Discuss: Accesskeys: Unlocking Hidden Navigation
by Stuart Robertson
- Editorial Comments
2 Make Accekeys work without using enter
Our intranet use Accesskeys extensively (we have set it as a usability requirement in every interface). We have added a small piece of code to every link – removing the need to hit Enter (as described in the article).
Like this:
[url=“http://www.zociety.com”]Zociety Magazine[/url]
When you hit ALT+Z the onfocus code will force the browser to go to the specific link immidiately.
PS: Our internet is accessed trough a custom made browser (for security and usability reason), so I have never tested this using other browsers – but it should work.
The code is also fully accessible – even in browsers that do not support javascript.
posted at 12:19 pm on June 16, 2003 by Thomas Baekdal
3 hmmm...
Hmmm… so this discussion list does not support ampersand codes. So let’s try it this way.
[url=“http://www.zociety.com”]Zociety Magazine[/url]
posted at 12:24 pm on June 16, 2003 by Thomas Baekdal
4 (OT) this discussion list does not support...
ABOUT THE FORUM http://www.alistapart.com/discuss/
No Live (X)HTML
If you type (X)HTML into the text entry field, it will display as Source. We do this primarily so members can share and comment on each other?s markup and code. To create a live link, simply type it like so: http://www.alistapart.com/.
sorr for the O/T …
posted at 12:28 pm on June 16, 2003 by dipesto
5 Doing in the backend
Neat, but users who need access keys most may never see them. I like to been underline the access key letter in the label text. Doing this manually is a pain, but it’s fine if you let the server do the work for you. For those of you who use Java/JSP, here is a simple function that does the necessary:
protected String getLabelTextWithAccelerator () { String strLabelText = m_strLabelText; if ((accesskey != null) && (m_strLabelText != null)) { // First character only String strAccesskey = accesskey.toLowerCase ().substring (0,1); int idx = m_strLabelText.toLowerCase ().indexOf (strAccesskey); if (idx >= 0) { strLabelText = m_strLabelText.substring (0, idx) + “<u>” + m_strLabelText.substring (idx, idx+1) + “</u>” + m_strLabelText.substring (idx+1); } } return strLabelText; }Anyone who is interested in a JSP taglib that offers this (and more accessibility stuff as well). can email me: john (at) lloyd (hyphen) jones (dot) net. Written to use with Struts — source code is available.
posted at 12:29 pm on June 16, 2003 by John
6 Opera 7?
I’ve implemented accesskeys on a few sites that we will soon be releasing, but failed to get them working in Opera. I searched their knowledgbase to no avail, and the page that you offered as a link, but nothing – am I overlooking something here?
If so, can you let us know how to do this in Opera, so that I can put some instructions on our ‘accessibility’ pages?
posted at 12:35 pm on June 16, 2003 by Sonia
7 No Live (X)HTML
It is the source I am interested in showing the great people here. I am just used to using ampersand codes to post source code in other forums.
So, I was not trying to create a live (X)HTML link (and would be suprised if I could), but thank you anyway.
posted at 12:38 pm on June 16, 2003 by Thomas Baekdal
8 Use an ordered list for primary navigation
On my website ( http://jessey.net/blog/ ) I use an ORDERED list for primary navigation. I then map the access keys to match the numbers of the ordered list.
I find displaying the access key itself (underlined, emphasized or whatever) to be rather ugly, so at the moment I just include it in the title attribute of the link itself. This approach is pretty useless in some accessibility scenarios, but it is better than nothing. I will be adding a “help” page soon.
posted at 12:41 pm on June 16, 2003 by Simon Jessey
9 another browser that supports accesskey
The Mac only browser iCab (http://www.icab.de) supports accesskey as well. No need to use a modifier key. Accesskeys render as <n>, where n is the key to use.
posted at 12:51 pm on June 16, 2003 by Harold
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1 Lynx (someone had to mention it :)
Seeing as Lynx is very likely to be used without a mouse it seems a shame it doesn’t support access keys.
posted at 11:23 am on June 16, 2003 by jono