[STYLE GUIDE] Window Splitter Comments

Just a few comments about the Window Splitter proposal for the discussion 
at the Style guide meeting today.

I believe the definition and first example are incorrect.   A separator 
between menu items is not the same as a window splitter.  Since we are 
defining keystrokes to modify the size of the splitter I think that 
resizing needs to be part of the definition. 

Proposal:  A splitter is a visible separator between sections of a Window 
which can be used to modify the size of the panes. 

Although I have some misgivings about using the term Window but don't have 
a better proposal.

Here is a proposed example:  A horizontal splitter is often found in mail 
applications between the list of mail messages in the top half and the 
preview area below.

Do we need to consider that left and down arrow should reduce the size and 
right and up arrow should increase the size?  Although increase / decrease 
is an odd concept since one pane is increasing 
at the same time as the associated one is decreasing.  Implementing both 
left/down and right/up for all splitters would not require the user to be 
aware of the orientation when changing the size.

I'm not sure what is meant by "F6 is recommended to rotate through the 
window panes."   Where does focus go?  Does this mean that pressing F6 
will rotate focus through  the splitters or rotate focus to the container 
element of each pane?



Becky Gibson
Web Accessibility Architect
                                                       
IBM Emerging Internet Technologies
5 Technology Park Drive
Westford, MA 01886
Voice: 978 399-6101; t/l 333-6101
Email: gibsonb@us.ibm.com
blog: WebA11y

Received on Tuesday, 23 September 2008 15:17:56 UTC