[Athen] Structured accessible HTML from PDF

[E.A. Draffan]

I have experimented a little bit - the interface is easy to use and the
output is seen alongside the original.

I have used it for PDF to Word and found that it was saved in a RiverDocs
format and it was easier for me to copy and paste the contents into Word.
Tables if accessible were linearalised in a rather odd way as has been said

If the entire PDF is a picture then obviously there is no conversion - it
just puts the picture into the conversion area and you can re-size it etc! 

I had one PDF form with the labels to the left and lines for writing on
beside the labels  - the conversion put all the labels in a list and
collected all the lines after the list.   It was in fact easier just to copy
and paste the contents of that PDF into Word to make necessary changes! 

Google and Opera can make better versions at times for free :>)) 

However, there is a useful 'issues' button that flags up why things may not
have converted well.

Best Wishes E.A.

Mrs E.A. Draffan
Assistive Technologist
Mobile: 07976 289103 
http://www.emptech.info/

-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On
Behalf Of Sean Keegan
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 12:05 AM
To: 'Access Technologists in Higher Education Network'
Subject: Re: [Athen] Structured accessible HTML from PDF

 

> The RiverDocs converter will take any PDF document and analyse it to

recognise 

> multi-column pages, headings, tables, images and other formatting and

convert 

> it all into XHTML. Correctly recognising text that wraps around a 

> picture,



> or the cells in a table requires sophisticated artificial intelligence

algorithms.

Has anyone actually used the RiverDocs Converter and what have you thought
of it?

The press release and the information on their website a bit lacking as to
exactly how they really are different from the other tools that currently
exists (you can edit a PDF for accessibility in Acrobat and export from PDF
to HTML).  I found their price estimate of creating accessible PDF versions
with other tools in excess of 50 pounds per page somewhat high.

The website URL is: http://www.riverdocs.com

I am planning to get my hands on a demo copy, I just have not had a chance
to look into the tool much.


Thanks,
Sean



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