Only in Copy/Move Dialog: Search Term Cannot Be Entered With External Keyboard

[GfEW]

Checklist

• [X] I can reproduce the bug with the latest version given here.
• [X] I made sure that there are no existing issues - open or closed - to which I could contribute my information.
• [X] I made sure that there are no existing discussions - open or closed - to which I could contribute my information.
• [X] I have read the FAQs inside the app (Menu -> About -> FAQs) and my problem isn't listed.
• [X] I have taken the time to fill in all the required details. I understand that the bug report will be dismissed otherwise.
• [X] This issue contains only one bug.
• [X] I have read and understood the contribution guidelines.

Affected app version

1.1.1

Affected Android/Custom ROM version

Android 9 to 11

Affected device model

diverse

How did you install the app?

F-Droid / IzzyOnDroid

Steps to reproduce the bug

1. Connect a bluetooth keyboard to your android device.
2. In Fossify Gallery, mark any items (media files or folders) in any folder or flat view.
3. In the three dots menu at the upper right, tap at "Copy to" or "Move to".
4. In the dialog to select a destination, tap at the search line and try to enter some search string with the connected external keyboard.

Expected behavior

The typed characters should appear, and the entered string should be searched for.

Actual behavior

No characters appear, search is unusable.

Screenshots/Screen recordings

No response

Additional information

• For some obscure reason, this bug only affects search string input in the copy/move destination chooser, only with external (hardware) keyboards.
• With the internal (software) keyboard, search in the copy/move destination chooser is mostly usable.
• In Fossify Gallery's main screen (regardless if folders view or flat view), as well as in the file listing inside any folder, search strings can be entered with external or internal keybards alike.
• Other text input, e. g. renaming a file, also works with external or internal keybards just fine.

[GfEW]

Update: My original statement

• With the internal (software) keyboard, search in the copy/move destination chooser is perfectly usable.

wasn't quite right. Although characters can be entered, search input in the Copy/Move destination chooser misbehaves with internal keyboards, as well. In particular,

• backspace doesn't work
• cursor keys don't work (only applicable if your software keyboard provides them).

Since I tend to regard these additional findings as closely related to the main point of this bug, I've not reported them separately but just updated this bug description.

Should you prefer a dedicated bug report, please let me know, or feel free to create a new issue out of this comment.

[Aga-C]

Please report it separately. In the new report write which software keyboard exactly is affected, because I've just tested it on Gboard, SwiftKey and AnySoftKeyboard, and in all three backspace was working. But, arrows wasn't working on each of them, so I can partially confirm the bug.

[GfEW]

Done, see #145.

Furthermore, your partial confirmation raises the question whether the actual main point of this bug could also depend on the particular software keyboard app associated with the physical keyboard (in android settings).

So far, I've only tested physical keyboards associated with Hacker's keyboard or Unexpected keyboard , and thereby, encountered the problem outlined above. Should I be able to test physical keyboards in association with other keyboard apps, I will update this issue.

[Aga-C]

It's not related to software keyboards. I was able to reproduce it with Bluetooth keyboard on my phone and on Android emulator (using physical keyboard), regardless of what software keyboard was used.

[GfEW]

Absent a real solution to this, here's my current workaround, hoping that other users find it helpful:

How to set up the workaround

1. Install KeyMapper(*).
2. Install KeyMapper Hacker's Keyboard(*) and enable it for your physical keyboard (either in android settings, input method, or via KeyMapper settings, "Automatically show keyboard picker").
3. Install Simple Clipboard Editor.
4. In KeyMapper, create a key binding to the action "Open Simple Clipboard Editor". The shortcut I use (in KeyMapper syntax) is "Ctrl Right (Any device, do not remap) + Insert (Any device)".

(*) Whilst the marked apps work perfectly fine for me, please note they haven't received any updates in quite a while. Use at your own risk.

How to use the workaround

1. In Fossify Gallery's Copy/Move dialog, make sure the search bar has input focus.
2. Press Ctrl Right + Insert (or whichever shortcut you've assigned).
3. Ctrl+A to select all, then type your input.
4. Meta+Backspace to close Simple Clipboard Editor.
5. Ctrl+V followed by Enter, to enter your search input.

Although this workaround looks like overkill at first, it's the best one I know. If you're bound to haptic interaction via physical keyboard (for anything beyond simple taps, anyway), you may want to give it a try.

(As a bonus, the introduced tools turn out to be very useful for a variety of keyboard related tasks.)

[GfEW]

Should I be able to test physical keyboards in association with other keyboard apps, I will update this issue.

I get the same result with Fossify Keyboard v. 1.1.1, which further reinforces your conclusion:

@Aga-C

It's not related to software keyboards.

Any chance the apparently buggy special code currently used for the Copy/Move search input line can be replaced by the general text input code that is used in all other search, rename etc. input lines of Fossify Gallery, and just works?

[naveensingh]

Any chance the apparently buggy special code currently used for the Copy/Move search input line can be replaced by the general text input code that is used in all other search, rename etc. input lines of Fossify Gallery, and just works?

It uses the same input field. Should be fixed by https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Gallery/pull/437.

A test build will be available soon on this page https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Gallery/actions/runs/14217743710