Better accessibility on search result highlighting

sometimes this does not work especially if two or more nodes are meant to be highlighted.

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When using the select nodes option in status and catch nodes we do dim the whole workspace apart from the selected nodes... maybe we can re-use this capability somehow ? (along with tab switching/centering)

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All in for re-use of functionality but TBH, you still have to scan the entire canvas for the slightly more prominent node. And as the OP said, not great for those unfortunate enough to suffer retinitis pigmentosa. But work a look see perhaps.

oh, actually, you have just reminded me, there is another place we might be able to pick up and re-use some code - the guided tour!

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That's more like a search result :-).... but of course - how would it handle multiple results..

You only click on one result at a time?

Steve's idea is interesting if we want to highlight just one element.

I rather suggest doing it the other way: we increase the size of the elements which we will gradually reduce to their normal size and at the same time use the flash.

We should also go further for these people by creating accessibility parameters:

  • contrast: (darken everything we don't want to highlight)
  • text size: (adapt the size of texts/nodes)

Any news?

@GogoVega what news are you looking for?

As it stands there are lots of differ ideas as to what would make the search highlighting more effective. I don't think there is a consensus on what would be a better approach that satisfied everyone's different ideas of what would be better.

There is a much broader topic around accessibliity of the editor in general. I don't want to dismiss that as an important topic, but that could easily snowball into a much larger and complicated set of changes than this one specific request warrants.

On the suggestion I made above (enlarge the nodes then gradually reduce them).

Yes, accessibility is a delicate subject that will have to be taken step by step - this request being one.

Personally, I do not like the idea of changing the size of the node.

I do think that movement is a good way to attract the eye. @Steve-Mcl reminded us we have pieces in place already for putting a virtual spot-light on a node as part of the Tour. My instinct says that may be too much, but a slightly toned down version could well work.

I forgot to mention it yesterday - we could also use "navigator-canvas" like VSCode (bars on the right which indicate where we should scroll)

Another possibility would be to contrast the entire background to highlight only what you want in addition to the flashing and for visually impaired people apply (in addition) Steve's idea.

I agree that for most people, movement is a good way to attract the eye, but for those with missing peripheral vision, unfortunately movement might as well not be there if it's not significant, as it won't be seen. That's why I think we need (the option to have) a big movement like a (full-screen?) contracting circle that draws the eye to its centre regardless of where you're looking to begin with. I do think it probably needs to be configurable, since what's needed for one person is likely to seem excessive for another person.