MSAA Roles

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Introduction

The table below shows how MSAA roles are mapped to Gecko roles. There are MSAA roles mapped to several Gecko roles due to MSAA restrictions. You should use IAccessible2 to avoid this (see IAccessible2 roles).

Role List

Role Description Gecko Role
ROLE_SYSTEM_ALERT The object represents an alert or a condition that a user should be notified about. This role is used only for objects that embody an alert but are not associated with another user interface element such as a message box, graphic, text, or sound. ROLE_ALERT
ROLE_SYSTEM_ANIMATION The object represents an animation control, which contains content that changes over time, such as a control that displays a series of bitmap frames. Animation controls are displayed when files are copied, or when some other time-consuming task is performed. ROLE_ANIMATION
ROLE_SYSTEM_APPLICATION The object represents a main window for an application. ROLE_CHROME_WINDOW, ROLE_APP_ROOT, ROLE_APPLICATION
ROLE_SYSTEM_BORDER The object represents a window border. The entire border is represented by a single object rather than by separate objects for each side. ROLE_BORDER
ROLE_SYSTEM_BUTTONDROPDOWN The object represents a button that drops down a list of items. ROLE_BUTTONDROPDOWN
ROLE_SYSTEM_BUTTONDROPDOWNGRID The object represents a button that drops down a grid. ROLE_BUTTONDROPDOWNGRID
ROLE_SYSTEM_BUTTONMENU The object represents a button that drops down a menu. ROLE_BUTTONMENU
ROLE_SYSTEM_CARET The object represents the system caret. ROLE_CARET
ROLE_SYSTEM_CELL The object represents a cell within a table. ROLE_CELL
ROLE_SYSTEM_CHARACTER The object represents a cartoon-like graphic object, such as Microsoft Office Assistant, which is displayed to provide help to users of an application. ROLE_CHARACTER
ROLE_SYSTEM_CHART The object represents a graphical image used to represent data. ROLE_CHART
ROLE_SYSTEM_CHECKBUTTON The object represents a check box control, an option that is turned on or off independently of other options. ROLE_CHECKBUTTON
ROLE_SYSTEM_CLIENT The object represents a window's client area. Active Accessibility uses this role as a default if there is a question about the role of a UI element. ROLE_CALENDAR
ROLE_SYSTEM_CLOCK The object represents a control that displays time. ROLE_CLOCK
ROLE_SYSTEM_COLUMN The object represents a column of cells within a table. ROLE_COLUMN
ROLE_SYSTEM_COLUMNHEADER The object represents a column header, providing a visual label for a column in a table. ROLE_TABLE_COLUMN_HEADER, ROLE_COLUMNHEADER
ROLE_SYSTEM_COMBOBOX The object represents a combo box; an edit control with an associated list box that provides a set of predefined choices. ROLE_COMBOBOX, ROLE_AUTOCOMPLETE
ROLE_SYSTEM_CURSOR The object represents the system mouse pointer. ROLE_CURSOR
ROLE_SYSTEM_DIAGRAM The object represents a graphical image used to diagram data. ROLE_DIAGRAM
ROLE_SYSTEM_DIAL The object represents a dial or knob. ROLE_DIAL
ROLE_SYSTEM_DIALOG The object represents a dialog box or message box. ROLE_DIALOG, ROLE_COLOR_CHOOSER
ROLE_SYSTEM_DOCUMENT The object represents a document window. A document window is always contained within an application window. This role applies only to multiple-document interface (MDI) windows and refers to the object that contains the MDI title bar. ROLE_DOCUMENT
ROLE_SYSTEM_DROPLIST The object represents the calendar control, SysDateTimePick32. Oleacc uses this role to indicate that Active Accessibility has found either a date or a calendar control. ROLE_DROPLIST
ROLE_SYSTEM_EQUATION The object represents a mathematical equation. ROLE_EQUATION
ROLE_SYSTEM_GRAPHIC The object represents a picture. ROLE_IMAGE_MAP, ROLE_GRAPHIC
ROLE_SYSTEM_GRIP The object represents a special mouse pointer, which allows a user to manipulate user interface elements such as windows. For example, a user clicks and drags a sizing grip in the lower-right corner of a window to resize it. ROLE_GRIP
ROLE_SYSTEM_GROUPING The object logically groups other objects. There is not always a parent-child relationship between the grouping object and the objects it contains. ROLE_PANE, ROLE_GROUPING
ROLE_SYSTEM_HELPBALLOON The object displays a Help topic in the form of a ToolTip or Help balloon. ROLE_HELPBALLOON
ROLE_SYSTEM_HOTKEYFIELD The object represents a hot-key field that allows the user to enter a combination or sequence of keystrokes. ROLE_HOTKEYFIELD
ROLE_SYSTEM_INDICATOR The object represents an indicator, such as a pointer graphic, that points to the current item. ROLE_ARROW, ROLE_INDICATOR
ROLE_SYSTEM_IPADDRESS The object represents an edit control designed for an Internet Protocol (IP) address. The edit control is divided into sections for the different parts of the IP address. ROLE_IPADDRESS
ROLE_SYSTEM_LINK The object represents a link to something else. This object might look like text or a graphic, but it acts like a button. ROLE_LINK
ROLE_SYSTEM_LIST The object represents a list box, allowing the user to select one or more items. ROLE_LIST, ROLE_COMBOBOX_LIST, ROLE_LISTBOX
ROLE_SYSTEM_LISTITEM The object represents an item in a list box or the list portion of a combo box, drop-down list box, or drop-down combo box. ROLE_LISTITEM, ROLE_COMBOBOX_OPTION, ROLE_OPTION, ROLE_RICH_OPTION
ROLE_SYSTEM_MENUBAR The object represents the menu bar (positioned beneath the title bar of a window) from which menus are selected by the user. ROLE_MENUBAR
