Android selection handles and context menu disappear

Bug reports
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1

Steps to reproduce

Double-tap or long-press to select a word on Android. Drag selection handles to expand selection. Scroll down. Scroll up.

Note that this bug is pretty unpredictable. But this particular chunk of text seems to work quite well for reproducing it.

Did you follow the troubleshooting guide? [Y/N]

Yes. Note that the bug has been there since 1 November since before I did any customisation at all. It’s also reported in a couple of closed threads on this forum:

Expected result

The selection should expand to where I have dragged the selection handles. The selection handles should never disappear. And the context menu should pop up again every time the selection changes.

Actual result

The selection did not expand the first two times I tried to drag the selection handles. The selection handles sometimes disappear unpredictably. And the context menu also disappeared after changing the selection.

The weird thing is that it will reappear if I tap the selection. But what should happen is that the text should get deselected.

Environment

SYSTEM INFO:
Operating system: android 14 (samsung SM-X710)
Obsidian version: 1.7.7 (171)
API version: v1.7.7
Login status: logged in
Language: en
Catalyst license: none
Live preview: on
Base theme: adapt to system
Community theme: none
Snippets enabled: 0
Restricted mode: on

RECOMMENDATIONS:
none

Additional information

Here’s a link to a screen recording: Discord

Here’s a link to another screen recording from before I disabled my snippets that is a better example of the selection handles disappearing: Discord

Here’s the text that appears in the screen recording. I’m including it because the bug is unpredictable, but it does seem reproducible with this text.

2

Is this still happening for you? Because I can’t reproduce.

3

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open Obsidian app on Android.
  2. Open a note.
  3. Double tap on some text. It becomes selected, but the selection handles disappear. (I am using GBoard but the issue does not occur in other apps)

Expected result

The text becomes selected and two selection handles appear on either side.

Actual result

The text becomes selected but the selection handles do not appear.

Environment

  • Operating system: Android
  • Debug info:

Additional information

2 Likes
4

I have reproduced the same condition.

In addition,

Attempting to highlight text by long pressing yields similar results.

Steps to Reproduce:

  1. long pressing text to select and highlight then,

  2. sliding down to select more text

Actual Result:

Stops selecting the text at random intervals before releasing finger.

Also stops highlighting when attempting to highlight the following: headings, bullets, numbers, and check boxes.

The previously reported bug seems related.

3 Likes
5

I am quite frustrated by the same behavior on my Samsung Android phone. After selecting a small amount of text and lifting off my finger the selection handles do not appear. However, pressing that same text afterward causes the handles to appear again.

In my case however, an even bigger problem is that when dragging down a page with my finger to select large amounts of text the selection process freezes and the handles disappear after selecting perhaps 200 - 300 characters. This is repeatable.

The other problem is the difficult, jittery, process of dragging the selection handles, especially when selecting HTML links. This makes it difficult to select larger sections of text precisely.

Overall this clunky selection process on Android is one reason that keeps me from fully embracing Obsidian as my go-to writing app.

6

The same happens to me in my Samsung S20. It makes very difficult to select a piece of text.

7

Same issue here. Google Pixel 4, current version of Gboard

8

Same here, Pixel 6, Swiftkey.
Please fix, this basically makes it impossible to copy paste text on the Android app (which is a pretty basic feature for a text editor).

1 Like
9

Obsidian behaves like this for me. Though I can get the selection handles to appear if I tap the selection again.

I use multiple keyboards, including gboard. Same problem.

Android Version: 10
Phone: Moto g(7) power

10

Same here. Pressing highlights a word but there are no handles. Unlike some others, tapping again doesn’t cause the handles to appear.

Similar report: Copy/Paste Selection on Android doesn't work

11

I think it’s fixed on Mobile Obsidian v1.0 .

12

Doesn’t seem to be. I have 1.4.0 (80) and there are no handles in default theme or Minimal, just checked it again. Unless I’m missing something I don’t know about, of course (am pretty new).

2 Likes
13

So it stopped working consistently for me, too. I’m not sure why they were showing up consistently for a little while.

1 Like
14

It’s not.

15

Not working consistently for me either on Android 12. Selecting text is tedious on mobile anyway so I wish there were a way to just copy the whole note with a command or dropdown menu button. Copying as HTML would be even sweeter (there are plugins that do this but they don’t work well with mobile).

1 Like
16

Not working consistently for me neither.
1.4.1
Android 13

1 Like
17

is this still happening in 1.4.2+, if so can you post a screen recording with a reproducible example. I can’t repro anymore.

18

I have narrowed down the issue and it’s completely reproducible for me on Obsidian mobile 1.4.3 on Android 13 with GBoard.

  • It only happens in lists.
  • It only happens if the cursor is already somewhere on the same line of the word that is selected.

In the following video I show:

  • The handles disappear when the cursor is on same line as the word I select.
  • The handles doesn’t disappear if the cursor is not on the same line as the word selected.
  • That it doesn’t happen if it’s not a list.

ezgif-5-fdb23830c5

3 Likes
19

I can’t reproduce this.

20

I think it’s solved. Or at least much more usable.