Chat messages are not accessible via keyboard navigation

[jancborchardt]

Steps to reproduce

1. Open a Talk conversation
2. Use only the keyboard with Tab-navigation and enter
3. Try to go to a link in a message or use the reply button (e.g. try shift-Tab from inside the new message input field)

Expected behaviour

It works just fine to navigate between messages, replying as well as going to links and opening files which were sent.

Actual behaviour

It is impossible to navigate the message list via keyboard. Shift-Tab from the message field doesn’t go further up than the attachment button.

(This is on our own instance so easy to test @ma12-co )

[PVince81]

For the message list we should probably use the arrow keys for navigating and tab/shift+tab to move to another field.
We shouldn't use tab for switching between messages as it would make it close to impossible to leave that box, or would take a while if there is scrolling involved and loading of old messages.

[PVince81]

In general I think we might want to introduce yet another highlight to be able to select a message. The selection would be done either by clicking or moving with the arrow keys. This also means that when coming from search we wouldn't simply flash/highlight the entry (like #4516) but select it.

Thoughts ?

[PVince81]

I've tested other solutions and it seems arrow keys is the way to go. The arrow keys do this when reaching a message, each entry below is the next one when hitting the down arrow key

• focus on author name
• focus on message or image
• focus on action buttons (like reply), if any
• next message

And using tab makes it possible to leave the messages list

[PVince81]

• some aria-label on the converstion content so that when focussed it says "conversation X panel" or something => already have set the message list as a region in A few accessibility tweaks #4652

[PVince81]

some attempt here: #4666