[Bug] Uncontrollable select/deselect after Android 13 update

Bug graveyard
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1

Original post (was told to repost here): Uncontrollable select/deselect in source mode after Android update

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open Obsidian Mobile on Android tablet (Galaxy Tab S6 Lite in my case) after the 2023-02-13 (February 13, 2023) update
  2. Paste the following into a note:
---
# Obsidian
aliases: []
tags: [2023/02, journal/entry]
---

# Heading?
- bullet?

## Summary
- **Last time (...):**
- **Today:**
- **Next time (...):**
  1. Enable source mode if not already enabled
  2. Tap the screen once
  3. Observe how everything on the note is uncontrollably selected/deselected

NOTE:

  • Issue does not occur with Live Preview mode, only Source mode
  • Even though there is dataview content in this copy/paste, this bug is replicated in a brand new vault with just this text pasted in
  • Flashing stops if you (a) highlight something or (b) open up the UI, removing focus from the note
  • I tried deleting elements of the copy/paste above to see what the minimum input was to reproduce this issue, and got a new issue where red and blue dots (presumably some kind of invisible character?) were uncontrollably replicating themselves

Expected result

I expect to move my cursor to the point I tap and nothing else.

Actual result

Everything in the note is uncontrollably selected/deselected on loop until focus leaves the note. Additionally, trying to delete contents of the note causes red and white dots to be automatically written to the note, lagging and freezing the app

Environment

  • Operating system: Android 13 (samsung SM-P610)
  • Debug info:
SYSTEM INFO:
	Operating system: android 13 (samsung SM-P610)
	Obsidian version: 1.4.1 (83)
	API version: v1.0.3
	Login status: logged in
	Catalyst license: none
	Live preview: on
	Legacy editor: off
	Base theme: dark
	Community theme: none
	Snippets enabled: 0
	Restricted mode: on

RECOMMENDATIONS:
	none

Additional information

1 Like
2

Found a second input which creates this bug:

---
# Obsidian
aliases: []
tags: [talk/guest] 

# DataView
topic: "Subcortical-cortical interactions in cognitive computations"
speakers: " Jorge Jaramillo"
---
# Subcortical-cortical interactions in cognitive computations
Jorge CIDBN May Planc Gottingen

## Opening
- Simulation + analysis
- Why multiple circuits for one function (decision- making) and how does distributed
1 computation work/ coordinate

(please ignore the typos, I was using the S-Pen without looking during a seminar)

3

Does it happen with Gboard?

4

Yes. I manually typed in the same input using the GBoard and had the same issue, and I have the same issue when copying/pasting, sans S-Pen. The bug occurs whether focusing the note with the S-Pen or my finger. Using Obsidian Sync, I can also confirm laptop keyboard input (and then a sync operation) produces the same effect on my tablet.

5

Looks similar to

https://forum.obsidian.md/t/keyboard-keeps-appearing-when-using-s-pen/51112

The red dots is know thing, gboard works for that.

6

I can’t reproduce on another android. I don’t have S pen.

7

The issue persists while using GBoard with my S-Pen on the other side of the room. The issue started immediately after I updated my tablet’s OS (as mentioned in the post body), if that suggests any solutions.

My friend has the same tablet model. I’ll ask to borrow that and try to reproduce later today, if they’ll let me.

8

Confirmed the issue is caused by upgrading from Android 12 to Android 13, at least on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite:

  1. On an Android 12 version of the tablet, manually entered (rather than pasted) the text which caused the initial error (using GBoard) into a new note with Source Mode enabled
  2. Tapped once with my finger to select some point in the note
  3. Nothing unexpected happened (yay)
  4. Fully closed and reopened the app, behavior was still as expected
  5. Updated to Android 13 (with tablet owner’s consent, of course)
  6. Opened the note in Source Mode
  7. Tapped once with my finger to select some point in the note
  8. Original issue occurs
  9. Created new journal and new note, then manually entered the text again
  10. Tapped once with my finger to select some point in the note
  11. Original issue occurs

For anyone else finding this post before the bug is fixed, immediate solutions are

  1. Don’t use Source Mode
  2. Downgrade to Android 12
9

Update: also got the issue in Live Preview mode on another note.

10

Interestingly, if you type or write non-whitespace characters between flashes, the issue halts, and resumes again when you type a whitespace character or when you back up to a newline.

Update - linking to videos of the bug on my Google Drive got this post flagged as spam and hidden until edited, but basically the video showed that if you get the flashing bug then type non-whitespace characters, the flashing bug will stop (at least in Live Preview) until you type a whitespace character or until you delete non-whitespace characters and land on a whitespace character, at which point the bug will resume. The behavior is the same whether typing/deleting with GBoard or S-Pen.

11

let me know if the situation is better when you get v1.4.2

12

Issue persists in 1.4.2 .

13

Consolidating under [Bug] Text editing gets corrupted sometimes using Samsung Keyboard (Android/Samsung) - Mobile - Obsidian Forum.

14

You said that this happens with Gboard too? If it happens with Gboard it’s not the same issue. It happens with samsung default keyboard and predictive text off it’s not the same issue.

15

Hi! I faced the same issue in 1.4.2.
I decided to downgrade to 1.3.2 and it did solve the problem. For now I will stay on this version until the issue is fixed. 1.4.2 on android 13 was too annoying for me :sweat_smile:
I hope this helps even if it is not a permanent solution.

1 Like
16

Issue resolved for me after my Android OS had a minor version update.