Comma inserted when pressing AltGr or Alt key in evolution to/cc input fields

[Louis]

This bug was originally reported in Bug #943104 on Ubuntu 12.04, but it is still present in Ubuntu 15.10 Wily Werewolf (development branch)

Both alt and altgr produces an unexpected comma character when pressed after msc. characters in the "to" and "cc" input fields in evolution mail. I am using Danish keyboard with nodeadkey, bus as described in Bug #943104 this also effect other localizations.

 I still haven't been able to reproduce this in any other programs than evolution, so maybe the bug should be reported on evolution instead.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 15.10
Package: xorg 1:7.7+7ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.2.0-11.13-generic 4.2.1
Uname: Linux 4.2.0-11-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.19-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
CompositorUnredirectDriverBlacklist: '(nouveau|Intel).*Mesa 8.0'
CompositorUnredirectFSW: true
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Tue Sep 29 20:05:47 2015
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: wily
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: bbswitch, 0.7, 4.2.0-11-generic, x86_64: installed
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0416] (rev 06) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:1966]
   Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:1966]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-09-27 (2 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 15.10 "Wily Werewolf" - Alpha amd64 (20150924)
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP ENVY 17 Notebook PC
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-11-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=2536a586-eceb-4d35-971e-30001a916def ro noprompt persistent quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
UdevLog: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/var/log/udev'
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 10/03/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: Insyde
dmi.bios.version: F.35
dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: 1966
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: KBC Version 93.49
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 5CG3482QVX
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnInsyde:bvrF.35:bd10/03/2013:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPENVY17NotebookPC:pvr0884100000305B00000620100:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn1966:rvrKBCVersion93.49:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: HP ENVY 17 Notebook PC
dmi.product.version: 0884100000305B00000620100
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.12.2+15.10.20150908-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.64-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 11.0.0-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 11.0.0-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.17.2-1ubuntu7
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.9.2-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.5.0+git20150819-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20150808-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.11-1ubuntu3
xserver.bootTime: Tue Sep 29 19:03:36 2015
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.errors:
 Failed to load module "nvidia" (module does not exist, 0)
 Failed to load module "nvidia" (module does not exist, 0)
 NOUVEAU(G0): [XvMC] Failed to initialize extension.
xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.outputs:
 product id 8605
 vendor AUO
xserver.version: 2:1.17.2-1ubuntu7

[Louis (louis-amhild)]

I figured that the unexpected comma, is actually inserted on purpose when the "CC" or "TO" input fields get focus.
Though it might be a bit surprising that Evolution inserts a comma automatically (even when no valid mail exists in the input field), that is actually a feature.

The root cause of this bug, seems to be that the input fields get unfocused for a short time and then get focus again.

I found several other bugs related to this issue, which might be caused by the exact same bug:

Bug #971462 (Duplicate) -> Bug #971462 (Invalid)
Bug #1233458 (New)
Bug #1292796 (Confirmed)
http://askubuntu.com/questions/399518/guake-terminal-hiding-on-altgr-cant-type-pipes

[Louis (louis-amhild)]

I also investigated the "focus" theory a bit further:

// Find evolution window id
$ xdotool getmouselocation

// Focus the "TO" input field, type some letters follow by [AltGr] + [2] (@ on Danish keyboard)

$ xev -id 23181333 -event keyboard -event focus

KeymapNotify event, serial 17, synthetic NO, window 0x0,
    keys: 4294967236 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
           0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FocusIn event, serial 18, synthetic NO, window 0x161b815,
    mode NotifyNormal, detail NotifyNonlinear

KeymapNotify event, serial 18, synthetic NO, window 0x0,
    keys: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
           0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

KeymapNotify event, serial 18, synthetic NO, window 0x0,
    keys: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
           0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

// This seems to be the problem
FocusOut event, serial 18, synthetic NO, window 0x161b815,
    mode NotifyNormal, detail NotifyInferior

FocusOut event, serial 18, synthetic NO, window 0x161b815,
    mode NotifyGrab, detail NotifyVirtual

FocusIn event, serial 18, synthetic NO, window 0x161b815,
    mode NotifyUngrab, detail NotifyVirtual

KeymapNotify event, serial 18, synthetic NO, window 0x0,
    keys: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 0 0
           0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

So to me this seems to confirm the theory.
Any XOrg gurus out there who can confirm this and can figure out who steels the focus? Invisible Ubuntu HUD?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Dominique Ramaekers (dominique-ramaekers)]

I can confirm for evulution version 3.16.5

[Dominique Ramaekers (dominique-ramaekers)]

BTW does anybody know a workaround that still works?

[Raffael Krebs (kreba)]

I can confirm this bug for evolution 3.22.6-1ubuntu1 amd64 on a Ubuntu 17.04
With the German (Switzerland) keyboard layout I need [Alt Gr] to type an @ symbol (!)

I reported a bug on gnome/evolution, too:
https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=784553

Both the focus loss and the added comma upon focus gain are questionable behaviours, so both projects can be improved (both Evolution and Ubuntu input methods). Thanks to everyone who is working towards improving this!

[Paul White (paulw2u)]

Ubuntu 15.10 (wily) reached end-of-life on July 28, 2016.
Ubuntu 17.04 (zesty) reached end-of-life on January 13, 2018.

The upstream bug was closed on 2019-11-12 as "RESOLVED INCOMPLETE", as
insufficient information was provided and it seems that the GNOME
developers could not reproduce the bug.

Is this still an issue on more recent Ubuntu releases?

[Paul White (paulw2u)]

Further to comment #8 I'm closing this as there was no response after nearly two months and the last affected release reached end-of-life over five years ago.

If anyone sees this issue in any current or future release then please reopen the relevant tasks and advise which releases are affected.