JavaScript DOM text: what is the expected default for text selection and copy?

[jsfan3]

In some earlier JavaScript builds, text became selectable and copyable automatically. I no longer see that behavior in the builds I tested today, 26 September 2026.

The DOM text blog post describes browser text selection, but also says that mouse drag selection is disabled to preserve the canvas's handling of gestures, while browser search and keyboard selection are supported.

My current minimal example is available at https://routinote.hopto.me/scrolling-test/. I generated a new project with the web Initializr, added only one long SpanLabel, and compiled it to JavaScript using the Codename One cloud build server, not an offline build. The generated project uses CN1 7.0.273. I have not added selection-related API calls or build hints.

Could you clarify:

1. Is the DOM text layer currently enabled by default in cloud-built JavaScript apps? Which selection and copy interactions should work without configuration in desktop and mobile browsers?
2. Has anything changed recently in the cloud port or its defaults that could explain why selection and copying were available in earlier builds but are no longer available in my current tests?
3. What is the supported way to enable selection and copying of read-only text? Is there a build hint or property, or should I still enable both form.getTextSelection().setEnabled(true) and spanLabel.setTextSelectionEnabled(true)? How do these APIs interact with the new DOM layer?

My goal is to let users select and copy text while preserving normal scrolling, buttons and other touch or mouse interactions.

[shai-almog]

From that post:

Drag selection is also disabled for now. The text layer takes no pointer events so the canvas keeps owning hit testing. Find-in-page and keyboard selection work without that change. Mouse drag selection needs pointer routing that can distinguish text selection from component gestures.

[shai-almog]

To be clear, I think it's something we should add, just quoting this because the post is a bit confusing in that sense and that paragraph is a bit hidden below.