RE: PDF - Text Extraction File

Afternoon!

 

I've been working in the field of PDF remediation and am on the ISO
committees for PDFs as well as being a screen reader user.

 

In all my years working with and trying to read PDFs, I've never come across
this message.

 

Are you able to share the file or files you are getting this message in?
Please feel free to e-mail me off-list.

 

Cheers, Karen

 

From: Richter,Susan <Susan.Richter@nscc.ca> 
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2025 7:16 AM
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: PDF - Text Extraction File

 

Hi All,

 

This is my first time posting here so please advise if this isn't the best
group for this kind of assistance.

 

I've discovered we have some PDFs on our site that when accessed via a
screen reader this is the message read out: "This PDF is inaccessible.
Couldn't download text extraction files". The PDF(s) in question are large
campus maps.

 

I'm not super familiar with creating accessible PDFs, but I'm trying to
understand how a text extraction file is created and then attached to a PDF
so when a user opens it on the page using a screen reader the text
extraction file is available. Does it have to be a separate link on the page
or is there some way to embed/tie it to the PDF itself that just triggers it
when opened via a screen reader?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Susan Richter
Senior Web Interface Developer
Digital Products & Experience

Nova Scotia Community College
Institute of Technology Campus
Web:
<http://www.nscc.ca/?utm_source=email-sig&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=emai
l%20signature%20link> nscc.ca



 






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