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Re: combobox keyboard interaction?

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From: jp Jamous
Date: May 11, 2022 3:24PM

Hi Diane,

The proper way of opening a combobox is using alt + down-arrow. This was the norm and still is for today. Using the down-arrow alone was added to comboboxes in the last decade to make it easier to expand the combobox with one key.

I just started learning Blazor and that is typically how Microsoft has always handled combo boxes even with asp.net forms. Alt + down-arrow to expand and alt + up-arrow to close the combobox and select the item the cursor is on. If I were you, I would not worry about it for the following reasons:

1. It is accessible and still follows the proper way of expanding a combo box
2. Because of the above, ARIA left it optional. A good keyboard user should know how to use alt + down-arrow to expand a combobox.

If it is concerning you that much, you can add a visible message when the combobox receives focus. Although, I don't think it is necessary.


From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Tomlins Diane
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2022 4:01 PM
To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Subject: [WebAIM] combobox keyboard interaction?

Hi folks, I'm doing some testing on an application that is using a Blazor combobox component. The only keyboard interaction to open the list of options is Alt + Down Arrow, which is not what I'm used
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Hi folks,

I'm doing some testing on an application that is using a Blazor combobox component. The only keyboard interaction to open the list of options is Alt + Down Arrow, which is not what I'm used to at all. The WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices guidelines lists it as "Optional":

"Alt + Down Arrow (Optional): If the popup is available but not displayed, displays the popup without moving focus".



The first interaction WAI-ARIA Practices has is just Down Arrow.



So my question is - how common is this kb interaction/pattern?

Because this is an application that patients would be using, I'm concerned that if Alt + Down Arrow is not all that common, people may find it frustrating to use.

You can use the arrow keys to go through the items in the list one by one, and (for now) the list isn't that long.



They did not include any informative text on how to open the whole list - except as an aria-label - oof :-/



Thanks,



Diane R. Tomlins

HCA Healthcare