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Re: Form submission via enter key?

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From: Detlev Fischer
Date: Nov 5, 2013 12:46AM

Hello Natalie

I think submission via the enter key should only work once the "passende Stücke finden" input is focused (that focus indication itself could be stronger, and it might also help if the input looks more like a submit button, but that is a minor point). I don't think many users would want to dispatch the search in other ways - or if they do, there is at least a trade-off in that other users who press enter accidentally would lose the page and get results they did not knowingly specify.

Best, Detlev

--
Detlev Fischer
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Nathalie Sequeira schrieb am 05.11.2013:

> Hello,
>
> I have been requested by a client to make a complex form submittable via
> the enter key.
>
> The form contains a text input as well as checkboxes which, when
> focussed, do allow this behaviour.
> The form however also contains dropdowns which when focused do not allow
> this behaviour.
> Also, when there are search results on the page, there is a second form
> that allows selecting titles for ordering.
> Here's a link to the page so you can see at a glance what I'm
> talking
> about: http://www.volkslied.at/lieder/noten-TVM/suche.php
>
> I have been reading around on the web and am a bit on the fence as to
> the desirability of this "enter key feature" in general.
>
> While in a simple search form that has only one text input I feel the
> enter-key submission is OK,
> I have actually begun considering disabling enter-key submittability
> alltogether via Javascript for the complex form, so behaviour is
> consistent throughout the form. And yes, this actually touches more on
> usability (whereby bad usability does also influence effective
> accessibility IMHO).
>
> Are there other accessibility-related issues to be taken into account in
> a scenario where a complex form can be submitted via enter key (esp.
> keyboard navigation or screen reader key functions)?
>
> Thank you for any thoughts on this!!
> Nathalie
>
> > > >