FlexBox keyboard disconnect - new property proposal

Hello CSS,

Had an impromptu chat with Simon Pieters and Greg Whitworth about the
FlexBox keyboard disconect [1]. It resulted in an idea for a new CSS
property...

At the moment the problem is that FlexBox can create a disconnect between
the DOM order and visual order. This affects sighted keyboard users - or at
least exacerbates the disconnect that has existed since CSS layouts were
first a thing.

There is a workaround in Firefox, whereby the keyboard order matches the
visual flex order, instead of the DOM order. On the face of it this seems
like a good solution, but Simon made a good point - what happens when the
keyboard disconnect is actually useful?

It seems like it would be good to have a property to enable developers to
choose whether the keyboard order matched the DOM order or the flex order.
Off the top of my head, something like:

tab-order: dom;

or:

tab-order: flex;

>From the work Mozilla has already done, and this briefest of conversations
with Greg and Simon, it seems there is energy from the browser vendors to
find a solution to this problem. Hoping this idea kicks off further
discussion...

Léonie.
[1] http://tink.uk/flexbox-the-keyboard-navigation-disconnect/ 
-- 
@LeonieWatson tink.uk Carpe diem

Received on Friday, 17 June 2016 09:54:06 UTC