PDF/A and external references
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.
Bottom-up: how standards should be made
Standards development works best when the expert community is open to diverse and dissenting views. The door is already open to the government to listen, participate and propose. If it … Read more
March 2021 by Thomas Zellmann
Thomas Zellmann, evangelist from the PDF Association, explains why PDF is not only “digital paper” but also one of the … Read more
