Tag (and other) Properties

On this page:  All Tags I Tables I Lists I Links I Forms I Text Runs I Artifacts I Next Pages

All Tags:

All Tags have these options in the Properties Panel:

  1. ID – Table header cells (<TH>) need to have IDs in order to link them to their data cells.  When a cell is tagged as a <TH>, CommonLook automatically generates a unique ID for that cell.
  2. Type – This field shows what kind of tag has been selected.  Tag type may be changed using the drop-down menu.
  3. Has Title checkbox (may also be applied to Has alt text, Has actual text, and Has expansion text) – If there is a Title (or other option) typed into the field below the checkbox and the checkbox is then unchecked, the Title (or other) text will be removed.  In addition, if, due to specifications, an item should have Alt Text (for example) but nothing should actually be read – for example if an image is used as a bullet in a list – then checking the box for “Has alt text” but then leaving the Alt Text field empty will satisfy the requirement for Alt Text on <Figures> while nothing for the image/bullet is actually read.
  4. Title – A seldom used option but available for PDF/UA which states that when heading tags are used with major sections in a document, then those heading tags should have a title corresponding with that section (section 1, 2, etc.).
  5. Has Alt Text checkbox – Refer to #3
  6. Alt Text – The text field in which to type necessary Alt. Text.
  7. Has actual text checkbox – Refer to #3
  8. Actual text – The text field in which to type necessary Actual Text.
  9. Has Expansion text – Refer to #3
  10. Expansion text – The text field in which to type necessary Expansion Text.
  11. Has Language checkbox – This checkbox is automatically checked when the language of a tag is changed (the next item in this list).
    Note:  The language can be set once for the document and does not need to be specified on a per tag basis.  This option is to change the language in a section of the document, separate from the language specified throughout.  (For example, the document is in English but then a portion is in Spanish.  The language for the section in Spanish should be set here.)
  12. Language drop-down menu – Choose the appropriate language for the section of the document.  CommonLook supports all recognized PDF languages.
  13. Country – In addition to setting the language for a particular section of the document, the country may be set as well.  While this is not required, if the speech engine in the screen reader supports different accents of the same language, then this may be helpful.

Note:  In addition to the properties listed above, certain tags have other properties options as well.  Those are listed below.

Pro Tip:  For any of the “Has” checkboxes (“has title,” “has Alt text,” etc.), if you enter the text into the related field (add alt text, for example) and then press the Tab key on your keyboard, that’ll “make the changes stick” and it’ll check the “Has…” checkbox.  You don’t need to check the box separately!

The Table Tag

The Table Tag also provides a checkbox and text field for a Table Summary.  Enter the summary information in the field if needed.

Table Header Cells

Table Header Cells <TH> also include the following options:

  1. Headers – This field will list the header IDs for the <TH> cells that the selected cell has been linked to.
  2. Row Span – Allows cells to span multiple rows in a table.
  3. Column Span – Allows cells to span multiple columns in a table.
  4. Has Scope checkbox – check the checkbox to indicate that the header cell “Has scope.”  Then, use the dropdown menu to assign the scope (the next item in this list).
  5. Scope (dropdown menu) – Assigns the scope to a header cell so that assistive technology knows how the data cells relate to it.  Options are Column, Row, Both, or None.

Table Data Cells

Table Data Cells <TD> also include the following options:

  1. Headers – This field will list the header IDs for the <TH> cells that the selected cell has been linked to.
  2. Row Span – Allows cells to span multiple rows in a table.
  3. Column Span – Allows cells to span multiple columns in a table.

List Tags

List Tags also include a drop-down menu to set the List Numbering Attribute.  Options are:

  1. None
  2. Disc
  3. Circle
  4. Square
  5. Decimal
  6. UpperRoman
  7. LowerRoman
  8. UpperAlpha
  9. LowerAlpha
Note:  If the bullet is not any of these options (Disc, Circle, or Square) then leave the numbering attribute at “None.”  Also, for PDF/UA, list numbering only needs to be used for ordered lists.

