Baseline test criteria for Windows 8 touchpads

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To ensure high quality and consistency among devices, it is important to confirm that your touchpad’s features and functionality conform to the specified Windows 8 design recommendations. This topic summarizes the baseline test criteria.

This information applies to the following operating system:

  • Windows 8

Functional recommendation summary

  • All Windows 8 touchpads that meet the minimum size recommendations (90mm (w) x 55mm (h)) should support two-finger pinch gesture for zoom.
  • All Windows 8 touchpads should support standard mouse functionality with integrated primary and secondary buttons. The primary button click can be simulated by a tap gesture on the touchpad screen.
  • All Windows 8 touchpads should support the two-finger slide gesture to simulate both the vertical and horizontal scroll wheels. The scroll wheel simulation should meet the design criteria as specified in Two-finger slide and pinch gestures for high-resolution mouse wheel and High-resolution mouse wheel.
  • All Windows 8 touchpads should support the two-finger pinch gesture to simulate the vertical mouse wheel with the Ctrl key held down. The scroll wheel simulation should meet the design criteria as specified in Two-finger slide and pinch gestures for high-resolution mouse wheel and High-resolution mouse wheel.
  • A Windows 8 touchpad should not assign alternative gestures to engage other Windows shortcut keys.

Baseline test criteria

The following table lists the minimum test criteria for the baseline design recommendations. For better quality, incorporate the additional details that are described in this topic set.

Scenario Expected results
(Basic mouse functionality) Move mouse pointer using touchpad The mouse pointer should move across the desktop without interference by accidental or unintended touchpad gestures.
(Basic mouse functionality) Tap anywhere on the touchpad to click the desktop The primary button click should happen where the mouse cursor was just before the tap gesture
(Basic mouse functionality) Click on the primary or secondary (physical) button on the touchpad A click action for the primary button. A context menu (desktop), selection of tile (Start screen), or app commands (Windows apps) for a secondary button click.
Two-finger slide gesture (horizontal direction) on the touchpad while the system focus is on Windows 8 Start screen The Windows 8 Start screen should scroll in the direction of the fingers that are traveling on the touchpad surface. No animation gaps should occur as the finger slides across the touchpad.
Two-finger flick gesture (horizontal direction) on the touchpad while the system focus is on the Windows 8 Start screen The Windows 8 Start screen should scroll horizontally with inertia. No animation gaps should occur as the finger slides across the touchpad or transitions to the inertia phase.
Two-finger slide gesture (vertical direction) on the touchpad while the system focus is on the Windows Internet Explorer content (such as www.msn.com) The browser content should scroll vertically in the direction of the finger traveling on the touchpad surface. No animation gaps should occur as the finger slides across the touchpad.
Two-finger flick gesture (vertical direction) on the touchpad while the system focus is on the Internet Explorer content (such as www.msn.com) The browser content should scroll vertically with inertia. No animation gaps should occur as the finger slides across the touchpad or transitions to the inertia phase.
(For touchpads larger than 90mm x 55mm) Two-finger pinch gesture on the touchpad while the system focus is on the Windows 8 Start screen The Start screen should zoom in or out corresponding to the pinch gesture.

 

Design recommendations for Windows 8 touchpads

 

 

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