A11y regression due to changed return behavior
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- Java
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Description
Originally reported in https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/issues/7895 and then fixed in https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/pull/8500 and https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/pull/12390, we changed the behavior of the return key when entering information in the create/edit metadata form.
While the original behavior (clearing metadata on pressing return) was clearly a bug, I think we should (need to?) reconsider disabling form submission via return:
The edit metadata dialog is long and if you enter a field somewhere in a middle, it can take 40+ tabs to be able to submit the form afterwards -- a simple one-click operation with the mouse. That's bad accessibility and arguably a violation of WCAG SC 2.1.1 (and at least the spirit of 2.4.1).
Moreover, implicit submission is an HTML standard, that we're now purposefully breaking.
Disabling implicit submission in CVoc fields as 12390 does still seems like the right choice to me given the problems describe by @qqmyers related to those fields, but I would like us to go back to web standards (and easy keyboard navigation/accessibility) by restoring form submission on return when the cursor is in a regular text field..
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by reviewing the create/edit metadata form and the linked pull requests 8500 and 12390 to understand the current return-key behavior. Done means Return submits from regular text fields while remaining disabled in CVoc fields, with keyboard navigation and accessibility behavior checked against the stated WCAG concerns.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Domain
- accessibility, frontend
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Active
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 58/100