🧪 [Experiment] Localized AccessKey

[vgromfeld]

Approved from Discussion

#811

Problem Statement

By default, WinUI requires the user to type exactly the requested access key sequence to trigger an access key.
The mapping is done using the characters not the key codes.

Not all characters can be typed on all keyboard layouts.
For example, the latin character "V" is not available on the Greek keyboard layout. It is replaced by "Ω".

This means that a button defined with the following XAML fragment won't be reachable through its access key when using a Greek keyboard.

<Button AccessKey="V" Content="Click me" />

The user will have to switch the the English (or any other latin) keyboard layout to be able to type "V".

Overview

This experiment adds the following component:

• LocalizedAccessKey a markup extension which will convert a sequence of VirtualKey to their corresponding characters based on the current keyboard layout.

Using

You can try it out via the NuGet Packages here:

• UWP: https://dev.azure.com/dotnet/CommunityToolkit/_artifacts/feed/CommunityToolkit-Labs/NuGet/CommunityToolkit.Labs.Uwp.LocalizedAccessKey/overview/0.0.1
• WinUI 3: https://dev.azure.com/dotnet/CommunityToolkit/_artifacts/feed/CommunityToolkit-Labs/NuGet/CommunityToolkit.Labs.WinUI.LocalizedAccessKey/overview/0.0.1
  Read more about Preview Packages here.

Code

<Button AccessKey="{toolkit:LocalizedAccessKey V}" Content="Click me" />

Result

Additional info

No response

Implementation Requirements

• Working Prototype
• Feature Complete
• Documentation
• Samples
• Unit Tests
• Community Feedback / Usage Testimonies

Tested Platforms

• UWP
• WinAppSDK / WinUI 3
• Web Assembly (WASM)
• Android
• iOS
• MacOS
• Linux / GTK

Technical Review

• Accessibility Audit
• API/Naming Review
• Code Quality/Style
• Dependency Review
• Design/Style Review
• Final Approval

Community Help?

None