Spatial navigation
Encyclopedia
In computing
, spatial navigation is the ability to navigate between focusable elements, such as hyperlink
s and form controls, within a structured document or user interface
according to the spatial location.
This method is widely used in application software
like computer games.
In the past Web browsers have used tabbing navigation
to change the focus within an interface, by pressing the tab key
of a computer keyboard
to focus on the next element (or Shift + Tab to focus on the previous one). The order is based on that in the source document. For HTML without any style, this method usually works as the spatial location of the element is in the same order of the source document. However, with the introduction of style via presentational attributes or stylesheet
s such as CSS
, this type of navigation is being used less often. Spatial navigation uses the arrow keys
(with one or more modifier key
held) to navigate on the "2D plane" of the interface. For example, pressing the "up" arrow key will focus on the closest focusable element on the top (relative to the current element). In many cases, this could save a lots of key presses.
This accessibility feature is available in a number of applications, e.g. Opera's web browser
. For Opera users, this allows a faster way to "jump" to different areas in long web pages or articles without manually scrolling and scanning with their eyes. Some examples, as noted above, include the Tab key to jump to the next input field, but also Shift + arrow keys (up, down, right, left) to jump to various links and text headers.
Doug Turner (Mozilla)
, the Minimo
lead developer, has created a couple of special Mozilla Firefox
builds with this feature. Eventually, this may build as a default part of Firefox.
Nightly builds of WebKit
(the layout engine
used by Apple Safari
and Google Chrome
, among others) now have support for spatial navigation.
In games such navigation is represented by (for example) camera-relative movement.
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
, spatial navigation is the ability to navigate between focusable elements, such as hyperlink
Hyperlink
In computing, a hyperlink is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text with hyperlinks...
s and form controls, within a structured document or user interface
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
according to the spatial location.
This method is widely used in application software
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
like computer games.
In the past Web browsers have used tabbing navigation
Tabbing navigation
Tabbing navigation should not be confused with tabbed document interfaceIn computing, tabbing navigation is the ability to navigate between focusable elements within a structured document or user interface with the tab key of a computer keyboard...
to change the focus within an interface, by pressing the tab key
Tab key
Tab key on a keyboard is used to advance the cursor to the next tab stop.- Origin :The word tab derives from the word tabulate, which means "to arrange data in a tabular, or table, form"...
of a computer keyboard
Computer keyboard
In computing, a keyboard is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches...
to focus on the next element (or Shift + Tab to focus on the previous one). The order is based on that in the source document. For HTML without any style, this method usually works as the spatial location of the element is in the same order of the source document. However, with the introduction of style via presentational attributes or stylesheet
Stylesheet language
A style sheet language, or style language, is a computer language that expresses the presentation of structured documents. One attractive feature of structured documents is that the content can be reused in many contexts and presented in various ways...
s such as CSS
Cascading Style Sheets
Cascading Style Sheets is a style sheet language used to describe the presentation semantics of a document written in a markup language...
, this type of navigation is being used less often. Spatial navigation uses the arrow keys
Arrow keys
Cursor movement keys or arrow keys are buttons on a computer keyboard that are either programmed or designated to move the cursor in a specified direction....
(with one or more modifier key
Modifier key
In computing, a modifier key is a special key on a computer keyboard that modifies the normal action of another key when the two are pressed in combination....
held) to navigate on the "2D plane" of the interface. For example, pressing the "up" arrow key will focus on the closest focusable element on the top (relative to the current element). In many cases, this could save a lots of key presses.
This accessibility feature is available in a number of applications, e.g. Opera's web browser
Opera (web browser)
Opera is a web browser and Internet suite developed by Opera Software with over 200 million users worldwide. The browser handles common Internet-related tasks such as displaying web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, chatting on IRC, downloading files via BitTorrent,...
. For Opera users, this allows a faster way to "jump" to different areas in long web pages or articles without manually scrolling and scanning with their eyes. Some examples, as noted above, include the Tab key to jump to the next input field, but also Shift + arrow keys (up, down, right, left) to jump to various links and text headers.
Doug Turner (Mozilla)
Doug Turner (Mozilla)
Doug Turner is an employee of the Mozilla Corporation and long-time contributor to Mozilla. The Mozilla Foundation hired Turner in December 2004 to work full time on mobile projects such as Minimo and Mozilla Joey. He was the Foundation's 12th hire...
, the Minimo
Minimo
Minimo was a project to create a version of the Mozilla web browser for small devices like PDAs and mobile phones.The project aimed to make it easier for developers to embed parts of Mozilla into systems with limited system resources...
lead developer, has created a couple of special Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
builds with this feature. Eventually, this may build as a default part of Firefox.
Nightly builds of WebKit
WebKit
WebKit is a layout engine designed to allow web browsers to render web pages. WebKit powers Google Chrome and Apple Safari and by October 2011 held over 33% of the browser market share between them. It is also used as the basis for the experimental browser included with the Amazon Kindle ebook...
(the layout engine
Layout engine
A web browser engine, , is a software component that takes marked up content and formatting information and displays the formatted content on the screen. It "paints" on the content area of a window, which is displayed on a monitor or a printer...
used by Apple Safari
Safari (web browser)
Safari is a web browser developed by Apple Inc. and included with the Mac OS X and iOS operating systems. First released as a public beta on January 7, 2003 on the company's Mac OS X operating system, it became Apple's default browser beginning with Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther". Safari is also the...
and Google Chrome
Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a web browser developed by Google that uses the WebKit layout engine. It was first released as a beta version for Microsoft Windows on September 2, 2008, and the public stable release was on December 11, 2008. The name is derived from the graphical user interface frame, or...
, among others) now have support for spatial navigation.
In games such navigation is represented by (for example) camera-relative movement.
See also
- Keyboard navigation
- Access key
- Tabbing navigationTabbing navigationTabbing navigation should not be confused with tabbed document interfaceIn computing, tabbing navigation is the ability to navigate between focusable elements within a structured document or user interface with the tab key of a computer keyboard...
- Caret navigationCaret navigationIn computing, caret navigation is a kind of keyboard navigation where a caret is used to navigate within a text document...
- Spatial file managerSpatial file managerIn computing, a spatial file manager is a file manager that uses a spatial metaphor to represent files and folders as if they are real physical objects.-Concepts:The base requirements of a spatial file manager are:...