Sidebar difficult to focus using keyboard

[jeremypw]

What Happened?

The sidebar sourcelist code supports keyboard events but there is no obvious way of getting keyboard focus onto the sidebar

Steps to Reproduce

Try to move keyboard focus onto the sidebar using only the keyboard.

Expected Behavior

It shoul be possible to move keyboard focus onto the sidebar using the keyboard without compromising existing keyboard functionality in the text view.

OS Version

8.x (Circe)

OS Architecture

amd64 (on most hardwares)

Session Type

Secure Session (Wayland, This is the default)

Software Version

Latest release (I have run all updates)

Log Output

Hardware Info

No response

[zeebok]

Reading this is kind of making think of Rider and other JetBrains IDEs where Alt+ shortcuts to some pane: project, git, terminal, etc. Maybe we should have a similar thing here? A shortcut to get to the left project pane, current doc, symbol serach, terminal?

[jeremypw]

@zeebok Yes, if there is some prior art that users might be familiar with we should try to follow that. <Alt> + Arrow is taken by the textview but I think <Control> + <Alt> +Arrow is available to switch between panes (Sidebar, HeaderBar, TextView, Terminal, Symbols).

[zeebok]

Yeah in JetBrains most of them are Alt+ for the different panes. Maybe that is the way to go in case we add more in the future?

[jeremypw]

Do you mean <Alt> + Plus? So the focus rotates between different panes with repeated presses?

[zeebok]

Oops, I meant Alt + <some number> ! Apparently forgetting to use the code block tag makes things in angle brackets disappear!

[Dipanshusinghh]

Hi @jeremypw
I took a look at this issue and it seems related to keyboard focus not being properly transferable to the sidebar (especially when navigating using only the keyboard).

From what I understand, the sidebar can receive keyboard events, but there is no clear or consistent way to initially move focus into it without using the mouse, which affects accessibility and overall keyboard navigation flow.

I’d like to work on this issue if it’s still available. I’ll start by exploring the current focus chain and event handling for the sidebar and try to identify where the focus entry point is missing or being blocked.

Please let me know if it’s okay for me to take this up

[jeremypw]

@Dipanshusinghh Yes, it would be great to have someone gives some time to keyboard accessibility issues in Code! I will assign you.