PSReadLine accessibility announcements vary between PowerShell 5.1 and 7.x in Windows Terminal
0 reputation · 21 Feb 2024, 11:33 UTC
Goal: Consistent screen‑reader support across PowerShell hosts
The PSReadLine module powers inline editing, history search, and multiline paste in the PowerShell console. Screen readers rely on the host (conhost.exe or Windows Terminal) to surface UI Automation events, yet there is no documented contract that PSReadLine will announce cursor movement, text replacement, or suggestion text. This uncertainty affects users who depend on Narrator, NVDA, or VoiceOver to interact with PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7.x.
Unresolved behavior
When switching from the legacy console host to Windows Terminal, or from PowerShell 5.1 to 7.x, the consistency of screen‑reader announcements changes. The default PSReadLine version and its key‑binding defaults differ between editions, but it is unclear whether these differences influence the UI Automation surface exposed to screen readers.
Key questions for the community and maintainers:
- Does PSReadLine expose cursor movement and inline text changes to UI Automation in Windows Terminal for PowerShell 7.x?
- Is there a planned stable contract for screen‑reader announcements in upcoming PSReadLine releases?
- What configuration changes (e.g., Set-PSReadLineOption -EditMode Windows) can guarantee consistent announcements across PowerShell versions and hosts?
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