VoiceOver does not handle popup windows well.

By Enes Deniz, 13 March, 2024

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Suppose you wish to share a photo and are searching for the desired option in the share menu, or you have a shortcut set to bring up a dialogue box and prompt you to make a selection. There should be other similar instances where VoiceOver fails to distinguish the popup window from the main window, but these are two that I can think of for now. I don't know about VoiceOver on MacOS or iPadOS, but apparently we need better object navigation for VoiceOver like that of NVDA for all Apple operating systems. Does the iPad differ from the iPhone in that respect? I am asking that because it has a larger screen and, as far as I remember, some commands differ slightly from those on iOS.

Options

Comments

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I don't use shortcuts so can't comment there but the share sheet should be completely accessible. I believe it even has a close button.

A pop up i've come across is on the Overcast app where you might want to select diffirent things like speed and stuf like that, you just tap once near the top of the screen and there's a close pop up button, it's not a button it's just text I believe but it does the same thing.

By Enes Deniz on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

The problem is not that popup windows are not accessible with VoiceOver. The problem is that you don't have a reliable way to access them and get back to the main window. You have to touch an option on the share sheet in order to move the VoiceOver cursor to the list of options so that you can flick right and left to navigate between them. Likewise, the VoiceOver cursor is moved to the list of photos if you tap a photo or touch it while moving your finger around the screen. Flicking right or left when on a photo moves you between photos; not the share sheet options. The only method to jump to the popup window or the other window is touch an item of the former or latter. In certain cases, flicking right or left in either one unexpectedly makes the cursor jump to the other. In other words, VoiceOver treats the items in windows that cover only a certain part of the screen just as those that probably remain in the background once the popup window appears. Same for split screens on which nothing is in the background but you have two different windows on the same screen.

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I think I'm going to leave this to other people to help you with.

For me, for example, if I want to share a photo with BeMyEyes, I think because i've not done it in a while, you tap on the photo, tap on share, flick to share with BeMyEyes and go from there.

I don't think that's what you're talking about though so will leave it here and hope someone else can help you or at least say they experience the same thing as you.

By Enes Deniz on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I don't know how exactly it works and for what it is intended, but when you select the Share option for a photo, you get a list of other photos along with the export options, probably to make it easier to select multiple photos after selecting the option to share a single photo. The thing, however, is that VoiceOver treats the sharing options and the other photos as items of the same window, or does not focus on either one in a stable manner. The share sheet should appear as a popup window though. The VoiceOver cursor should not jump to anything outside of of it unless you command it to. As I said earlier, I don't know much about VoiceOver on MacOS, but what I'm talking about is pretty much like NVDA's object navigation where you have parent and sub/child objects. VoiceOver actually has two gestures (two-finger swipe right/left) to get inside or out of a group of items in grouped mode, but this does not work exactly how I want it to. I don't remember whether it is since iOS 16 or iOS 17 that I've been having this problem, but my conclusion is that larger screens without a Home button made Apple make wider use of popup windows, but VoiceOver has not been updated to handle them.

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I think sighted people get the same thing, I don't think it's a pop up.

I just tried it and yeah, you get a nicely labeled multiple photo selecter thing, then flick to the right or touch the bottom right of the phone and you'll get the share with BeMyEyes thing.

It's behaved like that for as long as I can remember, I think it's all laid out on one screen.

What makes you think it's a pop up?

By Enes Deniz on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

It may be an entirely new window covering the whole screen with an area to select multiple photos and another area to pick an export option, but I already mentioned that the issue occurs on split screens as well, and it is but one single example of such situations where VoiceOver navigation is broken.

By OldBear on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

It does require you to remember to touch the lower half, and only the lower half, of the screen when you select the share option from a photo. If you touch the upper half, you are likely to select a different photo in that list of photos from the photo you started from. At least, it was this way for a time. Just touching that part of the screen, no double tapping, would select and change what you were sharing to which ever photo you touched. I made this mistake enough that I automatically touch the bottom of the screen after I double tap the share option, so I don't know if this is still an issue.

By Brian on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

First, do not think of this as a ''popup'' as it is more like an Overlay. Imagine, if you will, you have 2 sheets of printer paper. You take 1 sheet and lay it on top if the other one. If they are not lined up perfectly, and you were to write something at the top, you may end up writing on the sheet that is actually underneath the 1 you intended to write on.

I think the share sheet is like this; when activated it overlays across a portion of the screen. When you go to ''touch'' an item, if you touch the wrong area, you will actually be touching the screen underneath.

HTH. 😎

By Yvonnezed on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I kind of look at this more as a different way of using a device than a problem. I mean, with a traditional Mac or PC, you need all the group navigation and such. When you have a touch screen, there's nothing stopping you touching any part of the screen you want to. This kind of makes the idea of being stuck in a particular window/element on the screen a bit pointless. It's also why I find using a keyboard on my iPad so frustrating, with touch I know where the thing I want is and I can just go there, with the keyboard I have to navigate through multiple groups or containers or whatever to get anywhere, ☺️.

