microsoft / microsoft/microsoft-ui-xaml

Unable to open Split-Button flyout within a ListView using ALT + Down on the keyboard

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area-SplitButton bug team-Controls
Dominant language
C++
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Description

### Describe the bug

According to this old thread https://github.com/microsoft/microsoft-ui-xaml/issues/1238 the correct way to open a the flyout from a split button using the keyboard is by using ALT + Down. However, when the Split-Button is in a ListView using ALT + Down moves focus from the Split-Button to the next item in the list instead of opening the Split-Button's flyout. Contrary to that information, for this scenario I'm able to open the Split-Button's menu flyout using SHIFT + ALT + Down. Can we get confirmation on whether this is intended behavior or if this is a bug?

See my test repo for a quick repro https://github.com/bbonaby/SplitButtonTestApp - Currently using WinAppSDK version 1.5.240802000

### Steps to reproduce the bug

- Create a Win UI 3 app with two or more split button controls inside a ListView.
- launch the app and Tab into the ListView and then tab into the Split-Button.
- Focus will be on the entire split button, then on the Keyboard type ALT + Down arrow, you'll notice that the focus now goes to the next item in the list instead of opening the flyout.

### Expected behavior

The flyout in the Split-Button opens when the Split-Button has focus and the user presses the ALT + Down keys

### Screenshots

Here is a video of me using the on screen keyboard to at first attempt to open the Split-Buttons flyout with ALT + Down. Then at the end I show that I can open it with SHIFT + ALT + Down.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/ee39e9e1-afae-40de-b3da-3dcaa14fa8eb

### NuGet package version

WinUI 3 - Windows App SDK 1.5.6: 1.5.240802000

### Windows version

Windows 11 (22H2): Build 22621

### Additional context

_No response_

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start with the linked SplitButtonTestApp repro using Windows App SDK 1.5.6, focusing on a SplitButton inside a ListView and its ALT+Down keyboard handling. Confirm the behavior against the expected interaction: ALT+Down should open the focused SplitButton flyout rather than move focus to the next list item.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
desktop
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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