Overview search causes the workarea to reshape, desktop-icons-ng to restart and the new window to lose focus

[Sai Vinoba]

Release: Ubuntu 21.04 (20210406 iso image)

Software, version: gnome-shell, 3.38.4-1ubuntu1

How to reproduce:
1) Boot up Ubuntu 21.04 image (live session or installed)
2) Once inside shell, go to overview (either using Super key or clicking on Activities)
3) Search for any application (eg., terminal) and launch it.

Expected:
The application launches normally and usable.

Actual:
The application launches but the window looses focus. When the application is launching, the desktop icons disappear for few seconds and reappear. When they reappear the launched application window will not have focus.

If we launch the application from the app grid (without searching first) or from the dock, the window retains the focus.

Tested on VM (quickemu and virt-manager).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 21.04
Package: gnome-shell 3.38.4-1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.11.0-13.14-generic 5.11.7
Uname: Linux 5.11.0-13-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu61
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Tue Apr 6 22:14:04 2021
DisplayManager: gdm3
InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-04-06 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 21.04 "Hirsute Hippo" - Beta amd64 (20210405)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_IN:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_IN
 SHELL=/bin/bash
RelatedPackageVersions: mutter-common 3.38.4-1ubuntu1
SourcePackage: gnome-shell
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Sai Vinoba (saivinob)]

Attaching screenshot of the issue.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Seems this is caused by the Ubuntu Dock extension.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

It's a complicated series of events but in the end it's really just Ubuntu Dock that's the problem...

1. Open the overview using Super.

2. Start typing in "Type to search". While you're typing the Ubuntu Dock disappears.

3. Because the Ubuntu Dock disappeared, the workspace shape has changed so the desktop icons disappear but you don't notice because you're still in the overview.

4. Hit Enter to complete the search and launch the app.

5. The Ubuntu Dock reappears.

6. desktop-icons-ng restarts, which takes the focus away (because it too is a window now) from the newly launched app.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Fix proposed here: https://salsa.debian.org/gnome-team/gnome-shell/-/merge_requests/47

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package gnome-shell - 3.38.4-1ubuntu2

---------------
gnome-shell (3.38.4-1ubuntu2) hirsute; urgency=medium

  [ Daniel van Vugt ]
  * Add layout-Try-to-allocate-before-getting-size-of-tracke.patch.
    To fix LP: #1919979 and also to re-fix LP: #1917939
    (LP: #1919979, #1917939)
  * Drop layout-Allow-updating-struts-in-Overview.patch.
    Because it caused a regression and doesn't seem to have been necessary
    anyway. (LP: #1922772)

  [ Marco Trevisan (Treviño) ]
  * debian/patches: Fix suggestions box actor population in non-latin languages
    (LP: #1914230)
  * debian/patches: Enable to use Escape to cancel auth requests (with limits)
    (LP: #1921929)
  * debian/patches: Refresh

 -- Marco Trevisan (Treviño) <email address hidden> Thu, 15 Apr 2021 06:20:27 +0200