By OldBear on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I don't think the share sheet is allowing you to select something it is overlaying. It is displaying a list of all photos on your camera, in the case of photos, for you to select at the top half of the screen, and the options for where to share it on the bottom. If you don't mess with the top half of the screen, the bottom half will only apply to the photo you selected the share option from.
But like with all iOS apps, it is much too easy to mess every thing up by touching the wrong area of the screen, especially by accident. Being knocked out of editing mode in writing apps, comes to mind.
@Yvonnezed, I prefer to use a combination of touch screen and keyboard on iOS. Touch screen for navigation, other than web browsing, and keyboard for writing.

By Enes Deniz on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

As I have been trying to explain, VoiceOver cannot distinguish elements of different windows from each other. Also, you do have several gestures that let you jump to the top or bottom, or the status bar, which are certain parts or locations on the screen. Why do they exist if one-finger single taps or exploring by touch suffice for everyone? Or why do we have this thing called group navigation? Why can't we ask for more convenience? It has been getting so irritating that even complaints that can be justified and bug reports are treated by some as meaningless drama and whining. Another recent thread on accessibility specialists and their attitude, although closed, reveal this so clearly! Certain blind folks tell those posting about problems to go switch to Android, and this shocks me. They are also visually-impaired, right? Do the sighted have to say, well, the damn camera on this iPhone doesn't work at all, so I should probably switch to Android? Or is it Apple who can't just ignore all the complaints and says, well, we have not been able to sell enough of this device, so we should probably consider modifying it or stop manufacturing it altogether. Sighted customers can push Apple to act in certain ways and avoid certain steps despite Apple's monopolistic, over-confident and stubborn nature. When those with disabilities request more accommodations that actually prioritize them rather than serve the company's growth and advertising strategies, however, even other visually-impaired users attack and offend them like mad, regardless of whether they also face the very same issues or not, neither of which make sense at all. So I just want VoiceOver to not confuse elements of two windows on one screen, or jump to the other window when I reach the first or last item in a window. I just want to be able to toggle whether four-finger taps jump to the top or bottom of the screen, or the first or last item in the window without jumping to the other window. These two gestures don't even serve their standard function as expected though. Things that are there by default for the sighted regardless of how much they are actually used, are considered and described as extreme demands even by certain visually-impaired users. If you don't need something or don't even know about the bugs mentioned, then just mind your own business instead of doing just what you have been accusing others of doing (whining and complaining about posts mentioning problems)!

By Siobhan on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I was reading your above comment when it crashed, twice. I think a lot of the frustration is how not only we deal with each other but how we are taught certain things. Some people prefer to hear every little word of voice over, while others, can get by with less explanation. For instance when a podcaster's phone says "settings. double tap to open" and we are verbally told to do this gesture as in "one finger double tap", it become repetitive and frankly annoying. I'm aware people learn through various methods but if we aren't given any more then a simple, step by step method, how can we branch out? as a society, we need those users who are beginner, advanced, to show people that you don't have to just download every app you want from the app store if you're using a Mac. It's perfectly safe to use another site provided you know the content before downloading whatever you want. I have yet to find anyone willing to walk along this bridge. We need a better way of interacting with devices, each other, and Apple as a company. Whatever method works for the individual, I have no problem agreeing to that. I just want people with a little more tech knowhow to show us different ways of doing things. I do hope that when the side loading of apps is available we might get a podcast. I'd be interested how navigation and instructions differ from grandpa Apple who can tell us what to do.

By Enes Deniz on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

Omitting unnecesary stuff while offering concise and useful explanations without getting boring, is something different. I was trying to talk about the longstanding bugs that Apple can't crush possibly because it deems this so cruel, complaints about the situation and the offensive responses to those complaints. Well, I might've failed, backed by the fact that even VoiceOver failed to... ahem... Wait! VoiceOver's crashing twice is actually a clear sign of how right we are to complain and how low a priority we have for Apple. Apple should beware of the fact that bugs pose a significant threat to it though. They feed on apples, after all.

By Brian on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

Best, subject, ever. ☝🏼

As for the dreaded share sheet, this is what I experience if I, say, want to share a photo via a text or whatever.

1. Open photos.
2. Find the photo I want to share, double tap it, then find the share button at the bottomm area of the screen.
3. if I am super careful, I can swipe right to navigate the share sheet choices.
3b. Otherwise I have to do the 4 finger tap at the bottom portion of the screen, which puts me at the end of the share sheet, and then I have to navigate backwards to find the item I want, in this case Messages.

