Tab... POST December 21, 2011 7:32 AM Subscribe
A small commenting feature request: Change the tab order so that tabbing out of the comment box puts the focus on the post button.
This would mirror what's becoming a conventional keyboarding reflex in many places (GMail, for example): tab-enter == send.
I realize that there's a pressure to keep the posting process thoughtful, but speaking as a keyboarder, it's a really jarring bit of user experience for me in an otherwise streamlined and minimal UI. I am not suggesting this for the posting UI; that has different requirements, and should in my opinion be a bit slower for the user.
This would mirror what's becoming a conventional keyboarding reflex in many places (GMail, for example): tab-enter == send.
I realize that there's a pressure to keep the posting process thoughtful, but speaking as a keyboarder, it's a really jarring bit of user experience for me in an otherwise streamlined and minimal UI. I am not suggesting this for the posting UI; that has different requirements, and should in my opinion be a bit slower for the user.
test
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:40 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:40 AM on December 21, 2011
Writing in the comment box and then hitting tab does put the focus on the Post button, on both MeTa and Metafilter.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:41 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:41 AM on December 21, 2011
not for me, it sends me to the live preview 'hide' first, then my username in the preview, and then some mysterious place for a few clicks and then finally the post comment button.
posted by Think_Long at 7:45 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Think_Long at 7:45 AM on December 21, 2011
Not in Chrome, it doesn't. I tested it on my previous comment and this one. It goes to the Live Preview Hide link.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:46 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Rock Steady at 7:46 AM on December 21, 2011
Mine (FF8, Windows) goes Hide - username - posting time - Post Comment button
posted by donnagirl at 8:04 AM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by donnagirl at 8:04 AM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
In Firefox 8, tabbing goes to Hide, then my name, then the time, and only then to Post.
If I include a link then it goes to the link in the live preview after Hide. So 4 tabs plus however many links you put in.
This is with Professional White Background, of course.
posted by darksasami at 8:05 AM on December 21, 2011
If I include a link then it goes to the link in the live preview after Hide. So 4 tabs plus however many links you put in.
This is with Professional White Background, of course.
posted by darksasami at 8:05 AM on December 21, 2011
This is with Professional White Background, of course.
I'm on the PWB too. Wonder if that makes a difference?
posted by Rock Steady at 8:07 AM on December 21, 2011
I'm on the PWB too. Wonder if that makes a difference?
posted by Rock Steady at 8:07 AM on December 21, 2011
I'm on PWB. Tab - tab - unicorn.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:09 AM on December 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:09 AM on December 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
Nope. Still the same behavior in the Grey. (It's so dark in here! Can someone turn on a light?) Google Chrome 15, Windows 7, etc.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:10 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Rock Steady at 8:10 AM on December 21, 2011
It's awkward when you realize youre the only guy in the room working on Explorer.
posted by Think_Long at 8:15 AM on December 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Think_Long at 8:15 AM on December 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
I've never used the PWB, so it's 4 tabs in grey for FF8.
posted by donnagirl at 8:18 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by donnagirl at 8:18 AM on December 21, 2011
ok, updated the tab order a little for the form. I haven't had a chance to test in anything beyond Chrome but it should be better.
posted by pb (staff) at 8:19 AM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by pb (staff) at 8:19 AM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Looks good to me in Mac Chrome, Firefox, Safari, WinXP/IE6, and Win7/IE9. Thanks
posted by pb (staff) at 8:25 AM on December 21, 2011
tabindex.posted by pb (staff) at 8:25 AM on December 21, 2011
test
posted by Think_Long at 8:27 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Think_Long at 8:27 AM on December 21, 2011
yay we get whatever we want
posted by Think_Long at 8:28 AM on December 21, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by Think_Long at 8:28 AM on December 21, 2011 [6 favorites]
Quiz
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:28 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:28 AM on December 21, 2011
exam
posted by Think_Long at 8:52 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Think_Long at 8:52 AM on December 21, 2011
Funny, in chrome it takes you to Preview if you don't type anything in the comment box, but Post if you do. Is this intentional or just weirdness due to the live preview?
posted by smackfu at 8:58 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by smackfu at 8:58 AM on December 21, 2011
smackfu, intentional. The Post button is disabled as an option until you type something.
posted by pb (staff) at 9:02 AM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by pb (staff) at 9:02 AM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
The Post button is disabled as an option until you type something.
