[thelist] tabindex in IE quirk?

sbeam sbeam at syxyz.net
Fri Oct 1 07:55:30 CDT 2004


We are building a dynamic form using DOM to create and destroy form 
elements on the fly, kind of a CMS thing. We are trying to use the 
tabindex attribute to increase usability of the form, so users can tab 
through links on the page in the correct order for the editing process. 
Anyone who has used the same form over and over knows how important 
proper tab behavior can be. 

But in IE when the page first loads, and you hit tab, it selects the 
address bar. Hit it again and only _then_ is your first tabindex'ed 
field/link is focused. Which would be fine except this A) requires an 
extra useless key press and B) screws up the flow in our app sometimes 
when instead of focusing the next element, IE focuses the address bar 
and you have to start over.

So have any of you fine folks found a way around this one? I'm thinking 
of writing a brand new tabindex implementation using a custom attribute 
(nothing better than doing MS's work for them)... But is there 
something like document.dontIncludeAddressBarInTabSequence that would 
be easier?

-- 

# S Beam - Web App Dev Servs
# http://www.onsetcorps.net/


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