Not the most enjoyable way of sharing thins, but it, is, doable. 🤷🏼‍♂️

By Siobhan on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

Using Brian's messages example do the following:
1. write the name of the person, or first few letters, selecting the result you wish to use.
2. tap Apps, as in double tap, ugh, :) from there, select photos. The most recent pic you took is at the top, so flick around until you see something like photo 2:11 PM. then double tap it. Select done, then flick to send. Boom! Problem solved. Annoying? Yes but a bit easier. Also if you find yourself somewhere in the hundreds of photos, I'm like that, then tap towards the top of the screen, then swipe right. You'll get there. This is not excusing the behavior but an easy way to figure out stuff for now. If only people would think about contacting the company before coming on here so there's a paper trail. ah but a cop's kid so, barking up a dead end tree I suppose?

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

You're so willing to put others down but didn't check your spelling.

a cop's kid so, barking up a dead end tree

What does that mean.

reporting bugs is good but people are allowed to just complain for the sake of it.

By Siobhan on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

As reported before, editing the subject line is impossible in the current OS. However since you are not using a Mac, you wouldn't encounter this bug nor care that if the ability was present I surely would have used it. as for the cop's kid reference, let's just say common sense is sometimes hard to find and leave it there.

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I thought it was a spelling mistake. i'm curious, what are you referencing, i looked up the meaning and I only found things like, 21 signs you're a policemans kid.

I think you're calling them stupid and there's no need for that, they were using common sense,, it just wasn't yours and quite frankly i'm getting sick of your I know better than everyone else atitude and am going to write to applevis about this.

I doubt anything will be done but I'll be damned if I don't try.

I'm done here.

By Dave Nason on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

There’s a few different thoughts running through my head when I read this.
First up, there are arguably two core methods of navigating with VoiceOver; swiping around, with the addition of gestures like the four finger tap, and explore by touch. The reality is that if we are to be very efficient with our devices we’re best off using a mix of the two. It’s situational. I hate when I hear of people being trained to swipe around and not being trained or getting practice in exploring too.
In this situation I would explore around the middle of the screen to find the area of the share sheet I want, then may swipe to the specific item, for example Messages.
That’s not at all to say that the original poster is wrong though.
In most cases, such as the Share sheet here in Safari, everything outside of the share options window acts as a dismiss button. That is how it should be in my opinion. Even this though can be tricky on an iPad, where the active window is a much smaller portion of the screen.
In this Photos example it becomes trickier still, even on iPhone. As I said, I explore the screen, but what would be better would be if VoiceOver recognised the different sections as containers. You should be able to use the Containers option in the rotor to easily move between sections. In my case I have also set the two finger swipe left and right to Previous and Next Container. Unfortunately Apple currently under utilises containers. I’ve probably fed this back before, but think I will again.
Dave

By Enes Deniz on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

1. I do report the stuff I post about here.
2. I do make use of one-finger single taps to jump to a specific item or at least somewhere near it, but not everyone does that and accommodating for everyone means exactly that, to make things as easy and user-friendly as possible even for novice users or those somehow unable to perform certain basic gestures/commands.

By Brian on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

Agree with the post above regarding containers. I so wish we could use the container controls to navigate in and out of the share sheet. Sadly, it is not really recognized as a "container", so no dice. Still, 'twould be nice.

Regarding idioms, Barking up a deadened tree is like saying beating a dead horse. In other words it means to do something that is pointless.

As for the "cop's kid" comment. Well, she is a child of a police officer. 🤷🏼‍♂️

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I wanted to be done here, I really did but screw it.

I know what an idiom is, I'm just frustrated at Siobhan and how she comes across as very full of herself.

She's basically allowed to say eenes isn't using common sense and to get away with it, basically calling them stupid, or at least that's how I see it.

Oh wel, it doesn't seam to be bothering eenes so I'll take a deap breath and leave it alone.

Also, and this one has been bothering me to the point I had to make this reply, who's a cop's kid? Enes Deniz? If so, how do you know, posts?

By Brian on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

May I be the Ring Bearer at the wedding? 😇 💍

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

@brian you just made an ok night in to an amusing one, thanks.

I don't really want to get married but for you brian, I'll change my entire viewpoint, aren't I lovely?

OK fine, you can carry the ring but I expect great prezzies!

Come on Applevis community, who else is going to our wedding, these prezzies aren't going to bye themselves ya no.

Oh yeah and we need to ask Siobhan, it's partly her wedding too I guess, so Von Von, *gags* what do you think, marry me?

By Brian on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I create monsters.

Truth.

By Enes Deniz on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

Okay, went through the comments once again, and I unfortunately concluded that @Brad was probably right that @Siobhan was indeed trying to respond to me in a snarky manner. Well, I already responded to her accusation that I had been posting on here without reporting the bugs I would face to Apple. As for the claim that I need to use my common sense, or perhaps even have it, a post with step-by-step instructions on that would be great! You know, one like your previous posts in this very thread should do. Do it as though you're repeating VoiceOver's instructions stating one should double-tap an item to activate it.

