python / python/cpython

Prepare Tkinter 9.1 screenreader support

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extension-modules stdlib topic-tkinter type-feature
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Feature or enhancement

Proposal:

Tcl/Tk adds support for screen-readers in Tk 9.1:
https://www.tcl-lang.org/software/tcltk/9.1.html

The related TIP 733 can be found here:
https://core.tcl-lang.org/tips/doc/trunk/tip/733.md

The C-Api documentation is provided at least here:
https://github.com/tcltk/tk/blob/main/doc/accessible.n

And the actual implementation is here:
https://github.com/tcltk/tk/blob/main/generic/tkAccessibility.c

Even though default values for standard widgets will be present custom widgets drawn by a Canvas can't be foreseen and a user might wish to alternate the defaults.
https://core.tcl-lang.org/tk/tktview/1110144ae9

Since tkinter is a thin wrapper around tk the appropriated API should be something like this:

def accessible(window, **kwargs):
    sub = [
        'role', 'name', 'description', 'value',
        'state', 'action', 'help string'
        ]
    parse = ()
    for cmd in sub:
        if val:= kwargs.pop(cmd, None):
            parse = parse + (cmd, val)
    if kwargs:
        raise ValueError
    window._tk.call('accessible', str(window), *parse)

Might best be placed into Misc.

Has this already been discussed elsewhere?

No response given

Links to previous discussion of this feature:

No response

Linked PRs
  • gh-153246
  • gh-153247

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Read TIP 733, Tk's accessible.n C-API documentation, and generic/tkAccessibility.c to understand the Tk 9.1 interface. Compare the proposed direction with linked PRs gh-153246 and gh-153247, then confirm the appropriate Tkinter API location, possibly Misc; done means custom Canvas widgets can provide or override accessibility values.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
accessibility, desktop
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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