RE: Need clarity on listbox, menu, dialog, or something else

Francis,

 

If you prefer dialog, you can make it non-modal but just not bother with providing a way for keyboard users to move focus outside of the dialog without closing it. There is nothing wrong with that as long as there is no need for that use case. I sometimes call that semi-modal. It is effectively modal for keyboard interaction but not in any other way. Just use the modal dialog pattern but leave the aria-modal property off of the dialog. It would also probably be good if clicking outside of it closes the dialog. But, you don’t have to make the background otherwise inert.

 

Matt

 

From: Storr, Francis [mailto:francis.storr@intel.com] 
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2018 12:47 PM
To: public-aria@w3.org
Subject: Re: Need clarity on listbox, menu, dialog, or something else

 

Thanks for the replies. I like the disclosure pattern but was leaning towards the non-modal dialog as I still want to contain the tabbing to within it. I’ve seen screen reader users get disorientated when they’ve not realized they’ve tabbed out of a pop-up. It seems as though there’s still some work to do to iron out the non-modal design pattern (https://github.com/w3c/aria-practices/issues/102), so I’ll go with the disclosure pattern with the enhanced region. 

 

Francis

 

From: Matt King <a11ythinker@gmail.com <mailto:a11ythinker@gmail.com> >
Date: Wednesday, February 7, 2018 at 21:41
To: 'James Nurthen' <james.nurthen@oracle.com <mailto:james.nurthen@oracle.com> >, "francis.storr@intel.com <mailto:francis.storr@intel.com> " <francis.storr@intel.com <mailto:francis.storr@intel.com> >, "public-aria@w3.org <mailto:public-aria@w3.org> " <public-aria@w3.org <mailto:public-aria@w3.org> >
Subject: RE: Need clarity on listbox, menu, dialog, or something else

 

As James said, the menu and listbox patterns do not fit.

 

I agree that you could use a dialog,but that is unnecessarily heavy. Only use the dialog if it will overlay on top of other stuff and contain the tab ring.

 

I recommend the disclosure pattern.  That is sort of what BBC did, but on the element that shows the panel, they didn’t give it role button. Other than that, they did a great job with it. The only other enhancement I would recommend in that particular case is wrapping it in a region when it is expanded. They did put a close button as the last element, which is a very nice touch.

 

Matt

 

From: James Nurthen [ <mailto:james.nurthen@oracle.com> mailto:james.nurthen@oracle.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2018 2:22 PM
To: Storr, Francis < <mailto:francis.storr@intel.com> francis.storr@intel.com>;  <mailto:public-aria@w3.org> public-aria@w3.org
Subject: RE: Need clarity on listbox, menu, dialog, or something else

 

IMO a dialog. It has more than 1 type of controls in it. Listboxes and menus can only have options or menuitems respectively.

 

 

From: Storr, Francis [ <mailto:francis.storr@intel.com> mailto:francis.storr@intel.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2018 11:29 AM
To:  <mailto:public-aria@w3.org> public-aria@w3.org
Subject: Need clarity on listbox, menu, dialog, or something else

 

Hi, all

 

I’ve been going through the ARIA specs and am trying to work out how a particular pop-up widget should be marked up. An example can been seen on the BBC’s news page (for example:  <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.bbc.com_news_av_uk-2D42970067_cheddar-2Dman-2Ddna-2Dshows-2Dearly-2Dbrit-2Dhad-2Ddark-2Dskin&d=DwMGaQ&c=RoP1YumCXCgaWHvlZYR8PZh8Bv7qIrMUB65eapI_JnE&r=CIHu8rc_0wRTTC_7DvWtiGNKjpA-3oTgbu_6ve6hP0I&m=e9Ykfv6c6zdOHa4FO7V9yDfy4hcJHErb3kUo1pvv3VI&s=8BuANy0u9mSZtsy_8AM5Ww6DAtfuOkrX3rN6iV4ggvY&e=> http://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-42970067/cheddar-man-dna-shows-early-brit-had-dark-skin). Take a look at the Share link on the right of the page (assuming you’re on a desktop display). What could that pop-up panel be marked up as? Looking at ARIA 1.1, I feel it could be:

 

1. A listbox (“A widget that allows the user to select one or more items from a list of choices.”)
2. A menu (“A menu is often a list of common actions or functions that the user can invoke.”) although this feels weaker as it’s not “presented in a manner similar to a menu on a desktop application”.
3. A non-modal dialog (“A dialog is a window overlayed on either the primary window or another dialog window.”)

 

Any advice would be gratefully received.

 

Thanks

 

— 

Francis Storr, Intel