Can showPicker() focus a control?

[annevk]

On iOS a control cannot show its picker without having focus. Should the web developer handle that or should showPicker() handle it for them? The latter seems somewhat reasonable given the current description of showPicker() (in particular the last step of "show the picker, if applicable"), but this would be worth calling out explicitly given the additional events that would end up firing.

Thoughts?

[lukewarlow]

Is this a platform limitation or is this something that could be addressed within WebKit?

Either way if it's a requirement for showPicker to work effectively for what it's worth I'm supportive of allowing automatic focus.

[annevk]

It's a feature of iOS, as I understand it.

[LeaVerou]

How does input.showPicker() deal with this?
When it comes to manual interaction, is it possible to have a control with an open picker that is not focused?

[lukewarlow]

Currently input.showPicker() doesn't work on iOS except for file inputs. So this spec change would be needed in order to implement it (as far as I understand)

[lukewarlow]

I've confirmed that it does appear to be a requirement for iOS. I personally think it's absolutely fine to focus where required.

Would this require a clarification in the spec or would getting verbal confirmation here enough?

[zcorpan]

Feedback from @jcsteh and @anna-yeddi - showPicker() for input and select should move focus for accessibility.

Would this require a clarification in the spec or would getting verbal confirmation here enough?

The spec should require to move focus.

I guess it should also (attempt to) move focus for file inputs?

[lukewarlow]

This would be a "breaking" change for inputs. I've got no idea if that'd actually be a problem but I'm curious if there's a specific known issue with how it's currently implemented?

[lukewarlow]

@mfreed7 @annevk would updating the spec to forcefully move focus always instead of just when needed by the platform be acceptable to you?

I don't mind either way for select. But for input it would be a change in behaviour from current implementations?

I'd also be curious on the accessibility reasoning for it? Because shouldn't the end result of showPicker be that the picker itself be focused NOT the input?

[zcorpan]

Yeah focusing the picker, and not the input, seems like the right thing. When closing/dismissing the picker, should focus go back to whatever previously had focus, or to the control that has the picker (if it's visible)?