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Digital Backpack - Recommendations and best practices for uploading resources Follow

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General specifications for uploading Digital Backpack resources

Before uploading a resource to Digital Backpack, check the Discover tab to see if the resource has already been uploaded. Click here for more information on how to find and share publicly available resources.

When you upload a resource to Digital Backpack, it goes through a process that converts it into a format that is easy for students to read and makes it accessible and responsive on any device. 

In order for the process to work correctly we ask that you make sure your documents: 

  • Are uploaded as a PDF: This is currently the only file type we accept.
  • Have embedded fonts: Read this helpful information on how to check if your fonts are embedded in the PDF. 
  • Have searchable text: This means that the text on the page is not embedded in images. To check if the text is searchable, see this section. 

searchable_text.png

  • Have a 200-300 DPI (dots per inch) image resolution: If your PDF is not blurry and is not low resolution, your images will most likely be in the 200-300 DPI range. 
  • Do not have multiple print pages on the same PDF page: _2.png_3.png

For a PDF with multiple pages (all pages in a single PDF), the file:

  • Should not exceed 500 MB in size (If your PDF exceeds 500 MB, please upload individual page files instead.)
  • Should have pages in the order you would like them to appear when uploaded
  • Must include all pages
  • Should have the pages uniquely numbered (labeled) in the correct order.

For a single page PDF, the file:

  • Should be labeled or numbered in the order you want it to appear. This will ensure your document is merged properly later so the single page files are placed together in the correct order. 
  • Have no more than one PDF file per page (please do not include multiple revisions of the same page).
  • Include layout or assembly instructions if there is a cover or other insert pages.
  •  

Uploading resources FAQs

Q: Can I send PDFs with CMYK color settings? Or do you require RGB?

A: We can work with either CMYK or RGB color settings.

Q: Can I send a low-res or web-optimized PDF?

A: No, the minimum resolution is 200 dpi.

Q: Can I stitch or merge all my pages together and send a single PDF for my issue?

A: Yes, you can send a PDF file that has multiple pages. See above for requirements. 

Q: Why do you require searchable text?

A searchable text is critical in order:

  • For students to be able to use the search function within the digital reader.
  • To ensure that links contained within the text can be automatically and correctly recognized.

Q: How do I test for searchable text?

A:  In Acrobat, select the text selection tool and hover over any text on the page.

  • If the flashing text cursor icon does not appear, and lines of text are not selectable then the text is an image or vector, e.g.:searchable_text.png
  • If the text icon appears, click on a line of text and highlight, then create a bookmark (Ctrl B on the PC; Command B on the MAC).
  • If it is searchable, the text you selected should appear in the Bookmark tab. If the resulting bookmark instead shows unreadable boxes, the font is not properly encoded and should be replaced.

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