[program-l] Re: VB: Reading pdf with screenreader

  • From: "Jamal Mazrui" <Jamal.Mazrui@xxxxxxx>
  • To: <program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2005 09:37:02 -0400

You seem to have had better luck than most in this regard, since even
with the latest Adobe Reader, it is common for blind users to report
difficulties accessing PDF files in a comfortable, efficient manner.  

Concerning the raw printstream setting you use, does that avoid the
time-consuming process of Adobe Reader adding tags to an untagged PDF?

Jamal



-----Original Message-----
From: program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Edward Przybylek
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 8:27 PM
To: program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [program-l] Re: VB: Reading pdf with screenreader


Hi Jamal,

Many of the specifications I've used are two to three years 
old.  Tables do not read at all in those documents.  However, the 
tables in the documents get parsed up in a way that makes them quite 
easy to figure out and read.  I have encountered newer PDF's in which 
the tables read almost as easily as tables in a MS Word document.

I've also used numerous PDF converters in the past but have found 
them all to be pretty useless.  Even Scansoft's PDF Converter, a 
fairly pricy product, did a less than acceptable job.  With the 
latest releases of JFW and WindowEyes, I haven't really needed any 
such product.  With the efforts of Adobe and the screen reader 
companies, I don't believe it will be very long before PDF 
accessibility problems will be a thing of the past.

Take care,
Ed Przybylek


At 10:05 AM 9/20/2005, you wrote:
>Hi Edward,
>Have you found PDFs that support JAWS table navigation commands?  My
>understanding is that, theoretically, this is possible with appropriate
>markup in a PDF that is tagged for accessibility, but I have yet to
>encounter a PDF where such table structure is actually implemented.
>
>Jamal
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>[mailto:program-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Edward Przybylek
>Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 7:53 PM
>To: program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [program-l] Re: VB: Reading pdf with screenreader
>
>
>Hi Che,
>
>I currently use both JFW V6 and WindowEyes V5.  Both do a great job
>reading PDF's.  I've used them at work to read 1000 page
>specifications full of tables and outlines.  My job relies on having
>access to these specifications and so far as I know I still have a
>job.  Give your screen reader a try before you spend money on
>additional software.
>
>Take care,
>Ed Przybylek
>
>At 05:16 PM 9/19/2005, you wrote:
> >   Hi all,
> >   I have found a couple of tutorials for visual basic that look
> > helpful, unfortunately they are in pdf format.  It has been a while
> > since I tried to read any pdf files with my screenreader, as it was
> > such a pain in the back to do.  Should I see if Adobe has made any
> > progress with their newest version of Acrobat Reader for the blind
> > community, or get a pdf to text converter for these files?
> >   Thanks.
> >   Che
>
>
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