Bug 443438

Summary:	dolphin not usable keyboard-only / without mouse
Product:	[Applications] dolphin	Reporter:	slartibart70
Component:	general	Assignee:	Dolphin Bug Assignee <dolphin-bugs-null>
Status:	CONFIRMED ---
Severity:	normal	CC:	felixernst, jackhill3103, kdedev, kfm-devel, quanticcpu2100, tomashnyk
Priority:	NOR	Keywords:	accessibility, usability
Version:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Other
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description slartibart70 2021-10-07 15:19:36 UTC

Hi

please try to use dolphin using just the keyboard without ever touching the mouse: this is nearly impossible to do

- missing highlighting where the active input is
- just pressing tab-key does not go 'forward', you remain in the left places selection. Shift-tab works, by the way
- if the filelist-panel is active (barly noticeable by the color change in the surrounding box) - then, no file is selected by default (another indicator necessary to 'see' where we are). Using the cursor keys will select a file (blue background) and will stay highlighted 
- zoom activation (with shift-tab's) is also nearly impossible to see, just the single pixel line around the zoom-knob changes
- how do i access the back/forward or icons-view buttons?

so, this leaves a lot of room for improvement!

(you are not alone, kinfo-center is not usable by keyboard as well...)

What about some QS for all applications and their compatibility with keyboard-only usage? (i don't want to say this, but ms windows gui is bad as hell, but usable with a keyboard and no mouse!!)

Comment 1 Jack Hill 2023-02-25 12:30:52 UTC

I've also found that it's impossible to apply changes in the configuration dialogue.

Also tab works for me but gets stuck on the zoom slider. Alt-tab works, but skips out most toolbar items (I can only select the Location Bar and Application Menu)

Comment 2 TraceyC 2024-07-08 21:56:28 UTC

In https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=489637, the report is about navigating with only the Tab key, which I'm able to confirm.

Precondition: Show the Folders panel with View - Show Panels - Folders
1. Start Dolphin, at this stage, pressing Tab navigates between the two panes I have in the middle (I have the view split)
2. Press Shift Tab repeatedly. Notice other elements in the window get focus in turn, but the Folders panel never gets focus.

Being able to navigate with the keyboard only is an accessibility concern for screen readers.

Comment 3 TraceyC 2024-07-08 21:56:31 UTC

*** Bug 489637 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 4 Felix Ernst 2024-07-09 16:20:52 UTC

>- missing highlighting where the active input is
>- if the filelist-panel is active (barly noticeable by the color change in the surrounding box)
>- then, no file is selected by default (another indicator necessary to 'see' where we are).
>Using the cursor keys will select a file (blue background) and will stay highlighted 
>- zoom activation (with shift-tab's) is also nearly impossible to see, just the single pixel line around the zoom-knob changes

I agree that these aren't always all that obvious.

>- just pressing tab-key does not go 'forward', you remain in the left places selection. Shift-tab works, by the way

I think I fixed this one with https://invent.kde.org/system/dolphin/-/commit/a4efbfbfa69f04ed21fe703a11bb59416ef8a821.

>- how do i access the back/forward or icons-view buttons?

I fixed this with https://invent.kde.org/frameworks/kxmlgui/-/commit/cf0a2f7c6ca8e426da37abd6a09186c74a88b73f.

>1. Start Dolphin, at this stage, pressing Tab navigates between the two panes I have in the middle (I have the view split)

At least this part is most likely caused by the off-by-default "Switch between panes with Tab" setting.

>2. Press Shift Tab repeatedly. Notice other elements in the window get focus in turn, but the Folders panel never gets focus.

This seems to work on my end with current master.