Windowscommunitytoolkit: InAppNotification control has accessibility issues

[vleonavmsft]

I'm submitting a...

Bug report (I searched for similar issues and did not find one)

Current behavior

1. Unless I restyle (provide data template for each notification) InAppNotification text is not a tab stop. Hence, it is not accessible to blind users.

2. InAppNotification control cannot be used as Narrator live region via AutomationProperties.LiveSetting without restyling and searching for child. Here's the workaround I am using at the moment:

                       this.errorNotification.Show(template as DataTemplate);
                       notificationTextBlock = Utils.FindVisualChild<TextBlock>(this.errorNotification, typeof(TextBlock), "BlockName");
   
               if (notificationTextBlock != null)
               {
                   Utils.RaiseLiveRegionChanged(notificationTextBlock);
               }
   

3. Additional problem is that if I style the control like below, I found no way to programmatically set text for the text block, only via resource. But setting it via resource doesn't allow dynamic content:

   <DataTemplate x:Key="NotifyCommonErrorTemplate">
       <UserControl>
           <ScrollViewer IsTabStop="True">
               <TextBlock x:Name="NotifyCommonErrorTextBlock"
                       x:Uid="NotifyCommonErrorTextBlock"
                       TextWrapping="Wrap"
                       VerticalAlignment="Center"
                       AutomationProperties.LiveSetting="Assertive" />
           </ScrollViewer>
       </UserControl>
   </DataTemplate>
   

Expected behavior

InAppNotification should allow:

• tab stop on text
• use TextBlock as live region.

Minimal reproduction of the problem with instructions

Environment

Nuget Package(s): 
6.1.24
Package Version(s): 

Windows 10 Build Number:
- [ ] Creators Update (15063)
- [ ] Fall Creators Update (16299)
- [x ] April 2018 Update (17134)
- [ ] Insider Build (build number: )

App min and target version:
- [ ] Creators Update (15063)
- [ ] Fall Creators Update (16299)
- [ x] April 2018 Update (17134)
- [ ] Insider Build (xxxxx)

Device form factor:
- [ x] Desktop
- [ ] Mobile
- [ ] Xbox
- [ ] Surface Hub
- [ ] IoT

Visual Studio 
- [ x] 2017 (version: 15.7.2)
- [ ] 2017 Preview (version: )

[nmetulev]

All great feedback that we need to address. ping @Odonno

[vleonavmsft]

Here's workaround I had to do to make non-styled default InAppNotification usable as live region:

                this.errorNotification.Show(string.Format(resourceLoader.GetString("Error/Unhandled/Content"), errorCode));

                //
                // Workaround for issue where InAppNotification does not allow live region unless restyled.  Then, restyled doesn't
                // allow setting dynamic string.
                //
                var textBlock = Utils.FindVisualChildNamedOrFirst<TextBlock>(this.errorNotification, typeof(TextBlock), ""  /*first text block*/);
                if (textBlock != null)
                {
                    textBlock.SetValue(AutomationProperties.LiveSettingProperty, AutomationLiveSetting.Assertive);
                    Utils.RaiseLiveRegionChanged(textBlock);
                }

I couldn't style one of the notifications, because it takes dynamic content. Note, this one is not a tab stop and there's nothing I can do to make it accessible, short of programmatically creating ScrollViewer and re-parenting the TextBlock.

[nmetulev]

[ing @Odonno

[Odonno]

Sorry, I will try to take a look but I already have some work before this task. @vleonavmsft Feel free to start a PR if you like.

[windowstoolkitbot]

This issue seems inactive. Do you need help to complete this issue?

[lucaasrojas]

@vleonavmsft Did you try read the text pressing Caps Lock + arrow key with the Narrator enabled?

[windowstoolkitbot]

This issue seems inactive. Do you need help to complete this issue?

[vleonavmsft]

Was someone able to reproduce the issue, or issued a fix? I was able to work it around locally, but is this the desired way of raising LiveRegion notification for this control? If it is, go ahead and close the issue.

[michael-hawker]

@vleonavmsft I believe this is closed now with PR #2781. Let us know if you try out the latest master and find any other concerns.