Unable to implement fake table navigation in a list

[CyrilleB79]

Steps to reproduce:

In my Outlook Extended add-on V1.4, I have implemented fake table navigation in the address book results list by creating a custom class inheriting from RowWithoutCellObjects and RowWithFakeNavigation from behaviors.py.
This class implements the required method _getColumnContent as well as the optional method _getColumnHeader.
This was working with NVDA 2019.2 as well as with early Py3 alpha versions. However, this feature was broken in NVDA 2019.3.
Although documented as optional, I have had to implement _getColumnLocation to fix the issue (fixed in V1.5).

Actual behavior:

RowWithoutCellObjects._getColumnLocation is documented as optional in behaviors.py

Expected behavior:

RowWithoutCellObjects._getColumnLocation implementation in subclasses should be documented as mandatory.

An other alternative would be not to add INVISIBLE state to a _FakeTableCell if _FakeTableCell._get_location does not return a location (i.e. returns None). I do not know however how the navigator object highlight would behave in this case.

Technical background

This doc mismatch was introduced with the following commit:

Author: Leonard de Ruijter <leonardder@users.noreply.github.com>
Date:   Tue Sep 17 09:11:21 2019 +0200
    Hide invisible columns in syslistview32 lists (#9873)

System configuration

NVDA installed/portable/running from source:

installed

NVDA version:

2019.3.1

Windows version:

10

Name and version of other software in use when reproducing the issue:

N/A

Other information about your system:

N/A

Other questions

Does the issue still occur after restarting your computer?

yes

Have you tried any other versions of NVDA? If so, please report their behaviors.

Yes. NVDA2019.2.1 is OK.

If addons are disabled, is your problem still occuring?

N/A

Did you try to run the COM registry fixing tool in NVDA menu / tools?

N/A

[CyrilleB79]

I did not yet provide a PR to fix this because I would like to agree on what should be implemented: change RowWithoutCellObjects._getColumnLocation documentation to so that its implementation should be mandatory or change _FakeTableCell._get_state implementation.

@LeonarddeR, since you have implemented the commit, could you provide feedback on the alternative you would prefer? You could also comment on the nav object highlight question.
Thanks

[josephsl]

CC @LeonarddeR From: CyrilleB79 <notifications@github.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2020 2:36 AM To: nvaccess/nvda <nvda@noreply.github.com> Cc: Subscribed <subscribed@noreply.github.com> Subject: [nvaccess/nvda] Unable to implement fake table navigation in a list (#10864) Steps to reproduce: In my Outlook Extended add-on V1.4, I have implemented fake table navigation in the address book results list by creating a custom class inheriting from RowWithoutCellObjects and RowWithFakeNavigation from behaviors.py. This class implements the required method _getColumnContent as well as the optional method _getColumnHeader. This was working with NVDA 2019.2 as well as with early Py3 alpha versions. However, this feature was broken in NVDA 2019.3. Although documented as optional, I have had to implement _getColumnLocation to fix the issue (fixed in V1.5). Actual behavior: RowWithoutCellObjects._getColumnLocation is documented as optional in behaviors.py Expected behavior: RowWithoutCellObjects._getColumnLocation implementation in subclasses should be documented as mandatory. An other alternative would be not to add INVISIBLE state to a _FakeTableCell if _FakeTableCell._get_location does not return a location (i.e. returns None). I do not know however how the navigator object highlight would behave in this case. Technical background This doc mismatch was introduced with the following commit: Author: Leonard de Ruijter <leonardder@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Tue Sep 17 09:11:21 2019 +0200 Hide invisible columns in syslistview32 lists (#9873) System configuration NVDA installed/portable/running from source: installed NVDA version: 2019.3.1 Windows version: 10 Name and version of other software in use when reproducing the issue: N/A Other information about your system: N/A Other questions Does the issue still occur after restarting your computer? yes Have you tried any other versions of NVDA? If so, please report their behaviors. Yes. NVDA2019.2.1 is OK. If addons are disabled, is your problem still occuring? N/A Did you try to run the COM registry fixing tool in NVDA menu / tools? N/A — You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#10864?email_source=notifications&email_token=AB4AXEFQY66JNRDG5TUN62TRGYCY7A5CNFSM4LE2VXRKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFUVEXG43VMWVGG33NNVSW45C7NFSM4IT2NQBQ> , or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AB4AXEAOZYLPGCAWH6Q5CSTRGYCY7ANCNFSM4LE2VXRA> .

[LeonarddeR]

Ugh, this side effect was unintended. I think a solution should be among the lines of:uggest

• Change the _get_states impl as you suggested. If location is None, hasIrrelevantLocation is true and the highlighter should ignore it.
• I actually think that the default of beTransparentToMouse should be hasIrrelevantLocation, since the mouse could never be on those objects.

[CyrilleB79]

Yes, after studying a little more the issue:
Since RowWithoutCellObjects is inheriting from NVDAObject and NVDAObject is allowed not to define location, it is clear that the RowWithoutCellObjects._getColumnLocation method redefinition should remain optional:

1. if .location is defined, nav object
2. if .location is None, no nav object highlighter should appear or it should appear only around the full table row
   Moreover, if .location is defined and the column width is 0, I would expect that the nav obj highlighter appear around this fake table cell when obj navigating to it. Of course this cell should remain a skipped cell when using control+alt+arrows commands.
   Do you agree?

You write:

I actually think that the default of beTransparentToMouse should be hasIrrelevantLocation, since the mouse could never be on those objects

Not sure to understand what you mean and how beTransparentToMouse is working. At which level do you suggest this change? Only in fake cells or for any NVDAObject?

[CyrilleB79]

We may follow this discussion in the PR (#10868) since we are already talking of code details.