Add screen reader support #4854
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Pull Request Overview
This PR introduces prototype screen reader support by implementing a SafeRender abstraction that uses ANSI control codes when screen reader mode is enabled. The changes modify rendering behavior throughout the application to provide better accessibility for screen reader users.
Key changes:
- Introduces
SafeRendermethod that outputs ANSI escape sequences instead of full re-rendering when screen reader support is enabled - Adds screen reader detection for Windows (including Narrator) and macOS VoiceOver
- Replaces many
Render()calls withSafeRender()calls across editing operations, undo/redo, history, and completion functionality
Reviewed Changes
Copilot reviewed 13 out of 13 changed files in this pull request and generated 7 comments.
Show a summary per file
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| PSReadLine/Accessibility.cs | Enhanced screen reader detection for Windows and macOS platforms |
| PSReadLine/Cmdlets.cs | Added ScreenReader option with automatic detection as default |
| PSReadLine/Options.cs | Added logic to disable predictions when screen reader is enabled |
| PSReadLine/Render.cs | Implemented SafeRender method using ANSI control codes |
| PSReadLine/UndoRedo.cs | Replaced Render calls with SafeRender for undo/redo operations |
| PSReadLine/PublicAPI.cs | Updated Insert and Replace methods to use SafeRender |
| PSReadLine/BasicEditing.cs | Modified editing operations to use SafeRender with appropriate ANSI codes |
| PSReadLine/History.cs | Updated history navigation and search to use SafeRender |
| PSReadLine/KillYank.cs | Modified kill operations to use SafeRender |
| PSReadLine/Completion.cs | Added TODO for menu completion screen reader testing |
| PSReadLine/KeyBindings.cs | Added TODO for WhatIsKey screen reader evaluation |
| PSReadLine/ReadLine.cs | Added TODOs for screen reader evaluation in various render calls |
| PSReadLine/PlatformWindows.cs | Added IsMutexPresent method for detecting Windows Narrator |
| @@ -533,6 +540,8 @@ public object ListPredictionTooltipColor | |||
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| public bool TerminateOrphanedConsoleApps { get; set; } | |||
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| public bool ScreenReader { get; set; } | |||
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The property name doesn't indicate the Boolean type. How about renamed it to be ScreenReaderIsActive?
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That seems awkward as a CLI option, you don't usually type -FooIsActive to enable something. What about -ScreenReaderMode?
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The property name in PSConsoleReadLineOptions doesn't have to be the same as the parameter in the cmdlet SetPSReadLineOption. The former will be the one that is referenced a lot in the code base, so it would be better to make it more readable, such as UseScreenReader or ScreenReaderEnabled. The parameter name can be made -EnableScreenReadeMode or similar.
Should we use a different set of default key bindings when a Screen Reader is turned on? If so, then it may be better to add a new EditMode ScreenReaderMode, while defines its own set of default bindings.
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Let me know which two names you'd like it to be.
I think let's not do a new EditMode but simply, for the very few that it seems to affect, disable the function by returning early if in screen reader mode. Otherwise we have to copy/paste the default bindings, and then we'd have different defaults for Windows/non-Windows, or we'd have to add new logic for unbinding by function name instead of key chord.
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That should default to enabled when one is detected on startup, but also allows the support to be forcibly enabled.
Borrows the "better" algorithm from Electron, with attribution.
Spawns a quick `defaults` process since in .NET using the macOS events is difficult, but this is quick and easy.
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| @@ -533,6 +540,8 @@ public object ListPredictionTooltipColor | |||
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| public bool TerminateOrphanedConsoleApps { get; set; } | |||
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| public bool ScreenReader { get; set; } | |||
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The property name in PSConsoleReadLineOptions doesn't have to be the same as the parameter in the cmdlet SetPSReadLineOption. The former will be the one that is referenced a lot in the code base, so it would be better to make it more readable, such as UseScreenReader or ScreenReaderEnabled. The parameter name can be made -EnableScreenReadeMode or similar.
Should we use a different set of default key bindings when a Screen Reader is turned on? If so, then it may be better to add a new EditMode ScreenReaderMode, while defines its own set of default bindings.
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That algorithm doesn't work for a non-windowed app like PowerShell.
Because they'll be rendered and it's useless noise.
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A work-in-progress that utilizes a
SafeRenderabstraction that relies on checking the strings ofbufferandpreviousRenderto only re-render what's necessary when a screen reader is enabled. Predictions are disabled. Haven't tested Vi mode, Windows PowerShell 5.1, nor multi-line input. But visually wrapped lines and Windows and Emacs edit modes seem to be working as expected without any unnecessary re-rendering.Specifically tested with NVDA on Windows and VoiceOver on macOS within VS Code's integrated terminal, with shell integration loaded, and Code's screen reader optimizations enabled.
Is a start to resolving #2504.