Export interactive PDF from ArcGIS Pro

[YusefSamari]

I am using ArcGIS Pro 3.1.3. I would like to export a layout as an interactive pdf. 

The ESRI support article - https://support.esri.com/en-us/knowledge-base/how-to-export-a-map-as-an-interactive-pdf-in-arcgis-pr... - says to check the 'Export georeference information' box, and select 'PDF Layers and Feature Attributes' from the 'Layers and attributes' drop-down menu - see screenshot below.

However, when I try and do that on my version of Pro, I see no such option on the drop down menu - see screenshot below:

Does anyone have any ideas of what is going on here? 

[Eugene_Adkins]

Could be a version difference. I'm using 3.1.1 and I see the same options you're seeing.

The bottom of the documentation does say:

[Eugene_Adkins]

After looking at this closer, are you choosing to "Export Map" from the ribbon while viewing your map, or are you choosing "Export Layout" while viewing the map's layout?

[YusefSamari]

Thank you for highlighting that! I misread the article. I have managed to export the map as an interactive pdf now, but it does not include any kind of legend. Is there any way to get a legend showing symbology on there?

[Eugene_Adkins · Accepted solution]

*Update - by following what I mentioned below, I was able to create an interactive PDF with a visible legend. Hope that makes your day go better, Yusef.

I can understand how someone may misread the article since the subject is about exporting PDFs. It would probably help if it said "On the map's Share ribbon tab, click Export Map."

At first I was seeing the same options as you when it came to sharing a PDF from the layout's ribbon, but when I toggled on the "export georeference information" option on the map's ribbon, I was also able to choose the previously missing option of "PDF Layers and Feature Attributes" on the layout's share/export PDF options. Perhaps the capability has to be enabled for the map before it can be enabled for the layout? And since this option is now available maybe it will also create the legend visible in the layout?

[YusefSamari]

Thanks so much! I toggled 'Export georeference information' on the Export Map tab, but the 'PDF Layers and Features' option still wasn't appearing in the drop-down menu on the Export Layout tab, probably because of the 'Include Accessibility Tags' option was checked as Tom mentions below. However, this worked anyway, and even with selecting 'PDF Layers Only' it still exported a pdf with switchable layers and a legend.

[TomBole · Accepted solution]

Hi @YusefSamari 

The "PDF Layers and Feature Attributes" option is not available when the "Include accessibility tags" option (under the Accessibility tab in the Export pane) is checked. Unchecking this option should enable "PDF Layers and Feature Attributes" option.  See the thread Export attributes to PDF for more information.

Hope this help,

Tom

[YusefSamari]

Thanks Tom. What exactly do accessibility tags do? Am I losing anything by not having them? Didn't find a quick answer searching online. Interestingly, an interactive pdf with legend exported anyway, even with the 'PDF Layers Only' option selected, following Eugene's answer above.

[TomBole]

Here are some links that you may find helpful in answering your questions:

Creating Accessible PDFs in ArcGIS Pro (esri.com)

Export to PDF—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

Whether or not you are losing anything by not having them is dependent on who the end user is of the PDF(s) your creating. Are they sight-impaired? If so, you might need the tags. 

[YusefSamari]

Great, thanks for the info Tom, happily in this case there is no need for the tags.