Files
emacs-doom/patches/0006-doc-add-VoiceOver-accessibility-section-to-macOS-app.patch
Daneel 3d2fa7a54e patches: fix O(overlays) performance regression
Performance issue: editing large files (>~10KB, >2000 lines) caused
progressive slowdown regardless of VoiceOver status.

Root causes:
1. ns_zoom_find_overlay_candidate_line: called Foverlays_in on the
   entire visible buffer range on every redisplay when UAZoomEnabled().
   In files with many overlays (font-lock, hl-line, show-paren etc.)
   this was O(overlays) Lisp work per keystroke.

2. postAccessibilityNotificationsForFrame: when ns-accessibility-enabled
   is non-nil, checked BUF_OVERLAY_MODIFF every redisplay. font-lock
   bumps this on every redraw, triggering ns_ax_selected_overlay_text
   (another O(overlays) scan) for non-minibuffer windows.

Fix: Both scans now guard with MINI_WINDOW_P check. Overlay completion
frameworks (Vertico, Icomplete, Ivy) only display candidates in
minibuffer windows --- no completion framework puts selected-face
overlays in normal editing buffers. For non-minibuffer windows both
functions return immediately with zero Lisp calls.

Additionally: ns_zoom_find_child_frame_candidate is skipped when
f->child_frame_list is nil (no child frames = no Corfu popup).
2026-03-01 04:26:12 +01:00

109 lines
4.0 KiB
Diff

From 58616020bbd9e088428e7fd76cc28c19c60cbe05 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Martin Sukany <martin@sukany.cz>
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2026 12:58:11 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 7/9] doc: add VoiceOver accessibility section to macOS
appendix
* doc/emacs/macos.texi (VoiceOver Accessibility): New node. Document
screen reader usage, keyboard navigation, completion announcements,
---
doc/emacs/macos.texi | 75 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 75 insertions(+)
diff --git a/doc/emacs/macos.texi b/doc/emacs/macos.texi
index 6bd334f..4825cf9 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/macos.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/macos.texi
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Support}), but we hope to improve it in the future.
* Mac / GNUstep Basics:: Basic Emacs usage under GNUstep or macOS.
* Mac / GNUstep Customization:: Customizations under GNUstep or macOS.
* Mac / GNUstep Events:: How window system events are handled.
+* VoiceOver Accessibility:: Screen reader support on macOS.
* GNUstep Support:: Details on status of GNUstep support.
@end menu
@@ -272,6 +273,80 @@ and return the result as a string. You can also use the Lisp function
services and receive the results back. Note that you may need to
restart Emacs to access newly-available services.
+@node VoiceOver Accessibility
+@section VoiceOver Accessibility (macOS)
+@cindex VoiceOver
+@cindex accessibility (macOS)
+@cindex screen reader (macOS)
+@cindex Zoom, cursor tracking (macOS)
+
+ When built with the Cocoa interface on macOS, Emacs exposes buffer
+content, cursor position, mode lines, and interactive elements to the
+macOS accessibility subsystem. This enables use with VoiceOver,
+Apple's built-in screen reader, and with other assistive technology
+such as macOS Zoom.
+
+ Toggle VoiceOver with @kbd{Cmd-F5} (or via System Settings,
+Accessibility, VoiceOver). When Emacs is focused, VoiceOver announces
+the buffer name and current line. Standard Emacs navigation produces
+speech feedback:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+Arrow keys read individual characters (left/right) or full lines
+(up/down).
+@item
+@kbd{M-f} and @kbd{M-b} announce words.
+@item
+@kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} read the destination line.
+@item
+Shift-modified movement announces selected or deselected text.
+@item
+@key{TAB} and @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} navigate interactive elements
+(buttons, links, completion candidates) within a buffer.
+@end itemize
+
+ The @file{*Completions*} buffer announces each completion candidate
+as you navigate, even while keyboard focus remains in the minibuffer.
+
+ macOS Zoom (System Settings, Accessibility, Zoom) tracks the Emacs
+cursor automatically when set to follow keyboard focus. The cursor
+position is communicated via @code{UAZoomChangeFocus} and the
+@code{AXBoundsForRange} accessibility attribute.
+
+@vindex ns-accessibility-enabled
+ To disable the accessibility interface entirely (for instance, to
+eliminate overhead on systems where assistive technology is not in
+use), set @code{ns-accessibility-enabled} to @code{nil}. The default
+is @code{t}.
+
+@subheading Known Limitations
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+Very large buffers (tens of megabytes) may cause slow initial
+accessibility text extraction. Once cached, subsequent queries
+are fast.
+@item
+Mode-line text extraction handles only character glyphs. Mode lines
+using icon fonts (e.g., @code{doom-modeline} with nerd-font icons)
+produce incomplete accessibility text.
+@item
+The accessibility virtual element tree is rebuilt automatically on
+window configuration changes (splits, deletions, new buffers).
+@item
+Right-to-left (bidi) text is exposed correctly as buffer content,
+but @code{accessibilityRangeForPosition} hit-testing assumes
+left-to-right glyph layout.
+@end itemize
+
+ This support is available only on the Cocoa build; GNUstep has a
+different accessibility model and is not yet supported
+(@pxref{GNUstep Support}). Evil-mode block cursors are handled
+correctly: character navigation announces the character at the cursor
+position, not the character before it.
+
+
@node GNUstep Support
@section GNUstep Support
--
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