309696 - No way to open RSS item's webpage via keyboard

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(MailNews Core :: Feed Reader, enhancement)

Description

[alta88]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Build Identifier: 

Upon TB start, folder tree view last expansion state is preserved.  But tab 
will only go among Message Pane View drop down, Search, and the blank MP itself.

Upon having to mouse select a folder, the Message List is populated with 
headlines.  Tab then cylces from Folder to View to Search to MP.

Upon having to mouse select a message, the MP displays the summary.  Tab and 
Ctrl-tab cycle between items and the 3 panes well enough.  Focus, however, is 
never placed on the website field (although it is on the non actionable subject 
and date fields).

This is a problem because I want to read the web page inline, not externally.  
Hitting enter on a Message List title, brings up an external window with 
message summary - not what I want.  If I click on website, I get the web page 
also externally.

Reproducible: Always



Expected Results:  
Upon TB start, state should remember last folder with focus; if not then Tab 
should place focus on first folder in the list.

Opening a folder should display the Message List and a tab should place focus 
on the first title in the Message List.

Scrolling in the ML should auto display summary inline (or according to the 
pref); hitting enter on the title should display the web page either inline or 
externally according to pref.

Comment 1

[Mike Cowperthwaite]

> Expected results
> [...]
> hitting enter on the title should display the web page either inline or 
> externally according to pref.

It's true, you can't open the page into a browser via keyboard.  I think this is 
the behavior that this bug should be about; the rest I'll address in the next 
comment.

The most obvious way to implement that is to make the Website in the envelope 
panel a tab-stop, at which Enter opens the URL; but the way the envelope is 
designed, those highlighted elements (To: / From: / Website:) are not focusable 
(which is part of bug 165999).

Alternately, a menu command (ideally, with an accelerator) could be provided to 
open the item's web page.

Comment 2

[Mike Cowperthwaite]

Regarding the rest of the...

> Expected Results:  
> Upon TB start, state should remember last folder with focus

Bug 268879, bug 276906, bug 273082

> Tab should place focus on first folder in the list.

Technically, the focus is on the tree control (Folder pane), not on a folder; 
a folder (tree node) gets selected.  Does the arrow-key navigation of the tree 
not work for you?  (Up and down to move, right to expand.)


> Opening a folder should display the Message List

By "opening" do you mean "selecting"?  Does this *not* fill in the Thread Pane?

> and a tab should place focus on the first title in the Message List.

Tab is supposed to move focus from control to control.  Ctrl-Tab is supported to 
move from pane to pane, altho TB's Ctrl-Tab navigation also stops at the 
QuickSearch field, so it takes two tabs to get from Folder pane to Thread pane.
Exactly which item in the tree should be initially selected is a matter of some 
contention, as the behavior here recently changed -- see bug 305140.  Note that 
you can use 'F' to navigate Forward in the thread pane, 'N' to navigate to the 
Next *unread* message, no matter which pane the focus is on.


> Scrolling in the ML should auto display summary inline 

Moving the selection in the Thread pane does reload the Message pane with 
whichever form of the RSS item has been loaded.  Note that the preference to 
show summary or page applies at the time the item is fetched, not when it is 
displayed.

Comment 3

[alta88]

(In reply to comment #0)
> User-Agent:       Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 
1.1.4322)
> Build Identifier: 
> Upon TB start, folder tree view last expansion state is preserved.  But tab 
> will only go among Message Pane View drop down, Search, and the blank MP 
itself.
> Upon having to mouse select a folder, the Message List is populated with 
> headlines.  Tab then cylces from Folder to View to Search to MP.
> Upon having to mouse select a message, the MP displays the summary.  Tab and 
> Ctrl-tab cycle between items and the 3 panes well enough.  Focus, however, is 
> never placed on the website field (although it is on the non actionable 
subject 
> and date fields).
> This is a problem because I want to read the web page inline, not 
externally.  
> Hitting enter on a Message List title, brings up an external window with 
> message summary - not what I want.  If I click on website, I get the web page 
> also externally.
> Reproducible: Always
> Expected Results:  
> Upon TB start, state should remember last folder with focus; if not then Tab 
> should place focus on first folder in the list.
> Opening a folder should display the Message List and a tab should place focus 
> on the first title in the Message List.
> Scrolling in the ML should auto display summary inline (or according to the 
> pref); hitting enter on the title should display the web page either inline 
or 
> externally according to pref.

(In reply to comment #1)
> > Expected results
> > [...]
> > hitting enter on the title should display the web page either inline or 
> > externally according to pref.
> It's true, you can't open the page into a browser via keyboard.  I think this 
is 
> the behavior that this bug should be about; the rest I'll address in the next 
> comment.
> The most obvious way to implement that is to make the Website in the envelope 
> panel a tab-stop, at which Enter opens the URL; but the way the envelope is 
> designed, those highlighted elements (To: / From: / Website:) are not 
focusable 
> (which is part of bug 165999).
> Alternately, a menu command (ideally, with an accelerator) could be provided 
to 
> open the item's web page.


yes, my primary goal is to be able to hit enter on a headline and have it 
display inline in the MP (but should be pref to open external browser also).  
the behavior of merely selecting a headline and having its abstract appear is 
perfect.

next best solution would be to make the website a tab stop.  least desirable is 
to have a difficult to remember ctrl key combo to perform this most basic task.

