User-defined accesskeys - update
In response to a post by Mike Cherim to the GAWDs 
mailing list today, I've updated my accesskeys script and re-evaluated the way accesskey defaults should be handled. Mike was contacted by a user whose name contains an accented letter, which he enters using the keystrokes Alt +0228. If a site implements the UK Government accesskey recommendations, Alt-0 is the accesskey for the accesskey page, and a conflict arises preventing the user from producing his or her accented character. In fact any site implementing accesskeys 0-9 is creating potential conflicts for users requiring to input extended characters.
The solution is to implement no default accesskeys. To make it easier for a user to set standard keys I've extended the script to allow the site owner to provide suggested keys, which the user can set with a single form button (an idea borrowed from the implementation by Gez and Rich). I've also fixed a bug which was outputting empty accesskey attributes in some instances (thanks to Gez for the heads-up).
The extended script is running at ClacksWeb and will be running at Accessites.org in due course.
Comments
That's certainly an option, but I prefer the consistency of having no default keys set for the site, and letting the user decide which keys if any should be set for the whole site.
Posted by: Dan at February 16, 2006 7:02 PM
Agree with Dan, if your going to have access keys they need to be consistent site-wide. Now that you've accomplished this Dan, and others who have presented similar solutions -Gez and Rich and anyone else who has put the effrot in, I wonder what arguments against the use of access keys remain.
Excellent work all. Hats off to you.
Posted by: GrantB at February 20, 2006 2:28 PM
I agree it is probably best just to leave the values null unless the user wants to employ them -- most won't I suspect. But I think it's a good idea to provide a keyboard activated shortcut, a jump link, to the form or the page it's on so to those likely needing them the most will have a fast way of getting there and setting theirs.
Posted by: Mike Cherim at February 26, 2006 1:19 AM
...or alternatively just to not implement accesskeys on pages where you have forms with input boxes.
Although I imagine this would cause just as many problems because of confusion etc, I'm merely playing Devil's Apricot.
Posted by: JackP at February 16, 2006 6:33 PM