Alternate Text Errors

Figures Alternate Text

This error shows images that do not have alternate text or, if decorative, have not been marked as an "Artifact". Every image must have alternate text for the screen reader to convey or be marked as an "Artifact" for the screen reader to skip that image if it is purely decorative. This is one of the most common errors. If the images were made correctly accessible in the source document and it was exported correctly into PDF you should not receive these errors.

Confused about whether or not an image or graphic is meaningful or non-essential? Please see the W3C Alt Decision Tree that will pose a series of questions that will help determine which is appropriate.

Purely decorative items include colored blocks, images of people, a line, a flower, any image that adds nothing to the information being given and is only there to make the document more lively for those viewing it. At no time can the text of the document refer to this image, otherwise the image must be tagged appropriately.

Note: An image with a text overlay or logo with text is NEVER purely decorative and will need to be tagged and should not be marked as an "Artifact".

SmartArt is severely discouraged if you will be exporting the document to PDF for the following reasons:

  1. When a PowerPoint or Word document that uses SmartArt in any way is exported into PDF, every element (arrow, line, highlight, star, colored block, outline, background, shadow, etc, INCLUDING the image as a whole) will require alternate text, creating a "Figures Alternate Text" and "Nested Alternate Text" error for EACH element.
  2. Even if the SmartArt was made accessible within the original format, that accessibility generally does not transfer when exporting SmartArt to PDF.
  3. Each SmartArt element will be listed as a "Figures alternate text" error, and once you insert the alternate text, they will be housed in a "Diagram" tag in the Tags panel, which was the image-as-a-whole error element that required alternate text.
  4. Once you enter the required alternate text for all these elements, because of it being housed now in a "Diagram", every one of those "Figures Alternate Text" error elements will now transfer to being a "Nested Alternate Text" error element.

Fixing Figures Alternate Text

  1. Right-click on the numbered error element and select "Fix".
  2. The document should move to the error's location and highlight it.
  3. The "Set Alternate Text" window will open.
  4. The window will show:
    1. "Image 1 of XX" so you know how many images you will need to fix.
    2. A "Decorative figure" check box.
    3. An "Alternate text:" field.
    4. Left and Right arrows to move back and forth between the error elements.
    5. "Save & Close" and "Cancel" buttons.
  5. If the image is purely decorative:
    1. Check mark the "Decorative figure" button (this will tag the image as an "Artifact").
    2. Click the Right arrow to go to the next error element.
    3. Note: If the program does not think this SHOULD be an artifact (this may happen if there is page content within the tag, etc.), it will move the item to be an error under "Other elements alternate text" which is a much harder error to fix. Be sure that if something is marked as decorative, it truly is decorative and the error isn't transferred to another error heading. If it really should be decorative, the text must be removed from the graphic first. Then mark it as an artifact within the Tags or Content Panel.
  6. If the image is functional and should have alternate text:
    1. Enter an appropriate image description in the "Alternate text:" field.
    2. Click the Right arrow to go to the next error element
  7. Once you have gone through each image listed in the "Set Alternate Text" window, click on the "Save & Close" button
  8. Now all the error elements you have either marked as "decorative" or entered alternate text for will be taken off the error element list.
  9. You may also click the "Save & Close" button at any time while going through the error elements in the "Set Alternate Text" window, the error elements you have marked so far as "decorative" or entered alternate text for will be taken off the list of error elements.
  1. Right-click on the numbered error element.
  2. Choose "Show in Content Panel" or "Show in Tags Panel". Either is fine.
  3. In the panel the element is highlighted in gray indicating the error.
  4. Right-click on the element and choose "Properties".
  5. Go to the "Tag" tab and enter an appropriate description of the image in the "Alternate Text:" field (Remember - Alternative text is used to provide an alternative for images (figures). Actual text is used to provide an alternative to text content.)
  6. Select "Close".
  7. Go to the next numbered error element and follow the same process.
  8. At any time, right-clicking on the error heading and select "Check Again" will display the error elements that have not yet been resolved.

Nested Alternate Text

This error shows there are incorrectly "nested" alternate text elements within the document. Screen readers do not read alternate text for nested elements, therefore, you will need to "un" nest the elements.

To fix these error elements:

  1. Right-click on the error element, select "Show in Tags Panel".
  2. The Tags panel will show the element highlighted in gray indicating the error.
  3. Expand the element.
  4. Nested items that do not pertain to text, images, formatting, etc. can just be deleted.
  5. All other items must be moved out of the tag in which they were housed (the expanded tag).
  6. Right-click on the now empty tag (cannot be expanded because there are no longer items "nested" in it) and select "Delete Tag".
  7. Right-click on the "Alternate Text" error heading and select "Check Again". Only unresolved errors will show.

Example 1 - Single nested item (tag)

 Nested Tags Example 1

In this example, the "Path" is nested within "<Span>". To un-nest this:

  1. Click on "Path".
  2. Drag under "<LBody>" and drop.
  3. The "<Span>" will now be empty and should be deleted.

Nested Tags Example 2 

In this example, the "<Figure>" tags are nested within "<Diagram>". To un-nest this:

  1. Select the first "<Figure>".
  2. Push and hold the "Shift" key.
  3. Select the last "<Figure>".
  4. Release the "Shift" key.
  5. All tags nested within "<Diagram>" will be highlighted.
  6. Click on the group and drag to be under "<Textbox>" and drop.
  7.  "<Diagram>" is empty and should be deleted.

Associated With Content

This error shows that there are nested tagged items that have no page content. These "emtpy" tags should be deleted.

