171231 - Conflict between javascript changing field focus and using tab

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Core :: Layout: Form Controls, defect)

Description

[jsado]

I have created a form in which certian fields are of a known length. Using
Javascript and setting a callback function on the onkeypress event, I can
determine if the text in the field has reached the length, and then have the
text cursor automatically go to the next field. In my form these "autotab"
fields are intersperced with regular fields that require the user to hit the tab
key in order to change focus to the next field.

The first field (CDE Tag) is a four character field. The next three are variable
length. HRID is a seven character field, building is a two character field,
floor is a one character field. Room is a variable length field.

The expected results are: Click into the CDE Tag field and type 4 characters.
The cursor automatically goes down to the next field. Type something in this
field and press tab. Do the same for the next two fields. Type 7 characters into
the HRID field. The cursor automatically goes down to the next field. Type two
characters into the building field. The cursor goes to the next field. Type one
character into the floor field. The cursor goes to the room field. Type
something into the room field and hit tab. The cursor goes to the phone field.

Actual results: The cursor at the end of it all, instead of going to the phone
field as I expect, it goes to the building field. This leads me to believe that
mozilla registers a difference between the user hitting the tab key to move to
another field, and programatically changing the focus. The HRID field was the
last field that I had used the tab to get to, so the next time I use the tab, I
get to the building field, regardless of where I am (unless I change focus using
the mouse to click into a field).

It seems to me, that hitting the tab key should take the user to the next field
relative to where they are at (taking the tabindex attribute into account, of
course), not the next field that they haven't tabbed into.

I have tested this on Mozilla 1.0 under SunOS 5.8, and Mozilla 1.0 and 1.0.1
under PC Linux.

I have also tried this out on Netscape 4.x and IE 5.x and they both produce the
expected result (that is tabbing from the Room field takes you to phone, not
building)

I will attach the html with embedded javascript.

Comment 1

[jsado]

Attachment: html file that demonstrates the bug.

Comment 2

[Phil Schwartau]

Let me reassign this to Form Controls for a look, although perhaps
this is for Event Handling (?)

However, on WinNT anyway, the testcase worksforme using the above
steps to reproduce, using Mozilla trunk binary 20020926xx.
Following the steps given above, I end up in the phone field,
not the building field -

Comment 3

[jsado]

I just tried this out on a recent build of Mozilla and it does work correctly.
So the problem is just stuck in the 1.0.x releases.

Comment 4

[Mikael Parknert]

wfm and reporter, closing