codegoboom
10-03-2004, 12:24 AM
Keyboard navigation of a select dropdown behaves differently than the mouse.
What is normal:
tab to a select element, press the up or down arrow keys, and the selection changes
What is abnormal:
tab to a select element, pres 'alt + down arrow', press the up or down arrow keys and the selection changes
What should happen:
the selection should not be changed until the enter key is pressed, just as it is not changed until the mouse is clicked.
Why? Because you can't change your mind with the keyboard behaving that way... you have to remember what the last selection was, and key back to it--if you want to cancel your action.
No browser gets it right, from what I've seen.
What do you think?
What is normal:
tab to a select element, press the up or down arrow keys, and the selection changes
What is abnormal:
tab to a select element, pres 'alt + down arrow', press the up or down arrow keys and the selection changes
What should happen:
the selection should not be changed until the enter key is pressed, just as it is not changed until the mouse is clicked.
Why? Because you can't change your mind with the keyboard behaving that way... you have to remember what the last selection was, and key back to it--if you want to cancel your action.
No browser gets it right, from what I've seen.
What do you think?