Tabbing through elements on extension pages in the VS Code marketplace lands on non-interactive elements

[andyleejordan]

Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: Yes/No Yes

• VS Code Version: 1.87.0 (user setup)
• OS Version: Windows_NT arm64 10.0.22631

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Open any extension in the VS Code marketplace (that is, the "Extensions" view within VS Code itself)
2. Using the keyboard to navigate, press "tab" to cycle through the elements of the previewed extension
3. The accessibility issue is that the focus will land on non-interactive elements (i.e. things you wouldn't click with the mouse and don't have a description read out) such as the extension's logo image and download count

This is not my area of expertise. I am relaying an internal accessibility bug filed against me as the PowerShell extension maintainer. I have made it very clear to the team filing said bug that this is a generic issue with all extensions in the marketplace, not just the PowerShell extension, as the problem exists within the Extensions view of VS Code. I'm attaching their latest screen capture, but manually verified it reproduces as they described with the version of VS Code and Windows I posted above. I think the best fix would be that "tab" navigation never lands on the logo (as there is no way to provide a screen-reader a description to read out, since every extension would need to describe their associated image, and there's no process for publishing that information with the extension such as in is the manifest), and if it is to continue to land on on the non-clickable download count, it should read it out loud (it might be, I didn't test, again not my bug or area of expertise). But I'm not sure, please work with the team that actually filed this and is using me as a messenger, e.g. @Latha2564.

Here is the internal bug: https://msazure.visualstudio.com/One/_workitems/edit/9128065 that has been open since June 2021. Why the filers won't assign it to the VS Code team internally, I don't know. Here is the previously filed issue: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/135448 that was accidentally closed by @isidorn because the filer did not make it clear enough that this is a VS Code issue in general, so it was closed and redirected back to me as an extension maintainer. I can't fix this though, it's in VS Code.

Here's their latest screen capture:

https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/assets/2226434/cf002576-8685-406d-ac9e-b2d63356f971

[meganrogge]

When it lands on things and a screen reader is enabled, those get read out. This is working as designed. I'd suggest closing that work item.

https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/assets/29464607/c3d0dce7-813c-47ee-b648-fe460b883f39

[andyleejordan]

@meganrogge what is read out for the extension logo?

[meganrogge]

focus does not move to the extension logo for me

[meganrogge]

it moves to the editor, which is as expected/by design

[andyleejordan]

Mine is moving from "split editor right" to "somewhere I can't see and took to be the logo" to "extension name"

[meganrogge]

when you enable a screen reader, what do you hear when that happens?

[andyleejordan]

https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/assets/2226434/9af2c716-eb7e-4b18-b00f-3c59cf84aca3

Uhh let me try to find a screen reader. Also:

I'd suggest closing that work item.

I've told the filers as clearly as possible that a) they're testing VS Code, not my extension and so b) need to work with your team, because c) I have closed it and they just keep adding videos of "still broken" because I don't think they understand what they're even testing.

[andyleejordan]

Ahh, that "somewhere" I couldn't see (and I think is why they keep opening this bug) with a screen-reader enabled is an invisible box (highlighted when the screen reader is on) that just says "document." It is most definitely not the icon.

[meganrogge]

Yep, that indicates that the editor is focused to a screen reader user. like I said, I believe this is working as designed.

[meganrogge]

Yes, sometimes they don't know what is a real vs fake bug 😄

[meganrogge]

Commented and moved that issue to resolved