Insert phrase using abbreviation and tab not working as expected

[unlucky67]

Classification:Bug

(Pick one of: Bug, Crash/Hang/Data Loss, Performance, UI/Usability, Feature (New), Enhancement)

Reproducibility: Always (?)

(Pick one of: Always, Sometimes, Rarely, Unable, I Didn't Try)

Version 0.96.0-beta.5

AutoKey version:

Used GUI (Gtk, Qt, or both): gtk

If the problem is known to be present in more than one version, please list all of those.

Installed via: (PPA, pip3, …).

Linux Distribution: Linux Mint 20.2 Uma \n \l

Summary

In Libre Office writer using backspace to delete the tab after phrase inserted deletes every thing except first few replaced characters, (so far no of characters remaining doesn't seem dependent on length of inserted phrase).
In sticky notes the back space deletes everything - acts as undo and leaves just the abbreviation.
In google mail the phrase is inserted but the abbreviation isn't removed, and using backspace to delete the tab leaves the abbreviation and random characters

Steps to Reproduce (if applicable)

• I do this set up an abbreviation to enter a phrase using tab as the trigger
• as this eg (edited - had uploaded wrong screen shot)

• I do that press backspace to get rid of the tab.
• eg in screenshot gives 'ful' in LO
• another eg apple crumble & custard - trigger abbreviation is app - gives Appl
• in sticky notes the original abbreviation
• in google mail
  

Expected Results

just the phrase remains

• This should happen.

Actual Results

Varies depends on application used as in summary.

• Instead, this happens. :(

If helpful, submit screenshots of the issue to help debug.
Debugging output, obtained by launching autokey via autokey-gtk --verbose (or autokey-qt --verbose, if you use the Qt interface) is also useful.
Please upload the log somewhere accessible or put the output into a code block (enclose in triple backticks).

Example code block. Replace this whith your log content.

Notes

Describe any debugging steps you've taken yourself.

If you've found a workaround, please provide it here.
Press enter/click elsewhere and then you can delete the tab

[josephj11]

Unpacking this a bit:

IIUIC, the way AutoKey is designed to work with trigger abbreviations is that the trigger character that marks the end of the trigger abbreviation is treated as a normal character meant to remain in the text after the action has been triggered. It's not considered part of the trigger abbreviation itself.

if you don't want that behavior, you should also enable the Remove trigger character option.
Alternatively, you can enable the Trigger when typed as part of a word and/or Trigger immediately options or trigger the action with a hotkey so that no trigger character is necessary.

Once an action has been triggered and completes, the default behavior is that pressing Backspace will undo the action - if possible (there are things such as embedded macros that make undo impossible). This can be disabled in the AutoKey configuration, but affects all phrases, not just a particular one.

Once you have modified your phrase to be consistent with the above, let us know what problem, if any, remains.

It looks like there may be a bug here, but you are less likely to encounter it if you use AutoKey as it was designed to be used.

[sebastiansam55]

Hey @unlucky67 if you want to check out my PR and test if it resolves your issues that would be greatly appreciated. You can view the changes here #596.