left mouse button randomly stops working in firefox, first noticed with flash but occurs on ajax too

[Brandon Lozza]

Binary package hint: firefox-3.5

After a while the left mouse button stops working. This occurs any time and doesn't always occur with flash but it does occur the most with flash. I also noticed my ajax controls in wordpress also don't work. When either occurs the left mouse button stops working everywhere.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Nov 1 17:59:52 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: firefox-3.5 3.5.4+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.10.1
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
SourcePackage: firefox-3.5
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic x86_64

[Matt Wolfgang (mattwolfgang)]

Since upgrading to Ubuntu 9.10 and moving from Shiretoko 3.5.x to Firefox 3.5.4, some links and buttons, particularly those on Facebook, have a tendency to quit working.

Particularly those on Facebook.

These links still work in Opera and Chromium, so this is a Firefox issue. I can replicate this problem on two machines. When I attempt to click some Facebook buttons and links, the box appears on the button, so the click is detected, but nothing happens. For instance if I want to share a link, accept a friend request, or post something to my wall from Farmville. The problem is somewhat intermittent, but happens more times than not.

[-k (k-d-j)]

I am having this problem too. Tried with both a Logitech wireless mouse and a Microsoft PS/2 style mouse. Happens when I start using Firefox. I noticed that sometimes I can right click on the time, press ESC, and then I can start using my mouse left click again in FF. Sometimes that won't work or doesn't last long. I then have to quit FF using keyboard, right click on time again, and then I can get the left click back (at which point I just shutdown the system and wonder if I should roll back to 9.04 for now).

[Matt Wolfgang (mattwolfgang)]

I was experiencing the problem on two machines, and now the problem is gone
for me. Try disabling any extensions you have in Firefox. I think the
offending extension might be Tab Mix Plus. I uninstalled several FF
extensions, including Tab Mix Plus, and now left clicking works all the
time. Incidentally, I replaced Tab Mix Plus with Tabberwocky.

I'm not sure if that is what really solved the problem, or if it was system
updates or something else.

Hope this helps,
Matt

On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 4:47 PM, -k <email address hidden> wrote:

> I am having this problem too. Tried with both a Logitech wireless mouse
> and a Microsoft PS/2 style mouse. Happens when I start using Firefox. I
> noticed that sometimes I can right click on the time, press ESC, and
> then I can start using my mouse left click again in FF. Sometimes that
> won't work or doesn't last long. I then have to quit FF using keyboard,
> right click on time again, and then I can get the left click back (at
> which point I just shutdown the system and wonder if I should roll back
> to 9.04 for now).
>
> --
> left mouse button randomly stops working in firefox, first noticed with
> flash but occurs on ajax too
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/469691
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in “firefox-3.5” package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: firefox-3.5
>
> After a while the left mouse button stops working. This occurs any time and
> doesn't always occur with flash but it does occur the most with flash. I
> also noticed my ajax controls in wordpress also don't work. When either
> occurs the left mouse button stops working everywhere.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> Architecture: amd64
> Date: Sun Nov 1 17:59:52 2009
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
> InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
> NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
> Package: firefox-3.5 3.5.4+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.10.1
> ProcEnviron:
> LANG=en_US.UTF-8
> SHELL=/bin/bash
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
> SourcePackage: firefox-3.5
> Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic x86_64
>

--
Matt Wolfgang
mailto:<email address hidden>
[phone]
http://www.inmattsmind.com

[Jmadero (jmadero)]

Thanks for the fix Matt. I disabled my plugins and now the problem is gone. Hopefully they figure out the issue soon

[Jmadero (jmadero)]

Scratch that, the fix only fixes flash (as far as I can tell). When I try to watch a mkv file with VLC same issue occurs, lose left button, only way to get it back is to force a restart....makes the OS almost unusable and might force me to start checking out Fedora and OpenSuse again