When to use Span Tags (Desktop and Advanced Editor)

Overview

Span tags are “generic” tags that can be used to house and manipulate text. It can be used to identify a run of text that needs to be treated differently from the surrounding text.

A Span tag by itself does not provide semantic meaning. Instead, it acts as a container that can carry additional properties, such as:

• Language changes
• Actual Text replacements
• Expansion text for abbreviations
• Alternate descriptions

Prerequisites 

• When OCR does not accurately recognize text.  Insert the incorrect text in a Span and, in the Properties panel, type the correct text in the Actual text box. (Or, use the "Copy Contents to Actual text" feature and then just edit as needed.)
• When symbols are used to convey information.  Place the symbol in a Span and provide Alt. text.
• If color is the only way that information is being conveyed (such as negative numbers in a table being displayed in red).  Include that text in a Span tag and then provide alternative text.  In the example of red negative numbers in a table, include “negative” along with the text for the number.
• If abbreviations and/or acronyms are used and the remediator wants to be absolutely sure that they will be read correctly.  Place the text in a Span and then provide Expansion text as needed. 
• To change the language of a word (or words) in a sentence.  Put the word(s) in a Span tag and then, in the Properties, change the language as needed.
• To otherwise manipulate how text will be read.

Steps to Follow

1. Highlight the text that needs to be treated differently from the surrounding text. You can do this:
   1.  either in the physical view or 
   2. opening the tag in which the text is located and selecting it within the text runs.  
2. Place that selected text in a Span tag.  (The button to create a Span tag is located in the Insert tag tab approximately halfway across the screen in the Other tags group.)
3. Ensure that the Span tag is inside of the tag that was previously holding the text.  Span tags, are not structural tags, and never get pushed to the root level.
4. Make the change you need to make to the span tag properties depending on the use of the span tag.  

Screenshots

Common Problems

Sometimes you may find that the information you need to place in a span tag is contained in a larger text run.  If so, you will need to split the text run to isolate the text that should be placed in a span tag. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a way to add multiple span tags for a symbol or the "same" text all at once?

Yes! You can add multiple span tags at once for a particular symbol or text by using the find and replace function in CommonLook PDF. To find out more on how and when to use Find and replace, check out the How to Use Find and Replace article from our knowledge base.  

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