[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #36853: Safari and VoiceOver don't announce repeated, identical, aria live messages

[WordPress Trac]

#36853: Safari and VoiceOver don't announce repeated, identical, aria live messages
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 Reporter:  afercia                    |      Owner:
     Type:  defect (bug)               |     Status:  new
 Priority:  normal                     |  Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  General                    |    Version:  4.3
 Severity:  normal                     |   Keywords:  has-screenshots
  Focuses:  accessibility, javascript  |
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 Noticed while investigating on #36848. Unlike other browsers / screen
 readers combinations, seems Safari and VoiceOver don't announce repeated
 aria-live messages when the message text string is the same string used in
 the previous message.

 `wp.a11y.speak()` uses an `aria-relevant` attribute set to a value of
 `additions text` (which is the default value) thus only added text should
 be announced. To make repeated strings work, in [33000] `wp.a11y.speak()`
 has been changed in order to clear the aria live region before dispatching
 a new message.

 Seems this works in all browsers / screen readers combinations I've tested
 with, except Safari and VoiceOver.

 One place where this happens is in the Themes Installer screen, to
 reproduce:

 - run a search with a non sense string, e.g. "qwertyuiop"
 - the message "No themes found. Try a different search." gets announced

 [[Image(https://cldup.com/5ua5iUBHrz.png)]]

 - add one character to the previous search string, e.g. "qwertyuiopa"
 - a new search runs, the aria live gets cleared out and the same message
 gets dispatched
 - Safari and VoiceOver don't announce the message, seems they don't get
 the "change" in the aria live region

 I'm not sure how to fix this, also not sure if this is a Safari/VoiceOver
 bug or just a different implementation.

 Using `aria-relevant=all` would make other combos announce both the
 removed text and the added text so it's not an option.

 Maybe, try to find a way to force VoiceOver to think the new string is
 different, adding some not-readable character. Any thoughts more than
 welcome.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/36853>
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