Flutter OnScreen Keyboard opens on physical key press

[SebastianRuettger]

I have a device that uses a laserscanner to scan barcodes and outputs the result as simulated keypresses. I've used this with a RawKeyboardListener and it worked fine. Since then I've added a login screen to the app, that is only shown if the user hasn't logged in. If the login screen has been shown and disposed the onscreen keyboard opens when i press the physical scanner button. This should not happen and doesn't happen if the login screen hasn't been shown. My guess is, that there still are some remains of the textfields used in the login screen, after it is disposed. I've tried setting the FocusNodes for the Textfields and then disposing them in the dispose method, but that didn't work

I've asked a question on StackOverflow: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/60417173/flutter-onscreen-keyboard-opens-on-physical-key-press

Steps to Reproduce

1. Screen with one or more Textfields
2. focus one or more
3. navigate to new screen
4. press physical button

Expected results: button is pressed but only the keyevents are fired

Actual results: the onscreen keyboard opens

Logs

[√] Flutter (Channel stable, v1.12.13+hotfix.8, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.16299.1686], locale de-DE)
    • Flutter version 1.12.13+hotfix.8 at C:\Users\sruettge\Documents\flutter
    • Framework revision 0b8abb4724 (2 weeks ago), 2020-02-11 11:44:36 -0800
    • Engine revision e1e6ced81d
    • Dart version 2.7.0


[√] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 29.0.1)
    • Android SDK at C:\Users\sruettge\AppData\Local\Android\sdk
    • Android NDK location not configured (optional; useful for native profiling support)
    • Platform android-29, build-tools 29.0.1
    • Java binary at: C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio\jre\bin\java
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_202-release-1483-b03)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[√] Android Studio (version 3.5)
    • Android Studio at C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio
    • Flutter plugin version 36.0.1
    • Dart plugin version 183.6270
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_202-release-1483-b03)

[√] VS Code (version 1.42.1)
    • VS Code at C:\Users\sruettge\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code
    • Flutter extension version 3.8.1

[√] Connected device (1 available)
    • MEMOR 10 • S19H00332 • android-arm64 • Android 8.1.0 (API 27)

• No issues found!

[artemtkachenko]

Same issue
I am really disappointed since it blocks flutter development for android applications that have a virtual keyboard but does not have a touch screen.
It is not a rare case, it is a large market of android tv applications.

[darshankawar]

Hi @SebastianRuettger,
Can you please confirm if you still experience the issue on latest Stable version ?
Thanks.

[SebastianRuettger]

Hey, I've changed jobs and have no access to the device and the appAm 25.08.2020 12:56 schrieb darshankawar <notifications@github.com>: Hi @SebastianRuettger, Can you please confirm if you still experience the issue on latest Stable version ? Thanks. —You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe.

[Guillaume-Fortin]

i have same problem with flutter 1.17.5.
i will test on 1.20.3

[Guillaume-Fortin]

I have migrate to flutter 1.20.3 and the problem still present on android.

I have a home screen and when i scan with a barcode device plugged with phone, the keyboard keep open after navigation or after dismiss a previous screen keyboard.

For resolve the problem, i need back and return to application on android with application manager.

The used device => Unitech PA760

[Guillaume-Fortin]

I debuged.
The method TextInputPlugin.getLastInputConnection keep a reference to an old lastInputConnection when the bug is produced.
When i resume application, the lastInputConnection property begin null and the keyevent work.

[CyrilHu]

i have same problem with flutter 1.22.1

[nrutledge]

I've just encountered this in Flutter 1.22.4. This is a major problem for any apps integrated with external input devices like barcode scanners.

Has anyone found a suitable workaround that can be used until this is resolved? Currently, I'm resorting to hiding the keyboard after each scan but it causes the keyboard to flash on screen each time which is jarring.

UPDATE: Originally I was testing with the Android emulator. I've just tested now with two physical devices and cannot reproduce on those as of yet.

[pkotowski]

Same issue:
[√] Flutter (Channel stable, 1.22.4, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19041.630], locale pl-PL)

Also very important for me as POS systems manufacturer.

