[Usability] Re: The state of keyboard navigation

[Calum Benson <calum benson sun com>]

Soeren Sandmann wrote:
> 
> The patch for paned keyboard navigation doesn't work very well. It is
> possible to do much better, but there is a problem: Suppose we have
> this construction:
> 
>         ------  ------  ||  ------ ------
>         | a  |  | b  |  ||  | c  | | e  |
>         |    |  |    |  ||  ------ |    |
>         |    |  |    |  ||  ====== |    |
>         |    |  |    |  ||  ------ |    |
>         |    |  |    |  ||  | d  | |    |
>         ------  ------  ||  ------ ------
> 
> double lines indicate a splitter bar, single lines are borders of
> buttons (or other widgets). How would f6 navigation work in this
> construction? My suggestion is
> 
>         a->c->d->e->a.
> 
> An alternative would be
> 
>         a->c->d->a,
> 
> but what should then happen if the user gives focus to e and presses
> f6 a few times?
> 
> e->a->c->d->a->... is not good, because then the user can't get back
> to the original focus only by using f6 and shift-f6.

You're right, they can't.  But they will get back to E if they press Tab
often enough, or directly by using control E's access key.  (And every
control should have an access key).  This, I believe, is how Java would
handle this case.

So, I think the F6 sequence of a->c->d->a is sufficient. The user will
soon learn that pressing F6 *only* cycles focus between the panes in a
window, and not anything outside those panes.  Sometimes it's better
just not to try and be too clever  :o)

Cheeri,
Calum.

-- 
CALUM BENSON, Usability Engineer       Sun Microsystems Ireland
mailto:calum benson ireland sun com    Desktop Engineering Group
http://www.sun.ie                      +353 1 819 9771

Any opinions are personal and not necessarily those of Sun Microsystems