Comment 4

[alta88]

(In reply to comment #2)
> Regarding the rest of the...
> > Expected Results:  
> > Upon TB start, state should remember last folder with focus
> Bug 268879, bug 276906, bug 273082
> > Tab should place focus on first folder in the list.
> Technically, the focus is on the tree control (Folder pane), not on a folder; 
> a folder (tree node) gets selected.  Does the arrow-key navigation of the 
tree 
> not work for you?  (Up and down to move, right to expand.)


ah yes it does.  unlike the other controls there is no visual indication!  i've 
been scouring the chrome .css file topics and it is probably doable to add a 
standard dashed border to indicate focus on the control.  seems it should just 
be there.  


> > Opening a folder should display the Message List
> By "opening" do you mean "selecting"?  Does this *not* fill in the Thread 
Pane?


yes, this part works fine..  sorry for the lack of clarity.


> > and a tab should place focus on the first title in the Message List.
> Tab is supposed to move focus from control to control.  Ctrl-Tab is supported 
to 
> move from pane to pane, altho TB's Ctrl-Tab navigation also stops at the 
> QuickSearch field, so it takes two tabs to get from Folder pane to Thread 
pane.
> Exactly which item in the tree should be initially selected is a matter of 
some 
> contention, as the behavior here recently changed -- see bug 305140.  Note 
that 
> you can use 'F' to navigate Forward in the thread pane, 'N' to navigate to 
the 
> Next *unread* message, no matter which pane the focus is on.


yes, again the lack of visual indicator got me.


> > Scrolling in the ML should auto display summary inline 
> Moving the selection in the Thread pane does reload the Message pane with 
> whichever form of the RSS item has been loaded.  Note that the preference to 
> show summary or page applies at the time the item is fetched, not when it is 
> displayed.


yes, this all correct and fine.

could you possibly tell me (and others) what needs to be added to .css to 'show 
control focus', eg border etc.

thanks.

Comment 5

[alta88]

(In reply to comment #0)
> User-Agent:       Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 
1.1.4322)
> Build Identifier: 
> Upon TB start, folder tree view last expansion state is preserved.  But tab 
> will only go among Message Pane View drop down, Search, and the blank MP 
itself.
> Upon having to mouse select a folder, the Message List is populated with 
> headlines.  Tab then cylces from Folder to View to Search to MP.
> Upon having to mouse select a message, the MP displays the summary.  Tab and 
> Ctrl-tab cycle between items and the 3 panes well enough.  Focus, however, is 
> never placed on the website field (although it is on the non actionable 
subject 
> and date fields).
> This is a problem because I want to read the web page inline, not 
externally.  
> Hitting enter on a Message List title, brings up an external window with 
> message summary - not what I want.  If I click on website, I get the web page 
> also externally.
> Reproducible: Always
> Expected Results:  
> Upon TB start, state should remember last folder with focus; if not then Tab 
> should place focus on first folder in the list.
> Opening a folder should display the Message List and a tab should place focus 
> on the first title in the Message List.
> Scrolling in the ML should auto display summary inline (or according to the 
> pref); hitting enter on the title should display the web page either inline 
or 
> externally according to pref.

(In reply to comment #4)
> (In reply to comment #2)
> > Regarding the rest of the...
> > > Expected Results:  
> > > Upon TB start, state should remember last folder with focus
> > Bug 268879, bug 276906, bug 273082
> > > Tab should place focus on first folder in the list.
> > Technically, the focus is on the tree control (Folder pane), not on a 
folder; 
> > a folder (tree node) gets selected.  Does the arrow-key navigation of the 
> tree 
> > not work for you?  (Up and down to move, right to expand.)
> ah yes it does.  unlike the other controls there is no visual indication!  
i've 
> been scouring the chrome .css file topics and it is probably doable to add a 
> standard dashed border to indicate focus on the control.  seems it should 
just 
> be there.  
> > > Opening a folder should display the Message List
> > By "opening" do you mean "selecting"?  Does this *not* fill in the Thread 
> Pane?
> yes, this part works fine..  sorry for the lack of clarity.
> > > and a tab should place focus on the first title in the Message List.
> > Tab is supposed to move focus from control to control.  Ctrl-Tab is 
supported 
> to 
> > move from pane to pane, altho TB's Ctrl-Tab navigation also stops at the 
> > QuickSearch field, so it takes two tabs to get from Folder pane to Thread 
> pane.
> > Exactly which item in the tree should be initially selected is a matter of 
> some 
> > contention, as the behavior here recently changed -- see bug 305140.  Note 
> that 
> > you can use 'F' to navigate Forward in the thread pane, 'N' to navigate to 
> the 
> > Next *unread* message, no matter which pane the focus is on.
> yes, again the lack of visual indicator got me.
> > > Scrolling in the ML should auto display summary inline 
> > Moving the selection in the Thread pane does reload the Message pane with 
> > whichever form of the RSS item has been loaded.  Note that the preference 
to 
> > show summary or page applies at the time the item is fetched, not when it 
is 
> > displayed.
> yes, this all correct and fine.
> could you possibly tell me (and others) what needs to be added to .css 
to 'show 
> control focus', eg border etc.
> thanks.


