From e75d0313303afb3ed130527f195856aff190671b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "Sean R. Abraham" <seanabraham@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 21:29:10 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] fix: let single-key shortcuts fire unless focus is in a text
 field

---
 web/typescript/ims.ts          | 31 ++++++++++++------------
 web/typescripttest/ims.test.ts | 43 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 59 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-)

diff --git a/web/typescript/ims.ts b/web/typescript/ims.ts
index 71f150bf..8c5433da 100644
--- a/web/typescript/ims.ts
+++ b/web/typescript/ims.ts
@@ -2033,8 +2033,16 @@ export function hideLoadingOverlay(): void {
     }
 }
 
-// Returns whether an input text-ish field is active. This is meant to talk about fields
-// for which keyboard a-z letters are used, such as text field and select fields.
+// Input types that don't take typed characters, so shortcuts can fire while
+// one is focused.
+const nonTextInputTypes = new Set<string>([
+    "button", "checkbox", "color", "file", "image", "radio", "range", "reset", "submit",
+]);
+
+// Returns whether single-key shortcuts should be ignored right now: because
+// they're switched off, a dialog is open, or focus is in a field that takes
+// typed characters (text inputs, textareas, selects, and contenteditables).
+// Anything else, like a link or button, lets them through.
 export function blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive(): boolean {
     // IMS's shortcuts are single characters with no modifier, which speech-input
     // users trigger by accident just by talking. WCAG 2.1.4 therefore requires
@@ -2045,22 +2053,15 @@ export function blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive(): boolean {
     if (isDialogOpen()) {
         return true;
     }
-    if (document.activeElement === document.body) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if (document.activeElement?.id === "main") {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if (document.activeElement instanceof HTMLInputElement) {
-        return document.activeElement.type !== "checkbox";
+    const active = document.activeElement;
+    if (active instanceof HTMLInputElement) {
+        return !nonTextInputTypes.has(active.type);
     }
-    if (document.activeElement instanceof HTMLButtonElement) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if (document.activeElement instanceof HTMLElement && document.activeElement.isContentEditable) {
+    // A select jumps to the option matching a typed letter.
+    if (active instanceof HTMLTextAreaElement || active instanceof HTMLSelectElement) {
         return true;
     }
-    return true;
+    return active instanceof HTMLElement && active.isContentEditable;
 }
 
 // The kinds of records the Go to… modal can jump to. Each kind numbers its
diff --git a/web/typescripttest/ims.test.ts b/web/typescripttest/ims.test.ts
index 0d89cae7..ef582704 100644
--- a/web/typescripttest/ims.test.ts
+++ b/web/typescripttest/ims.test.ts
@@ -420,6 +420,49 @@ test("blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive blocks everything when shortcuts are off"
     localStorage.clear();
 });
 
+test("blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive blocks only while typing into a field", (): void => {
+    localStorage.clear();
+    document.body.innerHTML = `
+        <a id="link" href="#">link</a>
+        <button id="button">button</button>
+        <input id="checkbox" type="checkbox">
+        <input id="text" type="text">
+        <input id="search" type="search">
+        <textarea id="textarea"></textarea>
+        <select id="select"><option>a</option></select>
+        <div id="editable" contenteditable="true" tabindex="0"></div>
+    `;
+    const focus = (id: string): void => {
+        document.getElementById(id)!.focus();
+    };
+
+    focus("link");
+    expect(ims.blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive()).toBe(false);
+
+    focus("button");
+    expect(ims.blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive()).toBe(false);
+
+    focus("checkbox");
+    expect(ims.blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive()).toBe(false);
+
+    focus("text");
+    expect(ims.blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive()).toBe(true);
+
+    focus("search");
+    expect(ims.blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive()).toBe(true);
+
+    focus("textarea");
+    expect(ims.blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive()).toBe(true);
+
+    focus("select");
+    expect(ims.blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive()).toBe(true);
+
+    focus("editable");
+    expect(ims.blockKeyboardShortcutFieldActive()).toBe(true);
+
+    document.body.innerHTML = "";
+});
+
 // This is the shape DataTables leaves behind: the table sits inside a
 // .dt-container, and the header the user sees is a *clone* in a separate table
 // (.dt-scroll-head), while the real table's own header is hidden. Sort controls