password doesn't leave dots on being entered

[Chris Guiver]

This issue is really minor & petty. Dots aren't appearing on entry of password.

** Background

New QA-test install of Lubuntu focal (20.04.1). On first boot of new system I typed my password & expected to see dots appear for each character in the password box, but none appear. On valid keying of my password & hitting enter, I'm logged in though.

If i enter an invalid password, I get a delay followed by "Login failed", which is normal behavior, except no dots appeared as I typed the invalid password.

** Expected behavior

On each letter of my password, I expect a dot to appear.

If I click inside the password area, the dots start to appear & from this point behavior is as expected (dots for each character, normal entry or login-failed depending what password.

(I'll explore this some more & make ammendments if I learn more. A reboot has the same behavior, as does logout..)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: sddm 0.18.1-1ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-40.44-generic 5.4.44
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-40-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.3
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CurrentDesktop: LXQt
Date: Mon Jun 29 18:01:16 2020
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-06-29 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Lubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20200628)
SourcePackage: sddm
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Ubuntu QA Website (ubuntuqa)]

This bug has been reported on the Ubuntu ISO testing tracker.

A list of all reports related to this bug can be found here:
http://iso.qa.ubuntu.com/qatracker/reports/bugs/1885530

[Chris Guiver (guiverc)]

dell [optiplex] 755 (c2d-e8300, 8gb, amd/ati radeon rv610/radeon hd2400 pro/xt)
testcase: full disk, no encryption, BIOS, no internet

entry of password doesn't leave dots as keys hit (unless I click inside the password area). `sddm` is working exactly as expected, except I'd expect cursor to be inside password area and dots appear if I can type password (how many keys did I press? no indication).

as noted before, if I purposely click into password box, it's exactly as I expect.

In real use, I've just ignored this issue, so I can't see dots so should I be unsure if I hit an incorrect key, I just backspace ~20 times & re-type password (given without dots I can't see how many characters are displayed)

I believe this occurs on many boxes; but I've only recorded on d755-8 & that would mean video card specific maybe? (or requires dual-monitors), but I wonder if it's me ignoring issue..

[Chris Guiver (guiverc)]

A support query (https://askubuntu.com/questions/1345585/how-to-highlight-password-field-by-default-in-sddm-lubuntu) made me remember this bug...

Notes here don't make much mention of it; but I recall trying to login using incorrect passwords on a QA-test install (focal & I believe groovy) and being unable to.

Today I had a quick repeat (today's impish daily) on
- hp dc7700 (c2d-e6320, 5gb, nvidia quadro nvs 290)
- dell [optiplex] 755 (c2d-e6850, 5gb, amd/ati radeon rv516/x1300/x1550)
- dell [optiplex] 780 (c2q-q9400, 8gb, amd/ati cedar radeon hd 5000/6000/7350/8350)
but this issue doesn't occur on them... (before or after adjusting display position(s))

However on
- dell [optiplex] 755 (c2d-e8300, 8gb, amd/ati radeon rv610/radeon hd2400 pro/xt)
another box primarily exploring support question

booting live & a simple logout & no dots appeared on entry of password

no adjustment of displays was needed for issue to occur (and issue still occurs after displays are changed; ie monitor.settings & position relative to each other)

i tried a few times to enter using invalid password (no password currently set; it wasn't changed) and I was unable to enter using any letters...

I cleared field (~20 backspace) then entered a known length password "password" and hit enter. It fails (hard to see given the screen already said "Login failed" but it's still a lack of response compared to login).. I hit backspace & enter (7), backspace enter (6)... it didn't login until the password field was correctly empty (by my count)...

ie. I still don't believe this is an issue.

Whilst I don't recall QA-testing hirsute; the OP in the support query was using 21.04 (hirsute), and I see this issue elsewhere* anyway & have for years.. (would be really useful if I could remember when it first appeared!) so I'll add other tags

elsewhere* - somewhat regularly I believe; I thought my primary box; so I tested d780 which has a like card to my primary box but nope... doesn't occur there

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Jebin (colorizer)]

I had faced this issue as mentioned in the askubuntu. Here is the bug report I had generated using `ubuntu-bug sddm`. Let me know if there is something else need to be done.

[Jebin (colorizer)]

This bug disappeared after I switched to Intel only mode in Nvidia x-server settings (was previously on Nvidia on-demand mode). My card is GEForce 840M.

[JT Moree (jtmoree)]

I am not able to see the password dots unless i highlight the text in the text box. Also when the screen goes 'gray?' the dots show up. This happens after clicking the login button or hitting enter.

My hardware is : Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Picasso (rev c4).

It seems like the bug comments are suggesting that the problems are related to fancy hardware features. If so, can I set the login screen to turn off hardware acceleration?