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tgopalarao
Participating Frequently
February 22, 2020
Question

Loosing the tags from accessible PDF while using PDF Optimizer

  • February 22, 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 1306 views

Hi Team,

 

While doing the PDF optimizer to remove/fatten the transparency I am losing the Tags from that PDF. 

 

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.

This topic has been closed for replies.

4 replies

Legend
February 24, 2020

It seems inconceivable that you could reliably flatten transparency without losing tags. You also lose text, and with it, you lose even the possibility of being accessible. Just don't do it, review your plans or workflows.

tgopalarao
Participating Frequently
February 24, 2020

I echo with your point and I need to rework on my workflows. But the thing is if PDF has the ability to do the same without impacting the other things why it is happening.

Legend
February 24, 2020

You don't seem to have taken on board my points about why it cannot (in general) be done at all, even if it could be done in particular cases. How would you make rasterised text accessible? What would you do if all your graphics run together? The tags are all attached to specific graphical elements, but you are about to throw all those elements away and re-make a page that looks similar.

JR Boulay
Community Expert
Community Expert
February 24, 2020

Why do you need to flatten transparency?

This is usualy part of a Print Production process, where tags are useless.

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
tgopalarao
Participating Frequently
February 24, 2020

Hi JR, I have already created the accessible PDF which is going to work on whiteboard and whiteboard is not supporting the transparency. So, whatever work I was done need to re-do the same again.

Legend
February 22, 2020

Also bear in mind that flattening may rasterise text and combine pictures. It is simply impossible to preserve tagging over such changes. It may add any number of artefacts. You really need to flatten first (or not at all, e.g. use PDF/A-2), then tag.

tgopalarao
Participating Frequently
February 24, 2020

Thanks for your reply, but I have already tagged so many files that I need to flatten the transparency. Please let me know is there any other way to achieve/retain the tags while flattenings the transparency.

JR Boulay
Community Expert
Community Expert
February 22, 2020

Be sure to not tick those checkboxes when Optimizing:

 

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
tgopalarao
Participating Frequently
February 24, 2020

I have tried the same and still, the tags are loosing while applying your suggestion.