209149 - Sub-categories should be shown when selecting a category in the preferences dialog

Status: NEW

(SeaMonkey :: Preferences, enhancement)

Description

[Peter Tandler]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030529
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030529

If a preferences category has sub-categories, it would enhance usability if the
list showing the sub-categories is opened (expanded) automatically when a user
selects this category. (Just like the folders view in the explorer of Win XP.)

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Open the preferences dialog
2. click on "Composer" (or any other top-level category that is currently closed)


Actual Results:  
The sub-categories are not shown (if they were not visible before)

Expected Results:  
The list with the sub-categories should be opened, just like clicking on the "+"
icon.

Comment 1

[Peter Tandler]

PS: This is especially useful for the "Privacy & Security" category that has no
preferences at the top-level.

Comment 2

[[e-mail]]

Attachment: Proposed patch caused bug 217063

Comment 3

[:deanis74]

Comment on attachment 125582 [details] [diff] [review]
Proposed patch caused bug 217063

It can't hurt discoverability.	r=me

Comment 4

[jag (Peter Annema)]

Comment on attachment 125582 [details] [diff] [review]
Proposed patch caused bug 217063

sr=jag

Comment 5

[[e-mail]]

Comment on attachment 125582 [details] [diff] [review]
Proposed patch caused bug 217063

Nice discoverability feature.

Comment 6

[Asa Dotzler [:asa]]

Comment on attachment 125582 [details] [diff] [review]
Proposed patch caused bug 217063

a=asa (on behalf of drivers) for checkin to Mozilla 1.5beta.

Comment 7

[[e-mail]]

Fix checked in.

Comment 8

[Andrew Schultz]

this resulted in bug 217063

Comment 9

[K Chayka]

I discovered this "bug" after updating from the 081004 build.

This "fix" creates a real PITA when navigating via keyboard - using the arrow
keys to go down the prefs category panel automatically opens subcategories. 
This is a real accessibility negative and is highly undesireable.

Is there any way to disable automatic expansion, or shall I open a new bug to
get this disabled?

Comment 10

[Peter Tandler]

For me it's alright if the sub categories are opened upon a mouse-click only --
that's what I had originally in mind. I agree that if you navigate by keyboard
it's not necessary.

Comment 11

[timeless]

backed out per mkaply due to the regression.

Comment 12

[[e-mail]]

Attachment: Supplementary patch

This is one workaround, it makes the pref tree give the keyboard user a chance
to move around before loading the page he's finally settled on. It works in
exactly the same way as the folder pane does in mail & news. Can anyone test
it?

Comment 13

[Serge Gautherie (:sgautherie)]

(Filter "spam" on 'prefs-nobody-20080612'.)