At a glance
An uncounted PDF retains an unknown count and a reason. The reason can belong to retrieval, file structure, safety verification or a resource allowance. Use that layer to choose the next action; a file that opens in your browser may still need a public-access or structural investigation.
Do not assign a parser diagnosis when the document was never retrieved.
| Layer | Example outcome | Responsible follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Retrieval | 403 refusal | Website owner |
| Source | Password required | Document owner |
| Structure | Unverified page tree | Author or specialist |
| Service | Verification unavailable | Permitted retry / support |
| Allowance | File exceeds saved size limit | Scope review |
Scroll sideways to see all columns. Use arrow keys when the table is focused.
Retrieval and scope outcomes
These are common explanation categories, not a promise that every historical report saved a precise code. Use the wording and observed response in the actual report.
| Reason | Meaning | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Request refused | Host declined the request | Check anonymous access and host policy |
| Missing file | Requested resource was not found | Correct the link or publication |
| Rate limited / server error | Host could not serve this attempt | Check reliability; respect retry guidance |
| Timeout / connection failure | Retrieval did not finish | Check the host and a permitted retry |
| Outside scope / unsafe redirect | Destination was not approved or safe | Provide an approved public source |
| Crawl restriction | Rules disallowed retrieval | Ask owner to review public policy |
Scroll sideways to see all columns. Use arrow keys when the table is focused.
Document and verification outcomes
A complete-looking viewer page is not proof of a consistent authored page tree. Keep the original source and distinguish a fresh re-export from an unchanged retry.
| Reason | Meaning | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Not a PDF / empty response | No valid PDF source was obtained | Check actual response and export |
| Incomplete PDF | Transfer or PDF ending evidence is incomplete | Obtain a complete source |
| Password required | Counter cannot read the protected content | Provide an authorized readable source |
| Invalid or unverified structure | A reliable count was not established | Re-export or seek structural review |
| Independent readers disagree | Recovery could not verify one count | Retain unknown and escalate |
Scroll sideways to see all columns. Use arrow keys when the table is focused.
Allowances, safety and older reports
File-size, download-transfer, processing-time and verification boundaries keep an inventory bounded. A safety-service failure or unavailable verification is distinct from a confirmed unsafe file. Follow the saved reason and available retry action rather than bypassing the check.
Older generic failures may say that their exact cause was not recorded. Do not reconstruct it from a later successful browser download. Log that new observation separately. Unknown pages remain excluded from the confirmed total until an authorized process establishes them.
| Reason | Interpretation | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| File / transfer allowance | Saved purchase boundary reached | Review scope or supported file size |
| Processing limit | Verification exceeded its boundary | Review source; use permitted retry |
| Safety verification unavailable | Safety result could not be established | Use product guidance or support |
| Historical generic failure | Exact old reason was not retained | Record a new investigation without guessing |
Scroll sideways to see all columns. Use arrow keys when the table is focused.
Sources and scope
Methods, worksheets and illustrative examples are DocAccessible editorial contributions. These references support the technical or product details described above. W3C techniques are informative guidance; they are not a certification scheme.
- DocAccessible PDF inventory
The counting workflow, report options and purchase boundary.
- RFC 9110: HTTP Semantics
HTTP response meanings, including redirects, refusals and missing resources.
- QPDF: PDF inspection and exit status
Structural inspection, page-count options and warning versus error outcomes.
Written by the DocAccessible team under our editorial policy. Suggest a correction if a source or product detail needs updating.
See the evidence in a working example
Explore the public sample inventory report to try its table, full-screen view and missing-count reasons. The downloadable counting fixture check records what the local counter returned for seven self-authored inputs, with hashes and explicit limits.