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PDF/A and external references

November 2025 by Peter Wyatt

PDF/A ensures reliable long-term rendering by embedding fonts, images, and color profiles, but URLs can still appear in text, hyperlinks, bookmarks, annotations, metadata, and embedded files.

Link annotations and URI Actions define clickable destinations, but PDF/A restricts certain action types to prevent external dependencies.

Guided by clear policies, comprehensive audits of both visible and hidden references help maintain authenticity, accessibility, and long-term integrity of PDF/A documents and digital collections.

PDF/A ensures reliable long-term rendering by embedding fonts, images, and color profiles, but URLs can still appear in text, hyperlinks, bookmarks, annotations, metadata, and embedded files.

Link annotations and URI Actions define clickable destinations, but PDF/A restricts certain action types to prevent external dependencies.

Guided by clear policies, comprehensive audits of both visible and hidden references help maintain authenticity, accessibility, and long-term integrity of PDF/A documents and digital collections.

Introducing non-rectangular links to PDF

April 2022 by Peter Wyatt
Article


Non-rectangular links are coming to PDF 2.0! This article offers some background to link technology in PDF and discusses the forthcoming Extension to PDF 2.0.

Peter Wyatt
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April 2022 by Peter Wyatt
Peter Wyatt
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With the publication of ISO/TS 24064 PDF 2.0 now supports three 3D formats: U3D, PRC and STEP.

Article

April 2022 by Thomas Zellmann
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This post provides a quick overview of PDF/UA that explains what PDF/UA is, why it should be used, what is … Read more

Article

March 2022 by Dov Isaacs (Dov Isaacs)
Dov Isaacs
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Dov Isaacs discusses the issues and opportunities that the print publishing industry faces and how the PDF/X standard can help … Read more

Article

March 2022 by Dov Isaacs (Dov Isaacs)
Dov Isaacs
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In this part of the ‘Twenty Years of PDF/X’ series, Dov Isaacs discusses the success and adoption of the PDF/X … Read more

Article

March 2022 by Dov Isaacs (Dov Isaacs)
Dov Isaacs
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In this part of ‘Twenty Years of PDF/X’, Dov Isaacs explores how PDF/X tamed PostScript and its impact on the … Read more

Article

March 2022 by Dov Isaacs (Dov Isaacs)
Dov Isaacs
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This is the first of a four part series of articles examining the path leading to today’s PDF/X standards.

Article

March 2022 by François Charette (Compart GmbH)
François Charette
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Function as a Service (FaaS) as a relatively new cloud model is also an attractive option in document and output … Read more

Article

March 2022 by Thomas Zellmann
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This post provides users with a quick overview of PDF/A explaining what it is, why it should be used, what … Read more

Article

February 2022 by Duff Johnson
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This Global Information Governance Day it’s time to focus on how better PDF = better IG. #GIGD

Article

February 2022 by Is the role of encryption key for information governance?
Computer storage devices and a shield.

It is essential to understand that with long term storage secure formats does not in themselves prevent user error or … Read more

Article

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