Quick search bar: focus not always on search input

mark

Currently it is possible, in Zotero in Firefox at least, to select the arrow for the dropdown menu of the quick search, which then gets focus and makes it impossible to type in the search input field. Worse, even if focus on that UI element would make sense from a keyboard-accessibility point of view, after making a selection from the dropdown the focus is not automatically yielded to the search input field but remains on the arrow until one clicks on or tabs to the input field.

Simon

The first issue I can't reproduce on Windows XP or 7 (unless I am misunderstanding what you mean by the arrow). The second I've fixed.

mark

I'm on Windows XP, FF 3.6.3. I can reproduce it as follows:

1. Click on the little downward pointing triangle left of the search input field (the "arrow"). The dropdown appears.
2. Now click in the search input field. The dropdown menu disappears but focus is still on the arrow so that you can't type. Another click in the field is necessary to give focus to the input field.

This is a fairly common routine (to check what fields I'm searching in) so it's important to get right. Also, for this purpose, two clicks could be avoided if the search field told me (in grey) what I'll be searching in.

dstillman

I can't reproduce that on Windows XP. This might be limited to Firefox 3.6 (in which case I'm not going to bother fixing).

Also, for this purpose, two clicks could be avoided if the search field told me (in grey) what I'll be searching in.

It does—just not when the field has focus. That's how placeholder text in Firefox works (e.g., in the Firefox search bar, though there there's an icon too). We might be able to add manual support for showing gray text when the field is empty, but you could also see what field you were in by pressing Shift-Tab followed by Tab to return to the field.

mark

Thanks. I must be running into FF3.6.3 issues then. I will ask my system admins for an update.