[regression] Dash loses interaction with keyboard

[Amr Ibrahim]

Sometimes when typing in Dash to search for an application, the interaction with the keyboard is suddenly lost.

A case to reproduce:

1. Open Dash
2. Type to search for an application that was not recently used (not shown amoung the 6 recent applications)
3. Press the down-key
4. Press escape to return
The Dash-keyboard interaction is lost. Pressing any key doesn't do anything, even escape doesn't close the Dash. Only the super-key closes the Dash.

This is a regression from Ubuntu 12.04.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: unity 6.8.0-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-17.28-generic 3.5.5
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-17-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
Date: Tue Oct 23 12:34:45 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release amd64 (20121017.5)
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Sami Jaktholm (sjakthol)]

Confirming. This seems to happen only in home lens by pressing Esc while the section headers have the (keyboard) focus AND the search bar has text that can be cleared (if there's no text, dash just closes like it should).

[Amr Ibrahim (amribrahim1987)]

Sometimes keyboard interaction is suddenly lost while typing the first letters of a search item in home lens in Dash.

[Ray DeCampo (rdecampo)]

I experience this bug when using the arrow keys to navigate within results. I never use the Esc key when operating dash (I wasn't aware it did anything). This happens to me on a regular basis but unfortunately I cannot reproduce it reliably. It happens more often if I have just switched workspaces using the keyboard (Ctrl-Alt-Right, e.g.) and then use the arrow keys in dash before all results are returned (search indicator still spinning).

[David Planella (dpm)]

Indeed, I can reproduce (but not reliably) the two cases: either with pressing Esc or without pressing Esc.

I myself never use the Esc key during the search (only to close the Dash at the end).

[Tristan Tarrant (tristan-tarrant-gmail)]

Same as all the above: it happens to me quite often, although I cannot pin down exactly how. I've noticed that if the dash is updating some of its slowest results (i.e. audio/video at the bottom), this happens more often.

[Tristan Tarrant (tristan-tarrant-gmail)]

Ok, I think I can reproduce it all the time:

- type something in the dash
- when the first matches appear, press the arrow keys to start navigating the results
- if Music matches are found while I'm navigating the dash loses keyboard focus

[Lem (lem-jjr)]

This happens in Raring (13.04) as well.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Press super (start)
2. Type upd (as in update manager, or Software Updater as it's now known)
3. Start pressing down arrow once relevant application result appears (to select and open it)
4. When more results (files/folders) appear, the dash loses focus.
5. Moving the mouse over the dash restores focus and keyboard input

To continue testing, try pressing escape. Keyboard input seems to stop working again. Moving the mouse over the dash makes it work again.

Ubuntu 13.04 as at ~2013-04-10, AMD FX-4170, 8Gb, nVidia GTX560Ti using nvidia driver 313.30 (installed from Ubuntu repository using nvidia-313-updates)

[Amr Ibrahim (amribrahim1987)]

This bug is very annoying. I don't use Ubuntu 12.10 because I depend on typing in Dash all the time. I'm still using 12.04 and may not upgrade to 13.04 if this bug persists.

[Lem (lem-jjr)]

For me (Ubuntu 13.04), the Dash loses focus as Photos or other result sets present themselves. This is only on new searches as the results come through for the first time. Reopening the Dash with an existing query isn't affected. So essentially a workaround for this is if the focus is lost, hit super twice to reopen the dash and keep going... very annoying though, yes.

[Amr Ibrahim (amribrahim1987)]

Yes, focus is lost when new results come up in Dash.

[Stephen M. Webb (bregma)]

I can't seem to be able to reproduce this in current packages. A lot of changes have gone in to both the ubus (the Unity input handler) and the dash navigation in general over the last 2 Ubuntu cycles.

Can anyone reproduce this on current Unity 7.1 packages?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for Unity because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for unity (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Ray DeCampo (rdecampo)]

I have not been able to reproduce this bug since the upgrade to 13.10 (I was able to reproduce it up till then). I think you could consider this issue resolved as of that release.