023 interface to the previous interface. This returns back many of the usability features you had before the update. Can't guarantee it will work for this particular issue, however.

Instructions for Mac and Windows are here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/acrobat-2023-how-to-revert-to-classic-gui-user-in...

Let us know here if rolling back the interface gives you the export utility again.

[Storm-fly]

Using the button you mentioned helped solve the issue I first mentioned but now causes another problem.

I will try to explain what is happening, but it's really odd to me. After using the revert button, I saved the doc file as a PDF and opened it in Adobe to run an accessibility check. Adobe seems to recognize the original tags that were created in the Word document in the Tags panel of the accessibility tool now, and the bookmarks still appear to have the correct structure. However, the order viewer panel does not reflect the proper tag structure from the tag panel and instead shows everything as a large mass of span.

The tag information seems to not be communicating with the order panel now. Did I miss a new setting somewhere to make sure this is the same?

[Storm-fly]

I've found out that other people are having this issue, not just those who convert Microsoft Word to Adobe Acrobat PDF. Even people who are converting from InDesign to Adobe Acrobat have reported the same problem. After looking into it, I've figured out that Adobe Reader is the cause of the issue and how it reads the viewer panel. I posted the issue in the UserVoice for now. 

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

First, don't ever expect the Order panel to correlate to the Tags tree. They are two different parts of a PDF file's code, and the tags will never control the order: it's the other way around, the order can control the tags.

They should be identical (or nearly so) for full accessibility by all technologies, but that's something you must control in the source document and the exported PDF. So in our classes, we teach students to correct the Order panel first, and then adjust the Tags tree as needed.

Yes, the <Span> tag surrounding everything in the Order panel is incorrect, and that's a bug that supposedly wascorrected a couple of versions ago. Don't know why it's back.

Best solution: go back to the source file, correct its accessibility errors, and re-export a new interactive accessible PDF...and don't open it in the new interface! Use the old, pre-2023 "classic" interface.

And thanks for reporting the bug on User Voice. If you can, put its link here in this discussion so we can suport it.

[Storm-fly]

Here is the link: https://acrobat.uservoice.com/forums/590923-acrobat-for-windows-and-mac/suggestions/47216927-bug-pdf...