# Input Meter

![Strength meter for a password input](/files/-LXQcDm-9OJOepDl9ytw)

### Introduction

An input meter gauges user input according to a set of pre-defined levels. For example, a password strength meter may indicate "weak", "medium", "strong", etc. Another type of input meter is a character count,  which indicates how many characters have been used and/or are remaining.

### Working Examples

Experience the pattern in action on our companion [eBay MIND Patterns examples website](http://ebay.github.io/mindpatterns/messaging/input-meter/).

### Terminology

**Input Meter:** the pattern as a whole, consisting of the following parts.

**Input**: the interactive textbox element

**Meter**: the non-interactive meter element

### Best Practices

The meter **must not** use colour alone to convey meaning.

Each threshold or boundary that is conveyed via colour must also have that same meaning conveyed in visible text (for example, green =  "good", red = "not good"). 

### Interaction Design

This section provides interaction design for keyboard, screen reader & pointing devices.

#### Keyboard

The meter itself is a non-interactive element, therefore should **not** gain keyboard focus.

The input should be focusable and adhere to usual *textbox* interaction design.

#### Screen Reader

The input should be reachable via screen reader and adhere to usual *textbox* interaction design.

The screen reader should convey any changes to the meter.

When the non-interactive meter element gains virtual cursor focus, the screen reader should it announce its role, value and any state(s).

#### Pointer

The input should be clickable and focusable like any regular textbox.

The meter itself is a non-interactive element, therefore should **not** be clickable or tappable.

### Developer Guide

This section is not yet available.


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