Odd, it doesn't look disabled. Oh well.
posted by smackfu at 9:20 AM on December 21, 2011
Odd, it doesn't look disabled. Oh well.
posted by smackfu at 9:20 AM on December 21, 2011
Weird how sarcastic & smart-ass a blank comment can look. To be fair to pb, I did type something there.
posted by Pronoiac at 9:34 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Pronoiac at 9:34 AM on December 21, 2011
Our next experimental form of user probation will involve setting the tab focus to the "close browser tab" widget.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:56 AM on December 21, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:56 AM on December 21, 2011 [7 favorites]
In Safari on OS X 10.5, tab just moves me in a loop through all the available text-entry fields in the browser window. It never highlights a button anywhere. I wish work would get with it & buy me that 12-core Mac Pro that I so desperately need.
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:45 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:45 AM on December 21, 2011
Which version of Safari is that Devils Rancher?
posted by pb (staff) at 10:49 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by pb (staff) at 10:49 AM on December 21, 2011
trying it
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:52 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:52 AM on December 21, 2011
5.0.6. Let me run Software Update before anybody freaks out.
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:12 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:12 AM on December 21, 2011
FF 6.02 on OS 10.5.8 does the same thing that Devils Rancher describes. However, before you made the change it also went to the Preview button. I could hit Tab, Preview-Enter and it would land on the Post button on the next page. On the next page hitting Tab cycled through the the Post and Preview buttons also.
posted by zennie at 11:15 AM on December 21, 2011
posted by zennie at 11:15 AM on December 21, 2011
Apparently, that's the end of the line for PPC machines.
Sending tele-graph: DEAR BOSSES BROWSER NOT SAFE STOP 12 CORE MAC PRO ONLY SOLUTION STOP
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:15 AM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Sending tele-graph: DEAR BOSSES BROWSER NOT SAFE STOP 12 CORE MAC PRO ONLY SOLUTION STOP
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:15 AM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
WTF, now my Preview button doesn't work at all.
There is probably something funky about my setup.
posted by zennie at 11:16 AM on December 21, 2011
There is probably something funky about my setup.
posted by zennie at 11:16 AM on December 21, 2011
Doesn't do shit in NCSA Mosaic 0.87a running on Mac OS 6.
posted by birdherder at 11:55 AM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by birdherder at 11:55 AM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Devils Rancher, you might try going into your Mac system prefs, keyboard prefs, and then check the "Turn on full keyboard access" preference. That's supposed to improve tabbing in Safari.
posted by pb (staff) at 12:07 PM on December 21, 2011
posted by pb (staff) at 12:07 PM on December 21, 2011
Yes, the choices explicitly state
• Text Boxes and Lists Only
:: All Controls.
That was entirely my problem.
posted by Devils Rancher at 12:44 PM on December 21, 2011
• Text Boxes and Lists Only
:: All Controls.
That was entirely my problem.
posted by Devils Rancher at 12:44 PM on December 21, 2011
Though I bet a new Mac Pro would have fixed it too
posted by Devils Rancher at 12:46 PM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Devils Rancher at 12:46 PM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I use a mouse for everything... the only time I touch the keyboard is to enter text. What is so time sensitive you folks can't slow down a bit? I know, I know, different strokes, bless you all...
posted by Meatbomb at 1:44 PM on December 21, 2011
posted by Meatbomb at 1:44 PM on December 21, 2011
What is so time sensitive you folks can't slow down a bit?
I am really tired of being bashed around...I was just looking for a new Mac Pro.
posted by Devils Rancher at 1:57 PM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I am really tired of being bashed around...I was just looking for a new Mac Pro.
posted by Devils Rancher at 1:57 PM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
duck duck duck tab!
posted by babbyʼ); Drop table users; -- at 3:14 PM on December 21, 2011
posted by babbyʼ); Drop table users; -- at 3:14 PM on December 21, 2011
Test
posted by crossoverman at 3:52 PM on December 21, 2011
posted by crossoverman at 3:52 PM on December 21, 2011
I type the comment, I hit tab, I hit enter, and bam!
posted by planet at 5:02 PM on December 21, 2011
posted by planet at 5:02 PM on December 21, 2011
jessamyn: "I'm on PWB. Tab - tab - unicorn."
My narwhal feels neglected too.
Mine (Firefox 9, Windows 7) goes tab - unicorn. So it works the way the OP wants.
posted by IndigoRain at 5:54 PM on December 21, 2011
My narwhal feels neglected too.
Mine (Firefox 9, Windows 7) goes tab - unicorn. So it works the way the OP wants.
posted by IndigoRain at 5:54 PM on December 21, 2011
indefatigable
posted by desjardins at 6:37 AM on December 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by desjardins at 6:37 AM on December 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
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posted by Rock Steady at 7:35 AM on December 21, 2011