[Range] What should clicking on the track do when multiple handles are available?

[brechtDR]

The current way to navigate the multi-handle range sliders is:

• Drag the thumbs
• Use tabs and arrows to move thumb around

The problem with this is that we only have drag and keyboard navigation, and no way to move the thumb with just a single pointer.

What should happen when clicking on the track?

• nothing
• first clicking on the thumb, then on the track moves the thumb in that position
  • A currently focused thumb moves to that position; otherwise, nothing happens
  • A currently focused thumb moves to that position; if none is focused the first thumb in the DOM moves to the position (if possible)
  • A currently focused thumb moves to that position; if none is focused the last thumb in the DOM moves to the position (if possible)
  • A currently focused thumb moves to that position; if none is focused the closest thumb moves to the position (Seems very difficult, but thought i'd give that option to be complete)
• Other suggestions welcome.

[sorvell]

Other suggestions welcome.

The closest thumb should snap to the position clicked.

[smhigley]

I might add another suggestion (all of these are one suggestion, not separate):

• if clicking outside the selected range to the left of the first thumb, the first thumb snaps
• if clicking outside the selected range to the right of the second thumb, the second thumb snaps
• clicking within the selected range does nothing

doesn't fully address the single-pointer-without-dragging case, but I think having the closest thumb snap when clicking inside the selected range is too finicky and hard to control from a user perspective 😅

[sorvell]

Input type range snaps to the tapped position. Matching that seems valuable to satisfy user expectations.

The angular version seems to always snap to the closest thumb, see https://material.angular.dev/components/slider/overview#slider-range.

[lukewarlow]

On touch particularly that material one actually feels a bit annoying to use when clicking on the track. Perhaps if the pointer is coarse it shouldn't do it?

[gfellerph]

I might add another suggestion (all of these are one suggestion, not separate):

• if clicking outside the selected range to the left of the first thumb, the first thumb snaps
• if clicking outside the selected range to the right of the second thumb, the second thumb snaps
• clicking within the selected range does nothing

doesn't fully address the single-pointer-without-dragging case, but I think having the closest thumb snap when clicking inside the selected range is too finicky and hard to control from a user perspective 😅

This would have the benefit of a visual distinction of active and inactive track areas since range slider segments would not be interactive and the "empty" range track would be interactive - if users decide to style the segments though.

[brechtDR]

This is all valuable feedback. I'll play around with this in a prototype. I'll leave it on the agenda, but I might update the explainer for now. I can always still change it afterwards. I'd like to get at least some default in there before requesting more community feedback.