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I'd love to see this because it will prove that everyone's version of common sense is diffirent.

By Siobhan on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I meant common sense on the whole, however i generalized and confused others. Here we go.
I was and am, frustrated with some steps being so spoon fed it drives me nuts. As in, double tap to open. well, of course. However i don't assume anyone uses a device like I do. Now as for marrying Brad, sorry but something I have will satisfy anything I need for eons, you'd be tired out by the time I'm done. With regard to dismissing anyone's concerns I'm not doing so. I am dismissing those who has an issue with my spelling when they can not spell attitude without checking before sending. Now before, I will freely admit I was a terrible speller. I'm doing my best to do much better. OP, I'm sorry I can't spell your username. Here ar my honest thoughts. First, do what works. Second, I or anyone would be happy to Facetime audio or whatever program you wish to show you in real time how to navigate something Texting leaves a log to be desired.

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I honestly had no idea attitude had an extra t.

I think the thing with double tap to open app x is so that those who are completely new to apple know how to use it.

Oh and no marage? Oh well, no prezzies for me.

By Siobhan on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

No batteries included.

By Brian on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

If this is your planned trip, then hope you have a safe and fantastic adventure, Siobhan. If you are leaving AppleVis, then I will miss your snark. It makes me giggle, now and always. 😏

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

Under all that snark is a big softy. Hey it's like fat! but for softies. No no listen,, you can even lose it, like fat, but instead of exersize, you open up to a friend.

Ha! I'm a genious with my analogies.

By Brian on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

That woman is going to murder you one day.

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

all joking aside, I am going to lighten up. No more reporting and all that, why? Because if the person cares enough; they can report it themselves.

If she kills me then applevis can have my bank accounts, one has nothing in it and the other £30 so it's not much but it'll help applevis to continue for a bit longer.

Oh also if she's going to kill me, well, she'll have to fly to the UK, that's about $1000 for a good flight, find out where I live in London, We're small but we're not that small, then kill me, personally I think she's to lazy, I know I would be.

By Enes Deniz on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

This has gone too far! Once reported, @Siobhan will probably use her common sense to figure out that I can definitely use a device and navigate around the website. Well, this post should be more than enough to prove that already, but let's just say common sense is sometimes hard to find. Responding to her in her own style has become quite fun, by the way. :) I can assert that I am much more careful not to offend her though, unlike her.

By Andy Lane on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

Batteries not included??? You need to step it up. Eons are only the starting point provided by a pair of AA’s. Anything worth the luxury branding will have integrated lithium ion technology to ensure eons will stretch out to superons and beyond. It’s time to move with the times and ditch those AA’’s and C cells. Tell you what, on yours and Brad’s big day. I’ll fork out the £200 to ensure you have the hardware that allows brad to sleep safe in the knowledge that he’ll still be able to walk when he returns from your honeymoon. It’s the right thing to do and hopefully I’ve removed any impediment to your big day. Right, I’m off to buy a hat. Bryan, you coming? We need to go magic wand shopping. Brad’s health depends on us.

By Brad on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I have fwiends *cries.*

By David Goodwin on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

Hello everyone,

I'm posting here as a moderator to steer this discussion back to its original intended topic. Several recent comments have strayed far off-topic, which goes against the AppleVis posting guidelines numbers 6 and 7 asking that replies stay focused on the original question and provide substantive value.

A few comments have also crossed the line into impolite or inflammatory territory, which is not allowed per guidelines 8-10 about remaining respectful, avoiding insults/flaming, and not trolling.

Going forward, please keep your posts focused squarely on providing constructive information and insights related to the original question posed here. If you have a separate issue to raise, please start a new topic thread for that.

The goal of these forums is to cultivate a positive, productive community. A little moderation is sometimes needed to keep discussions from going awry. I appreciate everyone's understanding and cooperation in abiding by the posting guidelines.

By Enes Deniz on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

If you have Screen Time enabled and reach your limit on an app, you can continue to interact with the items on the app screen through swipes and double-taps as long as you avoid focusing the Voiceover cursor on an item of the Screen Time window through a one-finger-single tap or by moving your finger around the screen. I should've mentioned that sooner. This is a great example that will help me better explain the situation.

By Andy Lane on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

I’ve had that situation myself, regularly and it’s far more reproducible and explainable than the share sheet with photo’s issue. Thats just a mess.

By Brian on Friday, March 15, 2024 - 21:41

This sounds like it has to do with the way iOS handles UI layers. Like my example above regarding sharing images, it appears that the VO focus struggles to remain "focused" on a particular layer during a particular situation. Like Enes mentioned, you can still manipulate an application so long as you do not focus within said application.

You know what? My head hurts now.

Thanks a lot guys. 😝