Given your problem description, your best approach will be determined by the
volume of records in question. I assume a relatively low-volume given that
these records are being emailed. On the surface, it appears the path of
least resistance is to have personnel that email these records to external
consumers use Adobe Acrobat desktop to convert the TIFFs to PDF format
(either searchable or non-searchable form depending on usage), and then
email them. If the volume is more than minimal and/or internal personnel
will benefit from image content searchability, once the record (TIFF) copy
is created (cf http://sos.louisiana.gov/archives/records/rec_mgt.pdf page
9), then convert to PDF (Image + Text for searchable and Image for
non-searchable).
Best Regards,
Tom Dale
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Background:
As others have stated, file format and associated compression are capture
software and display software issues. As an example, Windows Picture and
Fax viewer 1) will render ONLY the first page of a multipage TIFF 6.0 file
with images compressed using LZW but not subsequent pages, and 2) will NOT
render TIFF 6.0 with pages compressed using JPEG.
TIFF 6.0 (June 3, 1992) supports LZW for lossless color and grayscale
compression. TIFF 6.0 also supports JPEG for lossy compression. TIFF 6.0
further includes specs for lossless JPEG (not JPEG2000); however I've
neither encountered lossless JPEG support in any TIFF 6.0 supporting product
nor have looked for such support.
PDF/A version 1 is a constrained PDF 1.4, has two conformance levels, and
does not support LZW. (Side note: Acrobat 5 - PDF 1.4, Acrobat 6 - PDF
1.5, Acrobat 7 - PDF 1.6 Acrobat 8 - PDF 1.7). PDF 1.4 supports lossless
monochrome compression via JBIG and color compression via LZW and
FlateDecode. (Side note 2: JBIG has both lossless and lossy modes).
PDF/A version 2 likely will not be available until 2009 and may include
JPEG2000 for lossless color and grayscale compression.
Adobe Acrobat desktop (standard and pro) can capture via scanner as well as
open existing TIFFs, and produce searchable or non-searchable PDFs as
output.
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Russell D. James
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 2:36 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [RM] TIFF versus PDF for short-term retention
I work at the Louisiana Office of Risk Management. We are currently
debating whether to continue scanning and storing records in TIFF format or
convert the documents once scanned into PDF. I am not sure if the FileNet
ECMS system we use converts to a PDF format conformable to the pdf/a
standard.
These records are stored for a retention period of five years, then they are
destroyed. Our insurance adjustors often email the scanned files to outside
agencies and offices. These outside persons have indicated that they can
always read the PDF files, but the TIFF files are not always readable, for
whatever reason.
Given that we do not have control over the other agencies' computer systems
and software, and therefore cannot solve their problems with accurately
rendering their TIFF files, I'm asking you for thoughts and especially
published literature on using PDF format for short-term retention of
official government records. Any help is appreciated.
Russell D. James, M.A.
MLIS student
Archives management specialization
Louisiana State University
[log in to unmask]
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
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