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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.

PDF standards explained: with a focus on the newest

September 2021 by Dietrich von Seggern (callas software GmbH)
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Dietrich von Seggern from callas software explains PDF standards with a focus on the newest standards.

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September 2021 by Duff Johnson
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According to CommonCrawl’s detected MIME type PDF is the 3rd most popular file-format on the web (behind HTML and XHTML); … Read more

Article

September 2021 by PDF Association staff
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The PDF Association welcomes new members as we absorb the 3D PDF Consortium’s membership and functions. With two new working … Read more

PDF Association news

August 2021 by PDF Association staff
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PDF Days Online 2021 is brimming with up-to-date technical and educational presentations. If you work with digital documents there’s a … Read more

PDF Association news

August 2021 by Dietrich von Seggern (callas software GmbH)
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Dietrich von Seggern describes optimal uses of automation in label printing and discusses the integration of print processing steps in … Read more

Article

August 2021 by PDF Association staff
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PDF Days this year is online-only. Technical Days sessions range from September 27 – October 18 at 1600 and 1700 … Read more

PDF Association news

July 2021 by PDF Association staff
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We preview some of what’s coming at PDF Days Europe 2021 with sessions in accessibility, production, security and core PDF … Read more

PDF Association news

July 2021 by Leonard Rosenthol (Adobe)
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The Technical Working Group’s chair explains the current missions of the PDF Forms TWG; a declarative model for business logic, … Read more

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July 2021 by PDF Association staff
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Technical resources on pdfa.org are now more understandable and navigable by less technically experienced readers as well as knowledgeable developers.

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July 2021 by Peter Shikli (Access2online Inc.)
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PDF documents can be as accessible as web pages if presented correctly.

Article

July 2021 by Peter Wyatt
Peter Wyatt
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To assist both academic and industry researchers achieve high-quality and accurate PDF-oriented research outcomes, the PDF Association is now offering … Read more

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