1835495 - Reduce number of tab keypresses even more when navigating from folder tree to the message list by implementing toolbar navigation pattern in the quick filter bar, main toolbar and other toolbars

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 1817911

(Thunderbird :: Toolbars and Tabs, enhancement)

Description

[Peter Vágner]

+++ This bug was initially created as a clone of Bug #1819281 +++

The problem

As a result of the Bug #1819281 message list columns were refactored to act like a toolbar. In the tab order it only consumes single tab stop and navigating betveen controls is possible by using left and right arrow keys.
I would like to apply this navigation pattern to more toolbar like controls on the main window.

Steps to reproduce

• Launch thunderbird, use tab or shift+tab or F6 and shift+F6 to focus the message list.
• Press ctrl+shift+k to display quick filter bar.
• Press the tab key several times to navigate over the individual quick filter bar buttons.

Actual results

It is possible to use to navigate with tab or shift+tab but it's not very convenient. Each button in the quick filter bar consumes single tab stop.

Expected

For better user experience for operating with the keyboard it would be nice if buttons were logically grouped into toolbars and number of tab key presses while navigating from the folder tree to the message list would be reduced.
For example quick filter bar buttons such as Unread, Starred, Contact, Labels and others should be grouped into the toolbar, buttons on the main toolbar such as check for new messages, new message, Add label should be grouped .
The toolbars should be named with an accessible name in order to be clearly reported with the screen readers when navigating into.
Navigating over the elements inside a toolbar should be done with left and right arrow keys.
See the toolbar pattern explanation here

Comment 1

[Alessandro Castellani [:aleca]]

Thanks for the report Peter, we're already on this.
Bug 1827251 will take care of the quick filter bar, while for the unified toolbar we have bug 1817911.
After we tackle these two, we're gonna implement the same pattern almost anywhere for all header panes, toolbars, and such.

Small recommendation, try to not open a bug that highlights work needed on multiple areas. Is always better to have 1 bug for 1 thing in order to keep things more easy to track.
I'm gonna mark this bug as duplicate of bug 1817911.