[Big Picture] Keyboard interaction with text prompts

[JustCryen]

When using big picture, text prompts or any text input is very frustrating and close to impossible. Some letters are remapped and instead of typing them into the text field act as arrows but not for the text input but for the virtual keyboard itself.

For example, letter "T" acts as the down arrow and moves one virtual key on the keyboard down. Letter "R" acts as right arrow and letter "O" as the up arrow.
This is not only happening on the virtual keyboard but on the physical keyboard as well. So I can't even type anything using a physical keyboard because it moves the keys of the virtual keyboard instead inputting the text. When not using BigPictute everything works as intended.

I'm not on a beta branch, I'm on Steam Client version 1726604483.

OS: ArchLinux Kernel: 6.10.10-zen DE: Gnome 46.5

[Maks7878]

I've had the exact same issue for months. Unable to sign in to multiple games or chat with controller because of this issue. Linux Mint 22 (Ubuntu 24.04) Kernel: 6.8.0-45 DE: XFCE

Edit: Still no change after multiple Beta client updates. 11-14-24

[JustCryen]

So it's not Arch specific nor Gnome specific, good to know.
I forgot to mention that I have been using x11 but I can test it on wayland.

[Neubulae]

So it's not Arch specific nor Gnome specific, good to know. I forgot to mention that I have been using x11 but I can test it on wayland.

I tried a few Wayland-legible forks of Proton and reproduced the same issue, so it's not just you. I suppose https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/11236 is the issue you're experiencing as well?

[JustCryen]

I think I used to have a simillar issue quite a long time ago but right now it's only this (at least in relation to a keyboard input)

[SagaPDev]

For me this only happens while using "big picture overlay" (so only when a game is running) exact same issue some keys act as arrow keys T⬇️ R ➡️ and O⬆️

just being in big picture itself without a game running, the keyboard (physical or virtual) works fine

UPDATE: if running steam bigpicture with gamescope the "big picture overlay" behaves normally and keys work and they should:

• native

gamescope -f -e -- steam -gamepadui

• flatpak

gamescope -f -e -- flatpak run com.valvesoftware.Steam -gamepadui

could have the same effect if running the game with parameter gamescope -f -e %command%

[Neubulae]

Replying to https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/11308#issuecomment-2439655157

But, how?

[SagaPDev]

@Neubulae what is it, what are you having trouble with?

[Neubulae]

@Neubulae what is it, what are you having trouble with?

Oh I didn't mean to reply it, I wanted to ask how this workaround "works" but nevertheless this should be answered by Valve, not average users. Besides that, simply running the game inside gamescope doesn't fix this issue for me. I am simply shocked and a bit confused by why scoping Steam within Gamescope "fixes" this issue, for that I wanted an explanation. Needless to say your post provided a lot of help at least for me, but this issue still makes me feel nervous.

[Ziris85]

Marking myself as affected by this as well, though tagging in a comment to state that this isn't Arch-specific, despite the Distro Family tag. I'm currently on Ubuntu Noble/24.04 with the deb installation and experiencing this exact same behavior.

[EXtremeExploit]

Same issue as https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/11236 and https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/11158