Screenreader WPF Groupstyles

Question

I am trying to set the AutomationProperties.Name property for controls in a GroupStyle control template and it seems to produce nothing. I have it set on the Expander in my template but it says nothing even when I just put in some text without binding. I also tried putting a setter on the GroupItem and that also didn't work. I'm at a bit of a loss. I was hoping the property on the group item would solve it.

XAML:

<Window xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        x:Class="WpfApplication8.MainWindow"
        x:Name="win"
        Title="MainWindow"
        Width="640"
        Height="480">

  <Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot">
    <ListBox x:Name="lstbx"
             Margin="71,45,99,78"
             ItemsSource="{Binding ElementName=win,
                                       Path=Samples}">
      <ListBox.GroupStyle>
        <GroupStyle>
          <GroupStyle.ContainerStyle>
            <Style TargetType="{x:Type GroupItem}">
              <Setter Property="AutomationProperties.Name"
                      Value="this is a test" />
              <Setter Property="KeyboardNavigation.TabNavigation"
                      Value="Cycle" />
              <Setter Property="Template">
                <Setter.Value>
                  <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type GroupItem}">
                    <Expander Name="templateLstBxExpander"
                              AutomationProperties.Name="test test test"
                              IsExpanded="True">

                      <Expander.Header>
                        <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
                          <Label Name="templateLstBxExpanderHeader"
                                 Content="{Binding Path=Name}"
                                 FontWeight="Bold" />
                        </StackPanel>
                      </Expander.Header>
                      <ItemsPresenter />
                    </Expander>
                  </ControlTemplate>
                </Setter.Value>
              </Setter>
            </Style>
          </GroupStyle.ContainerStyle>
        </GroupStyle>
      </ListBox.GroupStyle>
    </ListBox>
  </Grid>
</Window>

XAML.cs:

using System;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Data;
using System.Windows.Documents;
using System.Windows.Input;
using System.Windows.Media;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;
using System.Windows.Shapes;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
namespace WpfApplication8
{
/// <summary>
/// Interaction logic for MainWindow.xaml
/// </summary>
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
    public static readonly DependencyProperty sampleProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
        "Samples", typeof(ObservableCollection<sample>), typeof(MainWindow), new PropertyMetadata(new ObservableCollection<sample>()));

    public ObservableCollection<sample> Samples
    {
        get
        {
            return (ObservableCollection<sample>)this.GetValue(sampleProperty);
        }

        set
        {
            this.SetValue(sampleProperty, value);
        }
    }      

    public MainWindow()
    {
        this.InitializeComponent();

         CollectionView view = (CollectionView)CollectionViewSource.GetDefaultView(lstbx.ItemsSource);
        PropertyGroupDescription groupDescription = new PropertyGroupDescription("Location");
        view.GroupDescriptions.Add(groupDescription);      
        sample test = new sample();
        test.Location = "one";
        test.Name = "blah blah";
        Samples.Add(test);
        sample test2 = new sample();
        test2.Location = "two";
        test2.Name = "ya ya";
        Samples.Add(test2);

    }
}
}

sample.cs:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Data;
using System.Windows.Documents;
using System.Windows.Input;
using System.Windows.Media;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;
using System.Windows.Shapes;

namespace WpfApplication8
{
public class sample
{


    public string Name { set; get; }
    public string Location{ set; get; }

}

Answer 1

The problem is really about how the screenreader is supposed to reach the value. Groupitems are accessible from cursor via MSAA, but not via UIA. UIA is the primary API to use for accessibility in WPF.

The core problem with UIA and WPF, is when trying to read controls which are found by cursor (other ways are focus and caret), usually returns the main window instead.

As a developer of a screenreader myself, the best way to deal with this is to use both MSAA and UIA. If UIA returns nothing of value, fall back to using MSAA.