[Android] Red dots in Live Preview

Mobile
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#1

The issue happens on mobile in Live Preview. When I am editing notes on my mobile, sometimes red dots start to appear. In some case it is freezing obsidian, in some cases parts of my notes were removed or even entire notes were cleared (but was able to recover them luckily). It took me a while to actually reproduce the issue.

Steps to reproduce

Open a file that contains the following:

# New Note 
- Tags:: 
- Created:: 2022-03-29
- Modified:: 2022-03-29
- Type:: <font class="type-1"></font>
- Rating:: <font class="rating-3"></font>
## Abstract
Text goes here...

Tap on the html part next to Type::

Expected result

html text appears, ready to edit

Actual result

Instead the file gets filled with red dots, which looks like this:
image

With every tap, more red dots appear.

The markdown source becomes like this:

# New Note

ļæ¼ļæ¼New Note
 Tags:: 
 Created:: 2022-03-29
 Modified:: 2022-03-29
 Type:: <font class="type-1"></font>
 Rating:: ļæ¼ļæ¼
ļæ¼ļæ¼Abstract
Text goes here...

Environment

  • Operating system: Android
  • Debug info:
    Using default theme and safe mode.

Additional information

On windows I donā€™t have this issue, and on mobile it only happens in Live Preview.

Obsidian Sync on phone creates white and red dots
#2

Platform

[ ] iOS
[x] Android

Obsidian Mobile version: v1.1.1

When I was trying to edit a file, these dots (see picture attached) started to appear in my text and I also noticed that task checkboxes disappeared. I tried recreating the issue on a new note and the dots appeared when the note included task checkboxes (it was fine if it was just text)

Screenshot_20220322-144702_Obsidian
Screenshot_20220322-144702_Obsidian1080Ɨ2400 158 KB

#3

I was getting the same thing. This is down to ā€œLive Preview/Sourceā€ being turned on. The problem goes away when it is turned off.

https://imgur.com/a/3geI1H9

2 Likes
#4

I wouldnā€™t agree that this is a solution, more of a temporary workaround.

#5

Can you please provide some reproducible steps to make this happen?

#6

So if you follow the video that I posted:

  1. Moves cursor to #2
  2. Scrolls to bottom of the list
  3. Scrolls back to the top of the list
  4. Moves cursor to the start of #1, prompting line to switch from preview to edit mode (red dots appear)
  5. Moves cursor to the end of #2
  6. Moves cursor to the start of #3
  7. Moves cursor to the start of #1 (more red dots appear)

This is really odd behaviour. Sometimes if you just prompt any line item to switch from preview to edit mode then the whole list becomes a sea of red dots. If you just wait then more dots are added eventually it stops adding them.

I thought that this was linked to this ticket but in creating this test case it seems that it happens to short lists as well.

#7

which virtual keyboard are you using? does it happen with google board?

#8

In answer to your question, I was using the standard Samsung keyboard.

Iā€™ve just tried it every which way I can and the problem is not occurring anymore. My mobile app updated a day ago so perhaps it was fixed in the latest release?

@TheHDreamer check that your version is 1.1.1 and if so, whether this is still happening.

#9

Exact same issue on Samsung S22 Ultra with Samsung Keyboard. Perhaps an issue with OneUi 4.1? Did not have the issue on old phone.

Obsidian Sync looks to be often an inititator of the issue too.

Happens most frequently on notes with lots of check boxes.

I get all the same issues as shared above from red dots to keyboard melt downs.

Tried Obsidian safe mode and issue persists, so not plugin related.

#10

No update available for me in AU yet. Seems latest was March 17th.

#11

It is not Obsidian Sync that is causing this, Iā€™m using another way to sync and Iā€™m also having this same issue.

#12

Disabling Grammarly in Samsung Keyboard has seemed to fix for me. Will update if that stops.

#13

You could be right. When I select gboard or another one it is not generating those red dots, but the Samsung keyboard does.

#14

Also happening (sometimes, not always) to me while simply writing a [[link]] and then something simple like a comma or a newline.
When it happens all 4 square brackes become red dots (and the link is no longer a link, of course).
Iā€™m using SwiftKey keyboard if thatā€™s related.
Also: pressing ā€œbackspaceā€ on those red dots does not delete them, the only way to delete them on Android is to have a bigger selection and deleting it all at once: sometimes it deletes everything, some other times it only does delete the last of the 4 dots.