[imp] Tab order in message composition and keyboard shortcuts.

[gimili]

Jan Schneider wrote:
> Zitat von gimili <gimili17 at gmail.com>:
>
>> Message composition is something that is used often.  Shouldn't imp 
>> tab to the message body after the message subject?  To get to the 
>> message body you have to hit tab 20 times after you enter the subject 
>> when using firefox 3 and I can't get it to tab past the subject field 
>> in Internet Explorer 7.  This is annoying for mouse haters like 
>> myself.  Perhaps I am doing something wrong?  Is there a way to 
>> change the tab order?  Is this a browser issue or a imp issue?
>
> Both. We set a tab order, but it depends on the browser whether it 
> sticks to it. I disagree that tabbing from the subject should get to 
> the text body. This is confusing because you can't get to the elements 
> between those fields easily.
> And since you discovered access keys, this is not necessary either.
Hmm I don't use the 20 elements that come before the body.  :-)  Most of
the time I use the To, Subject and then body.  Wouldn't this be the case
for users?  Literally having to hit tab 20 times to get to the message
body in firefox after the subject might turn off the odd user.  I can't
get to the message body at all in ie no matter how many times I hit tab
it won't go past the subject field.  This does not seem like normal
behaviour.  As a quick comparison I just opened Thunderbird and it goes
from To, Subject and then body by using the tab key.  I opened Outlook
Express and it goes from To, CC, Subject and then body.

I had to work really hard to "discover the access keys".... imho as mail
composition is such a basic function the user should not have to work so
hard to figure out how to do something so basic.  I believe one reason
people don't like web based mail is the lack of keyboard shortcuts.  I
don't understand how the access keys solve the problem as you suggest.
How do you use them to jump directly to the message body after entering
the subject?
>
>> It took me awhile to learn that in firefox 3 you need to hit alt, 
>> shift and then the underlined character to move around in imp.  
>> Perhaps that will help someone else.  In ie you only need to use alt 
>> and the underlined character.
>>
>> The "S" is not underlined on the send message button but "alt shift 
>> S" selects the send button and then "space bar" will do the same as 
>> clicking on it to quickly send the message in firefox without the 
>> mouse.  A simple "alt-s" sends in message in ie.  It would be nice to 
>> get those underlines added to the buttons.
>
> This is not possible.
Too bad.  Maybe there could be a legend or some other way to let people
know about the hidden keyboard shortcuts?  Could the help file ever be
more like a wiki so that tips could be added?  I wouldn't mind adding to
the help info if it was easy to do.
>
>> There doesn't seem to be keyboard shortcuts in dimp for things like 
>> send or jump to the "To" field.
>
> This is because the elements in DIMP aren't HTML elements that could 
> have an access key.
>
> In CVS HEAD I have implemented a proof of concept that converts access 
> keys to javascript keyboard handlers. The advantage is that that it 
> works consistently across all browsers, and that you can also use 
> access keys on elements that usually don't accept any.
> Of course it also has a few disadvantages.
>
> Jan.
>
That would be really nice.

**Thanks for all the info.  Much appreciated. **

A mouse hater :-)