A11y_VisualStudioCodeClient_Search_Global Search_ Keyboard:Keyboard Focus moving from search to replace instead of moving to “Match case, match whole word and Use regular expression”

[BhanuPrakashGit]

GitHub Tags:

A11yMAS; #A11yTCS; #A11ySev2; #Device; #Visual Studio Code Client; #BM-VisualStudioCodeClient-MAC-Oct2022; #WCAG2.4.3; #Keyboard; #MAC; #Focus order;

Environment and OS details:

Visual Studio Code Insiders Screenreader: Voiceover

Repro Steps:

1. Open Visual studio code editor
2. Using keyboard navigation View Menu Bar
3. Select search option
4. Verify that keyboard focus is moving from search to Match case, match whole word and use regular expression or not.

Actual Result:

Keyboard Focus is moving from search to replace instead of moving to “Match case, match whole word and Use regular expression”.

Expected Result:

Keyboard Focus should move from search to “Match case, match whole word and Use regular expression”.

Attachment:

[BhanuPrakashGit]

Reference bug: https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/164697#issue-1423846882

[meganrogge]

https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/159880#issuecomment-1247538835

@VijayaBharathyA I agree with what @roblourens stated at the link above. The experience we provide currently is accessible and was designed with the user in mind.

We would reopen this issue if it were a matter of accessibility, but it is a matter of design decision.

[BhanuPrakashGit]

@meganrogge It's not an acceptable design because the focus order is completely wrong. If the navigation sequence is independent of meaning or operation, then the focus order should align with the flow of the visual design.

Could you please reopen this issue.

[meganrogge]

@isidorn what do you think of this?

[roblourens]

If the navigation sequence is independent of meaning or operation, then the focus order should align with the flow of the visual design.

Can you explain this sentence some more? In my mind, the navigation sequence is tied to the operation of the feature, that's why we've made it work this way, to match the user's expectation and the way that they use it.

[meganrogge]

I think he's indicating that visually, the flow is from left to right and top to bottom typically, but here we do something different

[BhanuPrakashGit]

@meganrogge yes, that's right, focus order should be from 'left to right' and 'top to bottom'.

[isidorn]

Agree with @roblourens comment here https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/180113#issuecomment-1516643521

@scottaohara does focus movement always have to explicitly follow visual order? In all Find Replace widgets I ever encountered in all products pressing Tab moves focus to Replace. Even though it is below.

What is your recommendation here? Thanks!