Standard: PDF Links (linking to PDF files)
Brief description
(see the full document below for details)
This standard covers how to link to PDF documents.
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Definitions
A PDF is a document in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF); the filename extension is .pdf
Contact information is a phone number or an email address where a person could get help with a document, primarily for purposes of accessibility. Possible contacts include your library, public information center, public affairs office or the person who created the document. Whatever information you provide, the document should be traceable back to the program which produced it.
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Content requirements
- When providing PDFs, include the title of the document and the acronym "PDF" in parentheses in the link text.
- After the link, show the number of pages and file size as unlinked text, separated by commas, in parentheses. Provide a link to EPA’s “About PDF” page (http://www.epa.gov/epahome/pdf.html) on any Web page that links to PDFs. There are two ways to do this:
- Long disclaimer: Provide the following disclaimer text (or similar language) in a box or paragraph:
You will need the free Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
- Inline disclaimer: When the long version is problematic, or where you have only a few PDFs linked, you may link to the “About PDF” page by adding "About PDF" as the last item in parentheses after the link.
- For large pages (e.g. for a poster), also provide paper dimensions inside the parentheses.
- If you are providing the same content in multiple formats, the title line should link to the HTML version, followed by links to the PDF.
- When possible, offer a link to the PDF from the HTML version.
- If you are posting a non-accessible PDF and you are not posting the same content in some other accessible format (e.g. HTML or text), provide contact information. (If you include an email address, follow the EPA standard for linking to email addresses.
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Style requirements
- The long disclaimer may appear:
- at the top of a page that includes many PDFs,
- right before a paragraph or list of PDFs, or
- immediately before the first reference to a PDF
- Beginning with template version 3, if a box is used for long disclaimers, use the right-aligned box (style class="disclaimer") or the centered box (style class="disclaimer-wide").
- If you post contact information and you are using the long disclaimer, you may provide contact information in the same box or paragraph as the long disclaimer.
- When the box is problematic to the design of the page, the box is not required. The disclaimer text is always required.
- For the number of pages, use "1 pg" for a single page. For multiple pages, use "XX pp" with a space between the number and "pp".
- For file size, use "K" for files smaller than 1000K and "MB" for files larger than 1000K. For MB, use at most one decimal place. Do not put a space between the number and "K" or "MB."
- You may code the file size information in parentheses to appear in a smaller font. Beginning with template version 3, use the style (class="fileinfo") to make the text smaller.
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How to
If you are using the long disclaimer, put it at the top of the page or anywhere above the first PDF link because people need to see it first.
URL for EPA's "About PDF" page: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/pdf.html
Right Align Box:
The style sheet for Template 3 includes a style called "disclaimer" for a PDF disclaimer box. This style right aligns a disclaimer box on a page. Here's how to code it:
<p class="disclaimer">You will need Adobe Acrobat(...)</p>
Center Align Box:
The style sheet for Template 3 includes a style called "disclaimer-wide" for a PDF disclaimer box. This style centers a disclaimer box on a page. Here's how to code it:
<p class="disclaimer-wide">You will need Adobe Acrobat(...)</p>
Smaller Font Size:
You may code the file size information in parentheses to appear in a smaller font. The style sheet for Template 3 includes a class called "fileinfo" which achieves this. Here's how to code it:
<span class="fileinfo">(45 pp, 256K)</span>
<span class="fileinfo">(114 pp, 611K, About PDF) </span>
Recommendations:
Links to information about PDF files should be arranged so that they are unobtrusive but close to the PDF link itself. Generally, the inline disclaimer should be used for pages containing five or fewer PDF files. For pages containing more than five PDF files, the long disclaimer is usually preferable. However, if the page is longer than three printed pages, it is recommended that the inline disclaimer be used regardless of the number of PDF files.
Recommended language for inaccessible document contact information:
If you need help accessing these PDF documents, please contact Chris Robinson at 202-123-4576 or robinson.chris@epa.gov for assistance.
If you need assistance in obtaining the content of this document, please contact EPA's Water Permits Division at 202-564-9545.
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Examples
Long Disclaimer:
Using the long disclaimer in the right aligned box.
Using the long disclaimer in a centered box.
Using long disclaimer, no box, plus contact information:
You will need the free Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more. If you need help accessing these PDF documents, please contact Chris Robinson at 202-123-4576 or robinson.chris@epa.gov for assistance.
Short Disclaimer Examples
Using the short disclaimer:
How they get those ships inside the bottles (PDF) (24 pp, 240K, About PDF)
Using the short disclaimer plus contact information:
Vapor Extraction System Expanded Into Northern Area (PDF) (2 pp, 40K, About PDF). If you need assistance in obtaining the content of this document, please contact EPA's Water Permits Division at 202-564-9545.
Using the short disclaimer linking to an odd-sized document:
How Far From the Nearest Road? (PDF) (poster 36 x 96 inches, 1 pg, 3MB, About PDF)
Linking to a document that exists in multiple non-HTML versions:
Impact of Best Management Practices on Water Quality of Two Small Watersheds in Indiana: Role of Spatial Scale (PDF) (120 pp, 1.1MB, About PDF) | Text Version (text file) (154K)
Linking to the HTML document first when it also exists in multiple non-HTML versions:
Impact of Best Management Practices on Water Quality of Two Small Watersheds in Indiana: Role of Spatial Scale | PDF Version (120 pp, 1.1MB, About PDF) | Text Version (textfile) (154K)
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Rationale
The "About PDF" page explains what PDFs are and contains a link to a page on Adobe's Web site where readers may download the free Adobe Reader. This satisfies Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. § 1194.22 (m).
Providing contact information, as needed, will allow people with accessibility problems to contact someone for help withhe document. No one in the federal Web community seems to have much experience with this, so it's hard to predict what people will request. You'll probably have to handle this on a case by case basis, and work with your audience to give them what they need.
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Related governance documents
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Other Info
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Full Metadata about this standard
Name PDF Links (linking to PDF files)
Tracking number NT000014A2
Type Standard
Required or Recommended Required
Effective date 07/12/2006
Date approved 07/09/2006
Category Links and Navigation, PDF
Web Council review by 07/12/2008 (or earlier if deemed necessary by the Web Council)
Governing Policy
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