ROLE_SYSTEM_MENUITEM The object represents a menu item, which is an entry in a menu that a user can choose to carry out a command, select an option, or display another menu. Functionally, a menu item is equivalent to a push button, radio button, check box, or menu. ROLE_MENUITEM, ROLE_CHECK_MENU_ITEM, ROLE_RADIO_MENU_ITEM, ROLE_TEAR_OFF_MENU_ITEM, ROLE_PARENT_MENUITEM
ROLE_SYSTEM_MENUPOPUP The object represents a menu, which presents a list of options from which the user can make a selection to perform an action. All menu types must have this role, including drop-down menus that are displayed by selecting from a menu bar, and shortcut menus that are displayed by clicking the right mouse button. ROLE_POPUP_MENU, ROLE_MENUPOPUP
ROLE_SYSTEM_OUTLINE The object represents an outline or tree structure, such as a tree view control, that displays a hierarchical list and allows the user to expand and collapse branches. ROLE_TREE_TABLE, ROLE_OUTLINE
ROLE_SYSTEM_OUTLINEBUTTON The object represents items that navigate like an outline item. You can use the up and down arrows to move through the outline. However, instead of expanding and collapsing the menus by using left and right arrow keys, these menus expand or collapse when the space bar or enter key is pressed and the item has focus. no
ROLE_SYSTEM_OUTLINEITEM The object represents an item in an outline or tree structure. ROLE_OUTLINEITEM
ROLE_SYSTEM_PAGETAB The object represents a page tab. The only child of a page tab control is a ROLE_SYSTEM_GROUPING object that contains the contents of the associated page. ROLE_PAGETAB
ROLE_SYSTEM_PAGETABLIST The object represents a container of page tab controls. ROLE_PAGETABLIST
ROLE_SYSTEM_PANE The object represents a pane within a frame or document window. Users can navigate between panes and within the contents of the current pane, but cannot navigate between items in different panes. Thus, panes represent a level of grouping lower than frame windows or documents, but above individual controls. The user navigates between panes by pressing TAB, F6, or CTRL+TAB, depending on the context. ROLE_VIEWPORT
ROLE_SYSTEM_PROGRESSBAR The object represents a progress bar, dynamically showing the user the percent complete of an operation in progress. This control takes no user input. ROLE_PROGRESSBAR
ROLE_SYSTEM_PROPERTYPAGE The object represents a property sheet. ROLE_PROPERTYPAGE
ROLE_SYSTEM_PUSHBUTTON The object represents a push button control. ROLE_PUSHBUTTON, ROLE_ICON, ROLE_TOGGLE_BUTTON
ROLE_SYSTEM_RADIOBUTTON The object represents an option button, also called a radio button. It is one of a group of mutually exclusive options. All objects sharing a single parent that have this attribute are assumed to be part of single mutually exclusive group. Use ROLE_SYSTEM_GROUPING objects to divide them into separate groups. ROLE_RADIOBUTTON
ROLE_SYSTEM_ROW The object represents a row of cells within a table. ROLE_ROW
ROLE_SYSTEM_ROWHEADER The object represents a row header, which provides a visual label for a table row. ROLE_TABLE_ROW_HEADER, ROLE_ROWHEADER
ROLE_SYSTEM_SCROLLBAR The object represents a vertical or horizontal scroll bar, which is part of the client area or used in a control. ROLE_SCROLLBAR
ROLE_SYSTEM_SEPARATOR The object is used to visually divide a space into two regions, such as a separator menu item or a bar that divides split panes within a window. ROLE_SEPARATOR
ROLE_SYSTEM_SLIDER The object represents a slider, which allows the user to adjust a setting in given increments between minimum and maximum values. ROLE_COLUMN
ROLE_SYSTEM_SOUND The object represents a system sound, which is associated with various system events. ROLE_SLIDER
ROLE_SYSTEM_SPINBUTTON The object represents a spin box, which is a control that allows the user to increment or decrement the value displayed in a separate "buddy" control associated with the spin box. ROLE_SPINBUTTON
ROLE_SYSTEM_SPLITBUTTON The role represents a button on a toolbar that has a drop-down list icon directly adjacent to the button. ROLE_COLUMN
ROLE_SYSTEM_STATICTEXT The object represents read-only text, such as labels for other controls or instructions in a dialog box. Static text cannot be modified or selected. ROLE_ACCEL_LABEL, ROLE_LABEL, ROLE_STATICTEXT
ROLE_SYSTEM_STATUSBAR The object represents a status bar, which is an area at the bottom of a window that displays information about the current operation, state of the application, or selected object. The status bar has multiple fields, which display different kinds of information. ROLE_STATUSBAR
ROLE_SYSTEM_TABLE The object represents a table that contains rows and columns of cells, and optionally, row headers and column headers. ROLE_TABLE
ROLE_SYSTEM_TEXT The object represents selectable text that allows edits or is designated read-only. ROLE_TEXT_LEAF, ROLE_PASSWORD_TEXT, ROLE_EDITBAR, ROLE_ENTRY
ROLE_SYSTEM_TITLEBAR The object represents a title or caption bar for a window. ROLE_TITLEBAR
ROLE_SYSTEM_TOOLBAR The object represents a toolbar, which is a grouping of controls that provides easy access to frequently used features. ROLE_TOOLBAR
ROLE_SYSTEM_TOOLTIP The object represents a ToolTip that provides helpful hints. ROLE_TOOLTIP
ROLE_SYSTEM_WHITESPACE The object represents blank space between other objects. ROLE_WHITESPACE
ROLE_SYSTEM_WINDOW The object represents the window frame, which contains child objects such as a title bar, client, and other objects contained in a window. ROLE_WINDOW

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