Chrome/Edge: Mouse tracking inaccurate

[snufas]

I will tag few important people from this project, so it may be noticed or fixed quicker, because as we know there are a lot of issues on this repository and some are more important than others.

@feerrenrut @derekriemer @leonardder @michaelDCurran @josephsl

I hope you don't mind that I grab your attention by tagging you😊

Problem description

this bug affects google chrome, microsoft edge, visualstudio code, and I suspect other chromium applications.

NVDA mouse tracking in the web applications / websites no longer works properly when I hover over some elements NVDA no longer reports the information under the mouse cursor,There is a workaround but it's very uncomfortable and breaks the experience when using mouse cursor to work with the app or website.

Please note that most of the navigation menus on the websites works properly I would say 99%, it only happens on some websites / applications.

The workaround I found that works reliably is to use "move navigator object to mouse" every time I hover over the element with mouse cursor that NVDA is not reading. That is uncomfortable to say the least, it worked properly few versions back. Another thing narator does not have that issue.

Steps to reproduce:

use chrome or edge browsers although I suspect any other chromium browser would have that issue, I never tried it. For example I no longer able to read visualstudio code sidebar on the leftTo be more specific I'm talking about Explorer, search, source control, run icons. That includes reading extension descriptions window too, that also happens with other navigation menus on some websites when Using mouse cursor.

I hover over the element with mmouse cursor, NVDA just doesn't read what I hovered on, unless of course I use "move navigator object to mouse" and as I said I have to use that command every time NVDA is not reading the element. Personally as a visually impaired person with some site, it's absolutely a dealbreaker for me. As I said it worked properly previously, I noticed that problem in 2020.2, 2020.3 I didn't report it previously because it takes time to do that properly, so it makes sense to developers.

This issue also exists on github submit issue section, NVDA does not read the following elements when mouse is hovered, as I said narator works properly.

Write Preview Add header text Add bold text <ctrl+b> Add italic text <ctrl+i> Insert a quote Insert code Add a link <ctrl+k> Add a bulleted list Add a numbered list Add a task list Directly mention a user or team Reference an issue or pull request Insert a reply

I can access the elements properly when using a keyboard, as I mentioned when I hover the mouse cursor that information is not read. it works properly on firefox browser.

Actual behavior:

When hovering the mouse cursor over the element, NVDA stays silent.

Expected behavior:

NVDA should read element information when hovering the mouse as if using keyboard navigation. I can't stress this enough narrator works properly, so that suggests me that NVDA is the problem, also it worked previously and it works on firefox browser as it should.

System configuration

NVDA = installed NVDA version = 2020.3 Windows version 10.0.19041

Name and version of other software in use when reproducing the issue:

google chrome latest version visual studio code latest version

Other questions

Does the issue still occur after restarting your computer?

yes

Have you tried any other versions of NVDA? If so, please report their behaviors.

no

If addons are disabled, is your problem still occuring?

yes

Did you try to run the COM registry fixing tool in NVDA menu / tools?

yes

I hope this bug will get a high priority from the developers...

Quick note: at the moment it is impossible to close speech viewer, also alt + F4 does not work either, the only way to exit the speech viewer is to close the NVDA application.

To help the developers I will attach the log file as a separate file, simply because it is quite lengthy, and I want to make sure that I attach everything I can to help solve this issue.

NVDA_mous_hover_issue_log.txt Thanks for continuous amazing work and contributions...

[Adriani90]

cc: @francipvb, @DataTriny

[Adriani90]

Related to #7915.

[hwf1324]

Hi, @snufas

Please replace the example if you can, because right now in Firefox, the corresponding text cannot be read even when the mouse is moved over the shortcut button of the Github editor.

Firefox's "Accessibility Inspector" results:

level 9  form: "Add a comment"  expanded  2 of 5
level 10  group: "" 无障碍环境检查  expanded  1 of 2
level 11  label: "Add a comment"  expanded  1 of 3
level 12  heading: "Add a comment"  collapsed  1 of 1
level 11  label: "Comment"  collapsed  2 of 3
generic: "" 无障碍环境检查  expanded  3 of 3  level 11
level 12  tablist: "Add a comment"  expanded  1 of 3
level 13  tab: "Write"  expanded  1 of 2
level 14  text leaf: "Write " 无障碍环境检查  1 of 1
level 13  tab: "Preview"  collapsed  2 of 2
level 12  toolbar: "" 无障碍环境检查  expanded  2 of 3
level 13  generic: ""  expanded  1 of 1
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  1 of 14
level 15  button: "Heading"  1 of 2
text leaf: " "  2 of 2  level 15
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  2 of 14
level 15  button: "Bold" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 2
text leaf: " "  2 of 2  level 15
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  3 of 14
level 15  button: "Italic" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 2
text leaf: " "  2 of 2  level 15
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  4 of 14
level 15  button: "Quote" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 2
text leaf: " "  2 of 2  level 15
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  5 of 14
level 15  button: "Code" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 1
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  6 of 14
level 15  button: "Link" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 2
text leaf: " "  2 of 2  level 15
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  7 of 14
level 15  button: "Numbered list" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 2
text leaf: " "  2 of 2  level 15
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  8 of 14
level 15  button: "Unordered list" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 1
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  9 of 14
level 15  button: "Task list" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 1
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  10 of 14
level 15  button: "Attach files" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 2
text leaf: " "  2 of 2  level 15
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  11 of 14
level 15  button: "Mention" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 1
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  12 of 14
level 15  button: "Reference" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 2
text leaf: " "  2 of 2  level 15
level 14  generic: ""  expanded  13 of 14
level 15  button: "Saved replies" 无障碍环境检查  1 of 2
text leaf: " "  2 of 2  level 15

A hover text pops up when the mouse or system focus moves over those shortcut buttons. But the text is still unreadable for mouse navigation.

I'm not sure if this is a Github design bug or not

[Qchristensen]

I had a user report what sounds like this issue on the ABC News Australia website: https://www.abc.net.au/news - I can navigate the site fine with the keyboard, but using the mouse, virtually nothing is read. Using the original workaround suggested - NVDA+numpad multiply (Laptop: NVDA+shift+n) to "Navigate to the object under the mouse" does work and reads headings as I hover over them and press the shortcut.

[hwf1324]

update

I recently realized. The VS Code related issues in the problem description are at least not present in the latest NVDA alpha.

Even earlier versions that were not affected by Electron's bug read the information corresponding to the icons in the left sidebar correctly.

[danielabrahamsgosh]

We solved this issue using the following markup: <button aria-labelledby="myButton"> <span id="myButton">My amazing button</span> </button>