259115 - [REGRESSION] New search bar accessibility issues

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Thunderbird :: Mail Window Front End, defect)

Description

[Aaron Leventhal]

The new search bar uses a new widget that has a textfield with a magnifying
glass button that drops down. This is a custom widget of some kind.

Problems:
1. Cannot get drop down of search types with the keyboard
2. Magnifying glass not exposed in accessibilty hierarchy. Should at least let
me know when new widgets are created.

Who reviewed the change? Front end changes should't go into the tree unless
they've been tested for full keyboard accessibility. It's even part of the
official review process:
http://www.mozilla.org/hacking/reviewers.html#rules-and-tips (item 4)
http://www.mozilla.org/access/xul-guidelines

There are a small number of accessibility rules -- they're a quick read.

Another item that's more of a usability dissapointment than a problem is:
3. Keyboard usability is not as good, you can no longer type a mnemonic to focus
or clear the search bar. If this one is a deliberate choice, that's fine, but
it's much less easy to use than it used to be if you're not a clicker.

Comment 1

[Grey Nicholson (they/them)]

Ctrl+K can be used to focus the search bar (on Windows, Tb 20040908).

In Firefox, pressing Ctrl+Up and Ctrl+Down cycles through the available search
engines; this doesn't work in Thunderbird. Since all of Tb's search options use
the same icon, this might not be the best solution.

I suggest that Ctrl+Down and Ctrl+Up should open the search options menu (like
clicking the icon), from where Up, Down and Enter could be used to select an
option. Ideally, Firefox should use this system, because several Mycroft search
engines use the same icon, and for consistency with Tb.

Comment 2

[Scott MacGregor]

it's the same widget as the firefox google search bar. Does firefox not have the
same issues? 

Comment 3

[Aaron Leventhal]

(In reply to comment #2)
> it's the same widget as the firefox google search bar. Does firefox not have the
> same issues? 

When I told people about the problem in Firefox they said that the dropdown was
going away. But I understand better now, sorry to bitch.

It ought to be sensible to assume that Firefox has accessible widgets, but
largely it doesn't. A lot of Firefox code was developed with an accessibility
input, which is changing post 1.0. Hopefully the accessible xul guidelines
document will help move all of mozilla.org's projects in the right direction.

Comment 4

[Adam Guthrie]

This is still an issue for Thunderbird, probably more so than it is for Firefox.
There is no visual feedback when a user uses Ctrl+Up/Down to change the method
of searching. It does change, but you can't see if change. 

It seems like this would be easier to hack a dropdown keyboard shortcut for,
since there is no autocomplete for this search box.

Comment 5

[Aaron Leventhal]

Attachment: Fix accessible name via tooltiptext and alt+down/f4. Down arrow still opens search history

Thundebird could use icons to show state like Firefox does?

Comment 6

[Aaron Leventhal]

Attachment: 1) Add Alt+Up support, 2) Don't support F4 on Mac OSX, 3) Don't forget .properties change

Comment 7

[:Gavin Sharp [email: [e-mail]]]

I had tried the same approach when I attempted to make this work earlier, but
rejected it because pressing F4 or Alt+Up/Down doesn't close the menu when it's
already open, which isn't consistent with other places this shortcut key is used
(autocomplete dropdowns).

That being said, the searchbar situation is unique, and being able to open and
not close is much better than not being able to open it at all, so I think this
really is the best solution, at least for now.

Also, this patch fixes Firefox, but this bug was filed against Thunderbird. I
think you may have wanted bug 283273 :)

Comment 8

[Aaron Leventhal]

Okay, sounds like this patch should have been posted to bug 283273. Since we're
short on time, if it gets review before we move it then we'll just leave the bug
open for thunderbird changes.

Comment 9

[Aaron Leventhal]

Comment on attachment 190784 [details] [diff] [review]
1) Add Alt+Up support, 2) Don't support F4 on Mac OSX, 3) Don't forget .properties change

I moved the patch to bug 283273 because it's for Firefox. Anyone who wishes to
please feel free to port that to Thunderbird. Personally I'm not sure why
Thunderbird has to invent a new widget rather than use the same one as Firefox,
so that these fixes don't have to be impl'd twice.

Comment 10

[Aaron Leventhal]

All that needs to be done for Thunderbird is to use the Firefox widget which has
been made both keyboard and screen reader accessible.

Comment 11

[David :Bienvenu]

I could take a stab at this, but this is really mscott's area.

Comment 12

[Scott MacGregor]

Attachment: the fix

Comment 13

[Aaron Leventhal]

Doesn't look like that fixed all the accessibility issues we fixed in bug 283273.

Comment 14

[Firefox Bug Husbandry Bot]

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1527381