Redaction errors

Since MasterFile applies text redactions without manual drawing and highlighting directly on the PDF, errors can sometimes arise. This article explains the errors that can occur and how to correct them. Note that if redaction is not completed, no black block is shown on the extract's row.

Redaction error

If an error occurs when applying a redaction, detailed information about the error will be shown here.

Which instance to redact?

Sometimes, more than one instance of the text being redacted is found on a page and reported in "Redaction error". Specify the instance to redact in "Which instance to redact?", and reapply the redaction again using [R+ Redaction Tools > Apply Redactions].

If you already know which instance to redact, enter its number here, i.e. 3 for the 3rd instance. If you are unsure if there is more than one instance of the text, or if there is only one instance of the text, leave this field blank. MasterFile will report back to you if necessary.

Custom text to redact

This field has a dual purpose.

  • When you first designate an extract for redaction and save it, the field is updated with the Extract's text (i.e. the text that you wish redacted). Any leading page or line numbers are stripped and cleaned.
  • Sometimes, text that looks like the text in the PDF but it fails to match the actual text stored in the PDF because the PDF's structure is different and during redaction an error is generated. "Custom text to redact" will then be updated with exact text, from the page to redact, as it stored PDF. From this field, delete extraneous text so only the precise section you wish to redact remains.

For example, redacting this extract

resulted in an error being reported and the exact content from the associated PDF being filled in "Custom text to redact". All we need do, is delete the extra highlighted text

leaving

After saving and closing the extract, we use [R+ Redaction Tools > APPLY Redactions] which redacts it as expected.

Page breaks marks are automatically inserted if you create an extract across pages and shown in "Custom text to redact"; please do not remove them. If a redaction error results, replace the original extract with one or more new extracts that contain text only within a page, and try again. If one of the smaller extract still fails, then correct it as above.

Exclude sequential lines of text within a passage of text being redacted by replacing each set of lines to be excluded with 5 tilde characters : ~~~~~, i.e.

Some text
~~~~~ (representing 1 or more lines you do not want redacted)
Continuing text

Redaction extracts are limited to 15,000 characters or approximately 7 - 10 pages.

To redact consecutive pages, create a Redaction Rectangle. Then simply set the page range on the Redaction Extract to redact that set of pages.