Link Annotations

Link Annotations also contain the following:

  1. Hidden Key checkbox – This is used to show that the annotation is hidden in the Physical View.  PDF/UA checkpoints for annotations are only applicable if the annotation is NOT hidden.
  2. Has contents checkbox – Similar to the Has Title checkbox referred to in the section on All Tags, earlier on this page.
  3. Contents text field – The Contents for a Link Annotation is similar to Alt Text for a figure or a tooltip for a form annotation.  Link Annotations should have Contents to help identify what the annotation is doing, where the link target is, etc.  Using the Fix Wizard, during the verification phase, CommonLook will automatically use the Alt text for the <Link> tag as the Contents for the Annotation in that <Link>.
  4. Sub type text field – To specify the annotation type.  The correct type for a link is Link.  (The type for a Form Annotation is a Widget and the type for other annotations is Annot.)
  5. Is map checkbox – This should be checked for server-side image maps (very rarely used in PDF).
  6. Target text field – Where the link will take you if you follow it.  The target may be, for example, a URL, link to an email address, or to a “local link” within the document itself.

Form Tags

Form Tags also include the following options:

  1. Has description checkbox – This concept has been applied in other areas such as Has Title.  For information on what the Description is, see the next list item.
  2. Description text field – To be used on non-interactive (flattened) form fields.  When a form is flattened, it is filled out in some other format and then converted to PDF but is no longer fillable in PDF.  The Description is what would have been the tooltip if the form was fillable in PDF format.
  3. Role drop-down menu – For a flattened (non-fillable) form.  The drop-down menu has options for what the form field used to be in its fillable state.  The options are as follows:
    1. Radio button
    2. Checkbox
    3. Push button (a “Submit” button, for example)
    4. Text-value field – also known as a text field
    5. None – the role was not specified.

In addition, if the Role was Radio button or Checkbox, then the Checked drop-down menu becomes available with these options:

  1. On – If the box (or button) was selected.
  2. Off – If the box (or button) was not selected.
  3. Neutral – On or Off is not specified.

Form Annotations

A Form Annotation Properties Panel contains the following:

  1. Hidden Key checkbox – This is the same as for Link Annotations, to show that the annotation is hidden in the Physical View.  For more details refer to the explanation in the section on Link Annotations above.
  2. Has contents checkbox – Similar to the Has Title checkbox referred to in the section on All Tags, earlier on this page.
  3. Contents text field – This field is available as an option due to wording in the PDF specifications.  However, Form Annotations should have Tooltips (see below) as opposed to Contents.
  4. Sub type text field – To specify the annotation type.  The correct type for a form is Widget.  (The type for a link is Link and the type for other annotations is Annot.)
  5. Has field name checkbox – This option is to mark whether or not there is a form field name (for example radio button 1, text field 3, etc.)
  6. Field name text field – The field to input the name of the Form Annotation.
  7. Field type text field – For forms that are not flattened, this text field is used to specify the type of annotation being used (radio button, checkbox, text field, etc.).
  8. Has tooltip checkbox – This check box specifies that a tooltip is present.  Similar to the other “Has” checkboxes like “Has Title,” “Has Alt text,” etc.
  9. Tooltip text field – Use this field to provide a tooltip for the form Annotation.  Tooltips are required for form Annotations.  When people are using assistive technology, and in the mode to be able to fill out a form, the only thing that gets read are the tooltips.

Text Runs

The following properties are displayed when a text run is selected:

  1. Font name
  2. Font sub type
  3. Font size
  4. Font color
  5. Checkboxes for Regular, Bold, and Italic

Artifacts

Artifacts, located in the “Untagged Content” panel in CommonLook PDF, have a unique set of properties as outlined here.

  1. Type – Used to specify the particular kind of Artifact.  Options are:
    1. Pagination – Used for page headers, footers, and watermarks.
    2. Page – Used for production aids such as cut marks and color bars.
    3. Layout – For example, all of the blank spaces used for formatting in a document.
    4. Background – An image, for example, which is only being used for decoration.
  2. Subtype – If the Artifact type is Pagination then this field needs to be set to Header, Footer, or Watermark.
  3. Attached – If the Artifact type is Pagination, then this field is used to state the location on the page in which the artifact is placed.  Options are All, Top, Bottom, Left, and Right.  This information may be helpful in repurposing the document.
  4. Page number – Shows the page in the Physical View on which the artifacted content is located.

Next Pages

Follow the links below to view other pages in the User’s Guide:

Page 1- Welcome, Getting Started

Page 2 – The Toolbar and Ribbon

Page 3 – Insert Tag and Convert Tag Tabs

Page 4 – The Settings Tab

Page 5 – The Windows Tab

Page 6 – The Operations Tab

Page 7 – The Tag Properties Panel

Page 8 – The Integrity Validator