i just downloaded 1.5beta1 and control focus (border highlight) is there on 
both the first folder in the tree and, when a folder is opened/selected, tab 
shows control focus on the first headline!

that was a fast fix! ;)  

btw, i searched for tab and focus, read related items, but didn't see these 
ones.  sorry for the trouble with this aspect.

just need to make the Message Pane show inline web pages..  i realize this is 
more a feature req, but that pane should also act much like a regular browser 
with:

-tabbed browsing
-full right click context  
-further url linking

thanks.

Comment 6

[Mike Cowperthwaite]

Uh, in the future, please quote previous replies a little more selectively when 
posting comments.

(In reply to comment #5)
> i just downloaded 1.5beta1 and control focus (border highlight) is there on 
> both the first folder in the tree and, when a folder is opened/selected, tab 
> shows control focus on the first headline!

Besides the border around the "current" item, the selection's background color 
also changes with between focused and blurred.  There are also new problems with 
having that "current" initially set in the thread pane, as described at bug 
305140.

Also: In both panes, it is quite possible for the "current" (item with dashed 
border) or selection to have been scrolled out of the visible part of the pane, 
in which case: there is no visible indication.  In Seamonkey, these panes each 
have a "focus ring", a darker, thicker border to the control.  These rings are 
not present in TB, for what reasons I do not know; perhaps because of the buggy 
behavior when tabbing out of the ring, which was fixed for Seamonkey (bug 
203386).


> that pane should also act much like a regular browser with:
> 
> -tabbed browsing
> -full right click context  
> -further url linking

Um, no, it shouldn't.  This is a mail program.

Comment 7

[Mike Cowperthwaite]

As for CSS: I fooled around with userChrome.css and ended up with this attempt 
at re-instating the focusring display:
  #folderTree treechildren, #threadTree treechildren
    { border: 1px solid transparent !important; }
  #folderTree:focus treechildren, #threadTree:focus treechildren
    { border: 1px dashed black !important; }

A more general case, which usefully applies to other tree controls in the 
program, is:
  .focusring treechildren
    { border: 1px solid transparent !important; }
  .focusring:focus treechildren
    { border: 1px dashed black !important; }


This works, but TB has the same bug that bug 203386 fixed for Seamonkey: using 
F6 or Ctrl-Tab to navigate between panes, the focus ring is left behind on 
shifting the focus into the message pane.

Comment 8

[alta88]

(In reply to comment #6)
> Uh, in the future, please quote previous replies a little more selectively 
when 
> posting comments.


ok.


> > that pane should also act much like a regular browser with:
> > 
> > -tabbed browsing
> > -full right click context  
> > -further url linking
> Um, no, it shouldn't.  This is a mail program.

um, it seems to be a mail + news + rss reader program.  as i mentioned, i 
signed up solely for the rss aspect; this would be a disappointment and imho 
shortsighted.

even as just an email program, what's the harm?

it's unfortunate the browser rendering part of firefox isn't designed for easy 
inclusion in third party apps, which i guess would include thunderbird..

now, ie is easy to incorporate, and rss reader writers are using it.  but ie 
can't spell css.  so one of the big advantages of firefox, keeping up with css, 
is lost if it can't be embedded in a mozilla rss reader!  or others.

just one person's opinion.  hey, thank you for the css suggestions, i will try 
them.

Comment 9

[Mike Cowperthwaite]

(In reply to comment #7)
> This works, but TB has the same bug that bug 203386 fixed for Seamonkey:
> using  F6 or Ctrl-Tab to navigate between panes, the focus ring is left
> behind on shifting the focus into the message pane.

Bug 311239 has been fixed, implementing the same capacity for TB that 
bug 203386 's patch did for the suite, so that problem no longer pertains.

Comment 10

[Gary Kwong [:gkw] [:nth10sd] (NOT official MoCo now)]

Fixed by bug 438429 ?

Comment 11

[alta88]

(In reply to comment #10)
> Fixed by bug 438429 ?

yes.

Comment 12

[Mike Cowperthwaite]

(In reply to comment #11)
> (In reply to comment #10)
> > Fixed by bug 438429 ?
> 
> yes.

Does this mean there is a way to use the keyboard to open the item's webpage, or does your "yes" means one of the other symptoms originally reported was fixed?  If the former, what is the mechanism?  I still can't tab to the Website header in 3.03 or 3.1pre.