PDF Association Cheat Sheet – Structure Attributes

Structure Attributes
BLSE = Block-Level Structure Element ILSE = Inline-Level Structure Element

Structure Elements Attribute Name Inheritable? Version Type(s) Values / Description Default Tables†
Any BackgroundColor No 1.5 array 3-element RGB color array with all 3 color components 0.0 – 1.0 inclusive. Transparent background 377, 378

BorderColor Yes 1.5 array 3-element RGB color array, or array of 4 × RGB color arrays in the order: before, after, start, end. Current text fill color 377, 378
None, Hidden, Dotted, Dashed, Solid, Double, Groove, Ridge, Inset, Outset
array,
BorderStyle No 1.5 Array of 4 BorderStyle names or null in the order: before, after, start, end. None 377, 378
name
null means not drawn.
array, Numbers ≥ 0. 0 = border not drawn. In default user space units.
BorderThickness Yes 1.5 0 377, 378
number Array of 4 numbers in the order: before, after, start, end. 0 or null means not drawn.
Color Yes 1.5 array 3-element RGB color array with all 3 color components 0.0 – 1.0 inclusive. Current text fill color 377, 378
array, Positive values enlarges background area. Negative values trim.
Padding No 1.5 0 377, 378
number Array of 4 numbers in the order: before, after, start, end.
Block for BLSEs.
Placement No 1.4 name Block, Inline, Before, Start, End 377, 378
Inline for ILSEs.
WritingMode Yes 1.4 name LrTb, RlTb, TbRl, TbLr, LrBt, RlBt, BtRl, BtLr LrTb 377, 378
Any BLSE and EndIndent Yes 1.4 number Applies only to Placement Block or End. In default user space units. 0 377, 379
ILSEs with Placement other
than Inline SpaceAfter No 1.4 number In default user space units. 0 377, 379

SpaceBefore No 1.4 number In default user space units. 0 377, 379

StartIndent Yes 1.4 number Applies only to Placement Block or Start. In default user space units. 0 377, 379
BLSEs containing text TextAlign Yes 1.4 name Start, Center, End, Justify Start 377, 379

TextIndent Yes 1.4 number Negative values represent a hanging indent. In default user space units. 0 377, 379
Figure, Form, Formula, 373, 374,
BBox No 1.4 rectangle Bounding Box in default user space units. Order is: left, bottom, right, top
Table and Artifact 377, 379
Figure, Form, Formula, name,
Height No 1.4 Auto or a number in default user space units. Auto 377, 379
Table, TH (Table header) and number
TD (Table data) name,
Width No 1.4 Auto or a number in default user space units. Auto 377, 379
number
TH (Table header) and Before, Middle, After, Justify
BlockAlign Yes 1.4 name Before 377, 379
TD (Table data) Only applies to TH or TD.
Start, Center, End
InlineAlign Yes 1.4 name Start 377, 379
Only applies to TH or TD.
None, Hidden, Dotted, Dashed, Solid, Double, Groove, Ridge, Inset, Outset
array,
TBorderStyle Yes 1.5 Array of 4 TBorderStyle names (above) or null in the order: before, after, start, end. None 377, 379
name
null means not drawn.
Array of 4 numbers in the order: before, after, start, end, or single number for all.
integer,
TPadding Yes 1.5 Positive values enlarges background area. Negative values trim. In default user space units. 0 377, 379
array
Padding supersedes TPadding.
† Table references are to ISO 32000-2:2020 including resolved errata at [Link]

© 2024 PDF Association, [Link]

Date:
2024.10.25
12:28:59
-04'00'
PDF Association Cheat Sheet – Structure Attributes
Structure Elements Attribute Name Inheritable? Type(s) Values / Description Default Tables †
Any ILSE; and Positive values shift baseline toward the before edge. Negative values toward the
BaselineShift No 1.4 number 0 377, 380
BLSEs containing ILSEs or after edge of reference area (upward and downward for Western writing systems).
containing direct or nested name,
LineHeight Yes 1.4 Normal, Auto or a preferred height in default user space units. Normal 377, 380
content items number
TextDecorationColor Yes 1.5 array 3-element RGB color array with all 3 color components 0.0 – 1.0 inclusive. 377, 380

TextDecorationThickness Yes 1.5 number Thickness of the line. Current stroke thickness 377, 380
Yes 1.4 name None, Underline, Overline, LineThrough
TextDecorationType Color, position, and thickness of decoration is same across all children, regardless of None 377, 380
Inheritable only for directly nested ILSEs
changes in colour, font size, etc. in the content’s text characteristics.
TextPosition Yes 2.0 name Sup, Sub, Normal Normal 377, 380
Grouping elements ColumnCount No 1.6 number The number of columns in the content of the grouping element. 1 377, 381
array, If a number: gap between all columns / width of all columns.
ColumnGap No 1.6 377, 381
number If array: 1st element is gap between columns 1 & 2 / width of column 1; 2nd element is
array, gap between columns 2 & 3 / width of column 2; etc.
ColumnWidths No 1.6 377, 381
number If fewer than ColumnCount - 1 numbers, last element defines all remaining columns.
Vertical text name, Auto or clockwise rotation in degrees of the top of the glyphs relative to the top of
GlyphOrientationVertical Yes 1.5 Auto 377, 380
integer the reference area. Multiple of 90° between -180° and +360°.
Ruby text (RB, RT, RP) RubyAlign Yes 1.5 name Start, Center, End, Justify, Distribute Distribute 369, 377, 380

RubyPosition Yes 1.5 name Before, After, Warichu, Inline Before 369, 377, 380
Lists ID
ContinuedFrom No 2.0 ID (see Table 355†) of the list for which this list is a continuation. 370, 382
(byte string)
ContinuedList No 2.0 boolean Whether the list is a continuation of a previous list or not. false 370, 382
None, Unordered (PDF 2.0) , Description (PDF 2.0) , Disc, Circle, Square,
ListNumbering Yes 1.4 name Ordered, Decimal, UpperRoman, LowerRoman, UpperAlpha, LowerAlpha None 370, 382
Alphabet used for UpperAlpha and LowerAlpha depends on Lang.
PrintField Checked
No 1.7 name off, on, neutral off 383
checked (deprecated in PDF 2.0)
Desc No 1.7 text string Alternate name of field. 383

Role No 1.7 name rb (radio button), cd (checkbox), pb (push button), tv (text value), lb (list box) 383
Table ColSpan No 1.4 integer Number of TH or TD cells spanning the column. Only applies to TH or TD. 1 371, 384

Headers No 1.5 array Array of byte strings. Only applies to TH or TD. 371, 384

RowSpan No 1.4 integer Number of TH or TD cells spanning the row. Only applies to TH or TD. 1 371, 384

Scope No 1.5 name Row, Column, Both. Only applies to TH. Depends on WritingMode 371, 384

Short No 2.0 text string Short form of TH’s content. Only applies to TH. 371, 384

Summary No 1.7 text string Summary of the table’s purpose and structure. 384
Artifact Header, Footer, Watermark, PageNum, Bates, LineNum, Redaction.
Subtype No 2.0 name None 385
Only when Type is Pagination or Inline.
Type No 2.0 name Pagination, Layout, Page, Inline 385
† All Table references are to ISO 32000-2:2020 including resolved errata at [Link]

© 2024 PDF Association, [Link]