979275 - [a11y] Console output links cannot be focused on Mac OS

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(DevTools :: Console, defect, P3)

Description

[Patrick Brosset <:pbro>]

On linux, do the following:
- open page http://mihaisucan.github.io/mozilla-work/test.html?lol=
- open the web console (and make sure there are logs in the output, if there aren't, remove all console output filters and reload the page)
- with the console input focused, hit shift-TAB a few times
==> the focus ring moves from link to link in the console output.

Now try the same on Mac OS (tested on 10.9 Maverick).
==> the focus is handed over to the filter field instead and its impossible to focus any link in the console output.

I discovered that if you activate a hidden pref on mac, it does work:
- go to your system preferences
- go to keyboard, then shortucts
- then click on the "All controls" radio button at the bottom
==> focusing links will now work in the console output.

I'm filing this bug to investigate ways to avoid having to switch that pref on.
TAB-ing through links on a "standard" web page works without it, so I don't see why it shouldn't here too.
Could it be that we're simply missing tabindex attributes?

Comment 1

[Mihai Sucan [:msucan]]

Can you tab to web page links which lack the tabindex attribute? Most web pages dont put tabindex on anchors, iianm.

Comment 2

[Patrick Brosset <:pbro>]

(In reply to Mihai Sucan [:msucan] from comment #1)
> Can you tab to web page links which lack the tabindex attribute? Most web
> pages dont put tabindex on anchors, iianm.
I was going to answer without testing: "of course I can!" cause that feels to me like something that has always been working, like one of the fundamental things on the web. But I tested on Firefox and Safari (by first turning off the "All Controls" system pref), and I can't focus links, only form elements.
I tested on Chrome however, and it does work.
My exact steps have been: 
- go to google.com
- search for whatever
- start TABing through the page
==> on FF and Safari: the search field gets focused, then the first result in the page, but TABing on goes back to the location field
==> on Chrome: same at first, but continuing to hit TAB focuses links through the page, as expected.

Comment 3

[Girish Sharma [:Optimizer]]

This seems to be more like a platform issue. Or maybe it is working as expected in a sense that Firefox is trying to replicate Safari and respect OS preferences ?

Comment 4

[Mihai Sucan [:msucan]]

Patrick, I now remember I also had this issue and i tested Linux and MacOSX for focus in console output. At that time I considered the behavior 'as designed' by Apple. I don't think it makes sense to add tabindex to *every* anchor we ever output to the console. Buttons, yes, or elements that are not focusable by default.

It's sad Apple does this. I would like Firefox to do what Chrome does - ignore wrong decisions made by Apple.

Comment 5

[Patrick Brosset <:pbro>]

I has a sad :'(

Comment 6

[Patrick Brosset <:pbro>]

Note that we did add tabindex attributes to all focusable elements in the markup-view, this way it is accessible via the keyboard.

Comment 7

[Marco Zehe (:MarcoZ)]

Yes, this sounds to me like an issue of setting the System keyboard preference so the tab key focuses all focusable elements, not just inputs.

As for the tab index, please only use value 0 when you fix this, and only on elements that are not natively focusable anyway. a value of 0 makes sure the elements stay in the natural order of the document flow. Other values above 0 would put them upfront others, totally scrambling the natural order, and negative values would make them focusable, but not tabable. So stick with 0 for all.

Comment 8

[jobara]

On Mac OS the two keyboard access options are "Text boxes and lists only" and "All controls". It's unfortunate that the former is the default. However, as mentioned above the "All controls" option allows for tabbing to the links. Unfortunately, confirming what was also mentioned above, tabindex does not allow keyboard navigation to the links when "Text boxes and lists only" is selected.

Comment 9

[Marco Zehe (:MarcoZ)]

Patrick, do we still want to act on this, or should we just respect the MacOS setting as is? Note that tabindex="0" makes things focusable, but is independent of the system preference. So in a sense, Firefox actually does behave like designed by the platform and is a good citizen. Should we close this bug?

Comment 10

[Patrick Brosset <:pbro>]

Let's close. Thanks Marco.