To fix this error:

  1. Right-click on the element.
  2. Select "Show in Tags Panel".
  3. In the "Tags Panel" the element is highlighted in gray indicating the error.
  4. This element should be "empty", having no content and no ability to expand (see example below).
  5. Right-click on the element and select "Delete Tag", or select and push the "delete" key.
  6. Repeat for each error until all empty tags are addressed.
  7. Right-click on the error heading and select "Check Again". Only the error elements that have not been resolved will show.

Example:

Associated with Content Example 

Hides Annotation

This error shows there is an annotation nested in a parent element that contains alternate or actual text. When this happens a screen reader will not read it.

Note: This is a very uncommon error.

To fix this error:

  1. Right-click on the error element and select "Show in Tags Panel".
  2. In the "Tags Panel"  the annotation element is highlighted in gray indicating the error.
  3. Drag the nested annotation tag to be outside the parent tag that contains alternate or actual text.
  4. Ensure the reading order is still correct.
  5. Right-click on the error heading and select "Check Again". Only the error elements that have not been resolved will show.

Note: Sometimes the parent tag should not have the alternate or actual text causing this error. If this is the case, deleting the text will also resolve this error.

Other Elements Alternate Text

This error shows there is content, other than figures, that requires alternate text (multimedia, annotation, 3D models, etc.) within the document.

Remember:

  • Alternative text is used to provide an alternative for images (figures), which is NOT this error.
  • Actual text is used to provide an alternative to text content, which IS this error.

Note: If when resolving the "Figures Alternate Text" error some figures were marked as "Decorative" that Adobe believes shouldn't be, it will put these items in this error category. This category is a much harder fix and should be avoided.

Based on whether or not you can see the problem element in the Tags Panel or Content Panel, make the appropriate selection below.

The error element can be found in the Tags Panel

  1. Select the numbered error element. Adobe should move the cursor to the error within the document and highlight it.
  2. Make note of what the text is, or what exactly the element is and should be.
  3. Right-click on the error element and select "Show in Tags Panel".
    1. If the message "The selection was not found in the Tags Panel" appears, move on to the next fix method)
  4. In the Tags Panel the element is highlighted in gray indicating the error.
  5. Right-click on the tag and select "Properties".
  6. In the "Properties" window, go to the "Tag" tab.
  7. Verify the "Type:" of element is correct. If it isn't, change it to the correct one.
  8. In the "Actual Text:" field, enter the actual text or alternate representation for the content of the error element.
    1. For example, "(1) Buy a pie... (2) Buy a cake...." where the "(1)" and "(2)" are error elements:
      • Enter "(1)" in the "Actual Text:" field for the first error element, then "(2)" in the "Actual Text:" field for the next error element.
  9. Select "Close".
  10. Right-click on the error heading and select "Check Again", Only the error elements that have not been resolved will show.
  1. Select the numbered error element and Adobe should move to the error within the document and highlight it.
  2. Note what the text is, or what exactly the element is and should be.
  3. Right-click on the error element and select "Show in Contents Panel"
    1. If you receive the message "The selection was not found in the Contents Panel", move on to the next fix method.
  4. In the Contents Panel the element is highlighted in gray indicating the error.
  5. Right-click on the element and select "Properties".
  6. In the "Properties" window navigate to the "Tag" tab.
  7. Verify the "Type:" of element is correct. Iif it isn't, change it to the correct one.
    1. In the "Actual Text:" field, enter the actual text or alternate representation for the content of the error element.
      1. For example, "(1) Buy a pie... (2) Buy a cake...." where the "(1)" and "(2)" are error elements:
        • Enter "(1)" in the "Actual Text:" field for the first error element, then "(2)" in the "Actual Text:" field for the next error element.
  8. Select "Close".
  9. Right-click on the error heading and select "Check Again". Only the error elements that have not been resolved will show.
  1. Select the numbered error element and Adobe should move to the error within the document and highlight it.
  2. Note what the text is, or what exactly the element is and should be.
  3. Since the item cannot be found in the Contents or Tags Panel, manually find it in the Contents Panel.
  4. Once the error element has been located in the Contents Panel, right-click and select "Tag as...." and choose the appropriate item from below:
    1. For "Tag as Text", once the item is tagged as text:
      1. Go back to the error heading, right-click and select "Check Again".
      2. Right-click on the error element again and choose "Show in Tags Panel". It should be there since it was just tagged it as text.
      3. In the panel the element is highlighted in gray indicating the error.
      4. Follow the instructions for "The error element can be found in the Tags Panel:" above.
      5. Select "Close".
      6. Right-click on the error heading and select "Check Again". Only the error elements that have no been resolved will show.
    2. "Tag as Background" - this will make the item invisible for the screen reader, be sure it is a purely decorative background image for the page. Nothing with text should be marked as "Background".
      1. Once the item is tagged as "Background", the error element should no longer be on the list.
    3. "Tag as Figure" - this should be used only for items where a description should be read, such as images pertaining to the content, logos, etc. Once the item is tagged as a figure"
      1. Go back to the error heading, right-click and select "Check Again"
      2. The error will now move to the "Figures Alternate Text" error heading. Follow the instructions on the linked page to resolve this error.
    4. "Tag as ....." - use whatever has not been described here but is available to select and is appropriate.
  5. If there is not a "Tag as....." option:
    1. Click and drag a rectangle around the error section within the document.
    2. Right-click on the selection and select the correct "Tag as..." option.
    3. Now follow the instructions above for the type of tag created and how to fix the error.

Updated: 10/20/2022 10:36AM