fix(menu): ipad menu item click

[iuliauta]

Description

Issue

Menu items (<sp-menu-item>) in <sp-action-menu> were not registering click events on iPad devices, while the same items wrapped in <sp-menu-group> worked correctly. This issue was reported in GitHub Issue #5706.

Symptoms

• On iPad (and other tablets):
  • Direct menu items inside <sp-action-menu> don't fire click events
  • pointerdown and pointerup events fire correctly
  • Works fine when menu items are wrapped in <sp-menu-group>
• On desktop and mobile phones:
  • Everything works as expected

Root cause

The issue stemmed from an incorrect device detection strategy that didn't properly account for tablet devices with touch input.

Technical details

1. Device detection query

   // Old IS_MOBILE definition
   const IS_MOBILE =
       '(max-width: 743px) and (hover: none) and (pointer: coarse)';

   This query only matched devices with:

   • Screen width ≤ 743px AND
   • Touch input (hover: none, pointer: coarse)

   iPad devices don't match because their screen width is typically 768px-1024px.

2. The shouldSupportDragAndSelect flag

   In packages/picker/src/InteractionController.ts, the code set:

   this.host.optionsMenu.shouldSupportDragAndSelect =
       !this.host.isMobile.matches;

   Since iPad didn't match IS_MOBILE, shouldSupportDragAndSelect was set to true.

3. Event handling conflict

   In packages/menu/src/Menu.ts:

   private handlePointerup(event: Event): void {
       this.handleTouchEnd();
   
       if (!this.shouldSupportDragAndSelect) {
           return; // Selection handled by click event
       }
       this.pointerUpTarget = event.target;
       this.handlePointerBasedSelection(event);
   }
   
   private handleClick(event: Event): void {
       if (this.pointerUpTarget === event.target) {
           this.pointerUpTarget = null;
           return; // EARLY RETURN - Click is ignored!
       }
       this.handlePointerBasedSelection(event);
   }

   When shouldSupportDragAndSelect = true:

   • handlePointerup processes the selection and sets pointerUpTarget
   • handleClick sees that pointerUpTarget === event.target and returns early
   • The click event is never processed!

4. Why menu-group worked

   When menu items are wrapped in <sp-menu-group>, the additional DOM wrapper causes the event.target in the click handler to sometimes differ from the pointerUpTarget set in the pointerup handler, allowing the click to proceed.

Solution

We introduced a new IS_TOUCH_DEVICE media query that detects any device with touch input, regardless of screen size:

export const IS_TOUCH_DEVICE = '(hover: none) and (pointer: coarse)';

This query matches:

• Mobile phones (screen width ≤ 743px)
• Tablets like iPad (screen width 744px-1366px)
• Any other device with touch input

The PickerBase class now includes an isTouchDevice property:

public isTouchDevice = new MatchMediaController(this, IS_TOUCH_DEVICE);

The menu's shouldSupportDragAndSelect property is set directly in the template when the menu is rendered:

protected get renderMenu(): TemplateResult {
    const menu = html`
        <sp-menu
            ...
            .shouldSupportDragAndSelect=${!this.isTouchDevice.matches}
            ...
        >
            <slot></slot>
        </sp-menu>
    `;
    ...
}

This ensures that on all touch devices (including iPads), the menu uses click events instead of the drag-and-select pattern, preventing the event handling conflict.

Motivation and context

Related issue(s)

• fixes [Bug]: Menu items in action menus do not dispatch click events on tablets #5706

Screenshots (if appropriate)

---

Author's checklist

• I have read the CONTRIBUTING and PULL_REQUESTS documents.
• I have reviewed at the Accessibility Practices for this feature, see: Aria Practices
• I have added automated tests to cover my changes.
• I have included a well-written changeset if my change needs to be published.
• I have included updated documentation if my change required it.

---

Reviewer's checklist

• Includes a Github Issue with appropriate flag or Jira ticket number without a link
• Includes thoughtfully written changeset if changes suggested include patch, minor, or major features
• Automated tests cover all use cases and follow best practices for writing
• Validated on all supported browsers
• All VRTs are approved before the author can update Golden Hash

Manual review test cases

• iPad Menu Item click test

  1. Go https://swcpreviews.z13.web.core.windows.net/pr-5829/docs/storybook/?path=/story/action-menu--menu-item-alerts
  2. Open this in iPad mini or any iPad
  3. Click any menu Item
  4. You will see an alert

• Descriptive Test Statement

  1. Go here
  2. Do this action
  3. Expect this result

Device review

• Did it pass in Desktop?
• Did it pass in (emulated) Mobile?
• Did it pass in (emulated) iPad?

[changeset-bot]

🦋 Changeset detected

Latest commit: dd2df56

The changes in this PR will be included in the next version bump.

This PR includes changesets to release 78 packages

Name	Type
@spectrum-web-components/picker	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/reactive-controllers	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/action-menu	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/bundle	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/accordion	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/action-group	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/button	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/coachmark	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/color-area	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/color-slider	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/color-wheel	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/combobox	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/contextual-help	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/field-label	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/icon	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/menu	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/meter	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/number-field	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/overlay	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/progress-bar	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/radio	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/sidenav	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/slider	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/swatch	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/tabs	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/tags	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/tooltip	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/tray	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/grid	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/breadcrumbs	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/action-bar	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/action-button	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/alert-banner	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/alert-dialog	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/button-group	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/dialog	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/infield-button	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/picker-button	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/search	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/toast	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/checkbox	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/icons-ui	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/icons-workflow	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/table	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/textfield	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/popover	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/truncated	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/top-nav	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/card	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/switch	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/help-text	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/color-field	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/field-group	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/asset	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/avatar	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/badge	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/clear-button	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/close-button	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/color-handle	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/color-loupe	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/divider	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/dropzone	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/icons	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/iconset	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/illustrated-message	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/link	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/modal	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/progress-circle	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/split-view	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/status-light	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/thumbnail	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/underlay	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/base	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/opacity-checkerboard	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/shared	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/styles	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/theme	Patch
@spectrum-web-components/eslint-plugin	Patch

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[marissahuysentruyt]

Does this test fail for you occasionally? Or could it be me?

Could we maybe need an await nextFrame();? Could the menu.click() event not be propogating correctly since we're sort of "faking" a touch device here?