OnScreen keyboard is not showing until any TextField input got focus. After that, keyboard will be shown on every keyboard input, also when no TextField widgets are on current Scaffold.

[aakashbapna]

@darshankawar able to reproduce the issue on 1.22.4 on physical device.

[fredrikjacobson]

@aakashbapna Are you performing any workaround currently?
How's the experience with hiding keyboard on keypress?

[aakashbapna]

@fredrikjacobson no workaround except switching to beta channel to atleast get the RawKeyEvent. Hiding the keyboard is very jarring experience for the user, if I don't hide the keyboard onKey, the only way for user to dismiss keyboard is to focus a text field and then dismiss (using "done" on keyboard or un-focussing text field).

[misha]

I have a completely different use case. The app is a game that brings up a TextField for entering text commands, but otherwise uses all keyboard events for in-game actions.

After bringing up the TextField just once, RawKeyDownEvent stops being delivered to the RawKeyboardListener, and every press triggers the soft keyboard. As a user above mentioned, pausing and resuming the app appears to fix the state, but I have no workaround. Very, very stuck!

Flutter 2.2.0 • channel beta • https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
Framework • revision b22742018b (5 weeks ago) • 2021-05-14 19:12:57 -0700
Engine • revision a9d88a4d18
Tools • Dart 2.13.0

[fanchou]

TextInputType.none: #83974

[red282]

With some debugging, I found that the selectionChanged value is always true on pressing any key from my bluetooth keyboard.

flutter/packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/editable_text.dart

Line 2485 in 361d416

final bool selectionChanged = _value.selection != value.selection;

For example, my printed values are following:

• from TextSelection.collapsed(offset: 1, affinity: TextAffinity.downstream, isDirectional: false)
• to TextSelection.collapsed(offset: 2, affinity: TextAffinity.downstream, isDirectional: false)

So, this condition is also always true.

flutter/packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/editable_text.dart

Lines 2507 to 2516 in 361d416

	// Changes made by the keyboard can sometimes be "out of band" for listening
	// components, so always send those events, even if we didn't think it
	// changed. Also, the user long pressing should always send a selection change
	// as well.
	if (selectionChanged ||
	(userInteraction &&
	(cause == SelectionChangedCause.longPress ||
	cause == SelectionChangedCause.keyboard))) {
	_handleSelectionChanged(_value.selection, cause);
	}

And, in _handleSelectionChanged function, requestKeyboard() is called, which brings to show the on-screen keyboard.

flutter/packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/editable_text.dart

Lines 2334 to 2345 in 361d416

	void _handleSelectionChanged(TextSelection selection, SelectionChangedCause? cause) {
	// We return early if the selection is not valid. This can happen when the
	// text of [EditableText] is updated at the same time as the selection is
	// changed by a gesture event.
	if (!widget.controller.isSelectionWithinTextBounds(selection))
	return;
	widget.controller.selection = selection;
	// This will show the keyboard for all selection changes on the
	// EditableWidget, not just changes triggered by user gestures.
	requestKeyboard();

I checked both master & stable branches.

Is it a normal behavior that the selection change is evaluated always as true with an external keyboard? (I have not overall understanding for logics around those codes.)

[red282]

Above issue is ocurred only with Samsung keyboard.
Not reproduced with Gboard.

[gomcodoctor]

I am facing same issue with Gboard !

[rekire]

Related Android Bug: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/300236999

[karatekid430]

It's 2024 and they have not fixed a simple bug which clearly is affecting a people in a serious way.

[bleroux]

Closing because this is fixed on master, see flutter/engine#49829.

Before this fix, the IME internal state was reset when a text field is focused but not when it was unfocused. Depending on the IME this results on the IME still reacting based on the configuration of the last focused text field.
With this fix, the IME internal state is reset when a text field is unfocused.

[github-actions]

This thread has been automatically locked since there has not been any recent activity after it was closed. If you are still experiencing a similar issue, please open a new bug, including the output of flutter doctor -v and a minimal reproduction of the issue.