Remove deprecated annotation types

PDF/UA check ANNOT_DEPRECATED_TYPE · Annotations · severity High · PDF/UA 8.9.1 General

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Why it matters#

These annotation types were removed from PDF 2.0 because they lack accessibility support. Their presence indicates the document uses outdated, inaccessible multimedia techniques.

What you will see#

The document contains Sound, Movie or TrapNetwork annotations, all removed in PDF 2.0.

How to fix#

Remove Sound, Movie, and TrapNet annotations from the document. Re-add audio or video using a Screen or RichMedia annotation with a Contents description; trap networks have no replacement and must simply be deleted.

Step-by-step guide#

1. Use the subtype and page details in the EQChecker report to locate each Sound, Movie, or TrapNet annotation.
2. Try deleting the media rectangle directly in Acrobat Pro: select it with the Select Object tool (available in the form editing and rich media tool groups) and press Delete.
3. If Acrobat cannot select the legacy annotation, re-export the document from the source file without the legacy media.
4. Where the audio or video is still needed, re-add it with Acrobat's rich media tools (classic Tools > Rich Media > Add Video / Add Sound), which create RichMedia annotations based on the PDF 2.0 multimedia features.
5. Give each replacement annotation a Contents description (see MULTIMEDIA_ALT_DESCRIPTION) and confirm its media clip data carries CT and Alt entries (MEDIA_CLIP_CT, MEDIA_CLIP_ALT).
6. TrapNet annotations have no replacement (8.9.2.4.15): delete them, and regenerate trapping in the prepress workflow if it is still needed for print production.

Verify: Re-run the EQChecker scan; ANNOT_DEPRECATED_TYPE should report zero errors.

Note: Sound and Movie are prohibited under PDF/UA-2 (8.9.2.4.11, deprecated in PDF 2.0); a PDF/UA-1 profile prohibits only TrapNet, and EQChecker applies the matching subtype set for the selected standard. Their functions were replaced by the multimedia features of ISO 32000-2 Clause 13.

WCAG success criteria#

No WCAG success criterion maps cleanly to this check — it is a PDF/UA structural requirement. The PDF/UA clause above is the normative reference.

Standards#

This check contributes to the following standards:

PDF/UA