[BUG] Selection handles not appearing on mobile

Bug graveyard
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1

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
2

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.

2 Likes
3

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.

4

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

5

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

6

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
7

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

8

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

9

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

10

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
11

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

1 Like
12

It’s not.

13

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
14

Not working consistently for me neither.
1.4.1
Android 13

1 Like
15

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.

16

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

17

I can’t reproduce this.