[Accessibility] XKB Accessibility features and end-user keyboard accessibility

Bill Haneman bill.haneman at sun.com
Wed May 28 10:17:04 PDT 2003


Here is my first reply regarding this action item:
> Action Items:
> Bill - Work on a short list of XKB/AccessX specific features.
I'll take end-user features first, then cite the sections of the XKB
spec which I think we should require to be implemented according the the
current X.org specification, using a row of "=====" equals signs as the
delimiter between end-user features and ABI/API.

(1) "StickyKeys" : ability to input key "modifiers" (shift, control,
alt, etc.) serially as opposed to only in chords. 
(2) "SlowKeys" : ability to specify a minimum time before acceptance of
a new keypress event. 
(3) "BounceKeys" : ability to specify a minimum time between multiple
key press events on the same key. 
(4) "Key Repeat" : ability to turn auto-repeat on and off, and specify 
times for starting a repeat and frequency of repeat events. 
(5) "Mouse Keys" : ability to generate mouse motion (lateral and
diagonal) and button press events via the keyboard.  Ability to specify
default button for clicks, press-and-hold policy off/on for simulated
button presses. 
(6) ability to turn on StickyKeys and SlowKeys via keyboard "gestures"
(standard is Shiftx5 for StickyKeys, press and hold Shift 8 sec for
SlowKeys). 
(7) timeout capability for keyboard accessibility features (option to 
turn feature off automatically after a specified keyboard idle time). 
(8) control of keyboard repeat features
(9) notification of changes to keyboard state while accessibility
features are in use, for instance modifier state.
(9) ability to determine current keyboard geometry, keycodes, symbolic
information, and labelling, such that an onscreen or "virtual" keyboard
can be presented to the user which can reasonably represent/replace the
physical keyboard.

================================================== 

ABI/API: 

The following parts of the Xkb Specification are relevant in that they
offer either programmatic control of the above features or they
implement them: 

8.5 - programmatic notification of indicator state
9.4 - detection of 'bell' events
10.2.1 - ability to turn off audio bell
10.3 - control of keyboard repeat feature
10.5 - ability to generate mouse events from the keyboard
10.6 - classic "accessx" features :
10.6.1 - ability to launch accessx features from keyboard shortcuts
10.6.2 - configurable timeout of accessx after idle
10.6.3 - audio feedback for various accessx events
10.6.4 - notification of accessx state changes
10.6.5 - stickykeys, repeatkeys, mousekeys events
10.6.6 - slowkeys
10.6.7 - bouncekeys
10.6.8 - stickykeys
10.9 - ability to query controls
10.11 - ability to change controls

13 - keyboard geometry information:
18 - symbolic names map (needed in conjunction with geometry info by
onscreen keyboards)


also needed in our spec:
suggested ranges for timings on 1 through 4, 7.

===============
regards,

Bill





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