Can't switch to top-left workspace using keyboard

[Qazjap11]

Binary package hint: unity

I can switch from top right to left bottom workspace, by pressing CTRL+ALT+DOWN+RIGHT. I can do the same to the right bottom, left bottom and right top, but no to the left top. When I am in the right bottom workspace, and I press CTRL+ALT+UP+LEFT, nothing happens (or it goes left or top sometimes).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: unity 3.8.10-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,mousepoll,vpswitch,regex,animation,snap,expo,move,compiztoolbox,place,grid,imgpng,gnomecompat,wall,ezoom,workarounds,staticswitcher,resize,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,scale,session,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
DRM.card0.DIN.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: On
 modes:
 edid-base64:
Date: Sat Apr 30 20:15:33 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
GdmLog1:

GdmLog2:

GraphicsCard:
 ATI Technologies Inc RV770 [Radeon HD 4870] [1002:9440] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ATI Technologies Inc Device [1002:0502]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110427.1)
InstallationMedia_: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110427.1)
InstallationMedia__: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110427.1)
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. EP35-DS3L
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=1c4098a8-56b8-4d58-af2d-7ecc388c9876 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature_: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
ProcVersionSignature__: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 04/02/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F4
dmi.board.name: EP35-DS3L
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.board.version: x.x
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF4:bd04/02/2008:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnEP35-DS3L:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnEP35-DS3L:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: EP35-DS3L
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110415-0ubuntu2
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu6
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.0-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu7
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110107+b795ca6e-0ubuntu7

[Bilal Shahid (s9iper1)]

it not happen with me

[LumpyCustard (orangelumpycustard)]

It appears that the UP and LEFT buttons cannot be held down at the same time...

On a 4 workspace (default) setup...

1. Press CTRL+ALT+DOWN+RIGHT. (Pressing DOWN+RIGHT at the same time).
2. Press CTRL+ALT+UP (and hold down on all three buttons) then try to add the LEFT button.

It should take you to the top left workspace, but it won't until you remove your finger from the UP button. The same occurs if you move LEFT first then try to add UP.

I can replicate this on two different machines made by DELL and Lenovo.

[Bilal Shahid (s9iper1)]

i can reproduce thsi bug so i confirm it yes it happens

[Bilal Shahid (s9iper1)]

still present in oneiric

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

thanks for the bug report. Is that still an issue in Ubuntu 12.04?

[Qazjap11 (qazjap11)]

Yes it is.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

This kind of problem is often a hardware limitation of the way the keyboard is wired:
http://superuser.com/questions/73685/keyboard-doesnt-let-me-press-certain-keys-at-the-same-time

Please test other desktop environments or even operating systems to see if your keyboard really can support Up and Left keys simultaneously.

[LumpyCustard (orangelumpycustard)]

I can push both both keys in when using gedit to go up one line and right/left. I have also tried doing the same keys when typing this reply over two lines and it also works as expectd.

[qwach (qwach)]

Problem still exists in 13.04 - simultaneously pressing Up and Left works everywhere for me except in the workspace switcher.

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

Priority set to 'medium' because the bug is a usability issue that does not limit the functionality of a core application.

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

Status changed to 'Triaged' because the bug is:

- Valid
- Well described
- Reported in the upstream bug tracker (Launchpad)
- Ready to be worked on by a developer

[Andrea Azzarone (azzar1)]

Ubuntu 11.04 (and 13.04) has reached end of life and is no longer supported. Can you still reproduce this bug on a supported Ubuntu release (12.04, 14.04, 14.10)?

[LumpyCustard (orangelumpycustard)]

Yes, this still does't work on 14.04

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[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.]

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Stephen M. Webb (bregma)]

This particular phenomenon depends on your keyboard hardware. Some less expensive keyboard use a reduced number of physical scan lines, and common place where this has an effect is when the up-arrow and left-arrow keys share a common line, meaning the keyboard itself can not distinguish between they keys.

There is, unfortunately, nothing Compiz can do to accommodate this hardware fault since it occurs long before Compiz receives the input even data.