Link with nested role text results in error 'Links do not have a discernible name'

[greenc05]

When a link has a nested element with role="text" (added to stop 'text splitting' in VoiceOver iOS https://axesslab.com/text-splitting/) such as:

<a href="myurl.com">
    <span role="text">
        <span class="VisuallyHiddenText">Audio, </span>
        <span>Today's headlines</span>
        <span class="VisuallyHiddenText">, 1 minute 3 seconds</span>
    </span>
</a>

This causes the following error when running an audit in Lighthouse Accessibility 'Links do not have a discernible name'.

This error should not occur as the link does have a discernible name with the presence of role="text". See related issue: #9075

[patrickhulce]

Is this actually different from #9075?

From my limited understanding it seems like it's the same root axe issue dequelabs/axe-core#1597

[greenc05]

It would certainly seem to be related, whether it's the same issue I guess axe can only answer that? I wasn't sure as it gives a different error. I've just asked in dequelabs/axe-core#1597

[greenc05]

@patrickhulce how to I find out what version of axe Lighthouse is using? dequelabs/axe-core#1597 (comment)

[greenc05]

So interestingly I just ran a Lighthouse (Lighthouse 4.3.1) audit using the 'Audit' tab in the Chrome browser (Version 75.0.3770.100 Official Build 64-bit) and it gives the error 'Links do not have a discernible name' however when I run an 'Audit' using the Lighthouse browser extension (Lighthouse 5.1.0) I do not get that error.

I presume Lighthouse 4.3.1 is using a different version of axe to Lighthouse 5.1.0?

How do I ensure I'm using the latest version of Lighthouse in the web inspector 'Audit' tab? Which I believe is the recommended way to run this tool?

[patrickhulce]

The version of Lighthouse in Audits panel of stable Chrome runs a bit behind because of Chrome's release process. To use latest, you can use the CLI (npm install -g lighthouse), extension, or Chrome Canary.

Not a particularly easy way to tell what version of axe we're using outside of the source. It's on 3.2.2 currently and in 5.1.0.

lighthouse/package.json

Line 140 in 4c658d2

"axe-core": "3.2.2",

[patrickhulce]

Looks like we need to update to 3.3.0 then!

[patrickhulce]

Do you have a repro URL for this page @greenc05?

[greenc05]

Thanks @patrickhulce Do I have a repro URL for which page?

[patrickhulce]

Nevermind I created one with the repro, just curious if the page with the example code you provided was in the wild somewhere :)

[greenc05]

It will be live on Monday! Can send it then if useful.