TechInfoDepot:Keyboard shortcuts

The Vector skin, which is the default on TechInfoDepot, contains many keyboard shortcuts. You can use them to access certain features of TechInfoDepot more quickly.

Keyboard shortcuts, in the way they are implemented on TechInfoDepot, are useful for some users with disabilities and do not require JavaScript to work. At the same time, they are bothersome for some screen reader users because it interferes with the shortcuts of their screen reader. The best solution would be to have customizable keyboard shortcuts.

List of access keys
Depending on your browser, you should:
 * Mozilla Firefox 1.5 on Windows: hold, press access key
 * Mozilla Firefox 2 and beyond on Windows and Linux: hold +, press access key
 * Mozilla Firefox before version 14 on Mac OS X: hold, press access key
 * Mozilla Firefox version 14 and beyond on Mac OS X: hold +, press access key


 * Internet Explorer 6 on Windows: hold, press access key
 * Internet Explorer 7 on Windows: hold +, press access key
 * Internet Explorer 8 and 9 on Windows: hold, press access key (to follow a link, then press )


 * Opera (all platforms): press +, then press access key (Shift-Esc will display the list of choices)


 * Google Chrome on Windows: hold +, press access key
 * Google Chrome on Linux: hold +, press access key
 * Google Chrome on Mac OS X: hold +, press access key


 * Safari on Windows: hold, press access key
 * Safari on Mac OS X: hold +, press access key
 * Safari 3 or earlier on Mac OS X: hold, press access key

See access keys for more information on this concept.

Display access keys
The following entry in your user CSS file (e.g., User:Example/common.css) will display access keys before links that have them.

This does not work in Internet Explorer versions lower than 8.0, since they don't support the :before CSS selector.

a[accesskey]:before { content: " " attr(accesskey) " "; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: pre; border: thin solid; font-family: sans-serif; text-decoration: underline overline; margin-right: 0.5ex; }

Changing and disabling access keys

 * See also the  removeAccessKeys script  talk page.  It will explain yet another way.

A list of the shortcut keys can be found here: User:Matt B./monobook.js

To disable or modify these access keys, add the code near the bottom of your own skin file (e.g., User:Example/vector.js). Access keys are case-sensitive.

Some common problematic access keys include:

d (delete page): /* disable TechInfoDepot access keys/keyboard shortcuts */

e (edit page): /* disable TechInfoDepot access keys/keyboard shortcuts */ ta['ca-edit'] = new Array('','Edit this page');

f ("find"/go to search box): /* disable TechInfoDepot access keys/keyboard shortcuts */ ta['search'] = new Array('','Search this wiki');

Accessibility review of these access keys (August 2010)
Keyboard shortcuts (access keys) are a complicated matter. This feature, in its current implementations was temporarily abandoned in WCAG 2.0, notably because it conflicts with the shortcuts of assistive technologies. Usage of access keys is currently discouraged in the online contents and applications.

But presence of access keys is also an Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) requirement&mdash;the ATAG approach is particularly relevant in TechInfoDepot's case&mdash;where this matter is looked into thoroughly. In particular, ATAG requires the possibility to customize shortcuts. This should be requested in 477.

Currently, their presence in TechInfoDepot's interface can be problematic for some users and can be useful for others. But more importantly, it misleads developers into thinking that the interface is keyboard accessible. Requirements that need to be fulfilled for a website to be keyboard accessible are not related to keyboard shortcuts (G90, F42, SCR35, F58, F61).