How to Fix the Focus Order Error in the PAC 2024 Tool

Today’s post explains how to fix a focus order error in the PAC 2024 accessibility tool, specifically addressing the tab order for pages with annotations in Adobe Acrobat. The steps outlined here demonstrate how to quickly identify and resolve this issue to ensure accessibility compliance.

Video Guide

Understanding the Focus Order Error

The focus order error is a common accessibility issue that affects users who rely on keyboard navigation. In this context, the error relates to the incorrect tab order for pages with annotations within a PDF document, which makes navigation difficult for users with disabilities. This problem often arises when the tabbing sequence isn’t logically ordered, meaning users might miss critical content while navigating through the document.

Identifying the Error Using Adobe Acrobat

To detect the focus order error, use the Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker. Follow these steps:

1. Open the PDF document in Adobe Acrobat.
2. Access the “Prepare for Accessibility” tool.
3. Run the accessibility checker, focusing on the “Page Content” section.
4. Look for the “Tab Order Failed” notification, which indicates that the tabbing sequence is incorrect for pages with annotations.

Fixing the Tab Order Error

Fixing this error is straightforward:

1. Right-click on the “Tab Order Failed” error message in the accessibility checker.
2. Select the “Fix” option from the dropdown menu.
3. Confirm the action by clicking “OK.”
4. Save the updated PDF document.

This action automatically corrects the tab order, ensuring that users can navigate through the content in a logical sequence.

Verifying the Fix with PAC 2024

After correcting the error in Adobe Acrobat, recheck the document using the PAC 2024 tool to ensure the issue is resolved:

1. Reopen the PAC 2024 tool.
2. Under the “Operable” section, re-scan the document to check for remaining errors.
3. Review the detailed results, which should now show no errors under the operable tab, confirming that the tab order is correctly set.

Tools Used for Accessibility Checking

The process involves two main tools:

• Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker: This tool is useful for identifying and fixing tab order errors, even though it’s not always the first choice for overall accessibility checks.
• PAC 2024 Tool: This tool is ideal for verifying accessibility compliance, especially for detailed checks regarding document operability.

By fixing the tab order error using Adobe Acrobat and verifying it with the PAC 2024 tool, you ensure that PDF documents are accessible and compliant. Following these steps improves document usability for all users and reinforces the importance of accessibility in digital content creation.

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