pressing arrow key when editing code cell sometimes doesn't work

[yuuuxt]

Applies To

• Notebooks (.ipynb files)
• Interactive Window and/or Cell Scripts (.py files with #%% markers)

What happened?

Not sure how the issue is triggered, it just happened when using notebook:

• arrow key doesn't work anymore (typing still works)
• up/down when "accross-the-cell" still works (from "frozen cell" to another cell)
• change it to markdown then it works fine; then changing back arrow key again stops working;
• pasting contents to a new cell - it depends on where the new cell is created, and seems is not related to the content itself.

I feel It's possible that it's because of other extensions. I will have a try disabling some.

Below is an illustration when I hold arrow down/up:

VS Code Version

1.77.0

Jupyter Extension Version

v2023.3.1000892223

Jupyter logs

(seems nothing related. the last lines are:)

info 16:49:35.053: Cancel all remaining cells true || Error || undefined
info 10:24:44.793: Cancel all remaining cells true || Error || undefined
info 10:29:40.538: Cancel all remaining cells true || Error || undefined
info 10:30:30.891: Cancel all remaining cells true || Error || undefined
info 10:30:39.537: Cancel all remaining cells true || Error || undefined

Coding Language and Runtime Version

No response

Language Extension Version (if applicable)

No response

Anaconda Version (if applicable)

No response

Running Jupyter locally or remotely?

Remote

[roblourens]

You can run the command "Toggle keyboard shortcuts troubleshooting" to get some details on what is happening when you press the arrow key, and it might point you towards an extension or a bad context key

[rebornix]

This is likely a duplicate of #12738, will ping once we have a fix for it in Insiders.

[kavmax]

Same problem

[rebornix]

This issue will be fixed and released in tomorrow's VS Code Insiders. Thank you for the input.

[phipz]

Same problem!

[Zhangyanbo]

I have the same problem after the update. I have never face this bug before.

[icarofm]

I have the same problem, I don't know how to replicate it, but apparently it happens to me sometime after using the "home" / "end" or "shift+home" / "shift+end" keys

VS Code Version

1.77.3

Jupyter Extension Version

v2023.3.1201040234

[dlefcoe]

i get the same thing. I am running a clean new version of vs code with only the python extension and one other extension (Edit CSV). After many years of using VS code I have never faced this bug before. (python version 3.11, vs code version 1.77.3 ).

Restarting the workbook resolves the problem, but then it seems to randomly (not sure what triggers this) reoccur...

[joecorsi]

same problem. closing and reopening the notebook fixes it. seems only recently to have become an issue. python 3.10.9 vs code 1.77.3

[Vulwsztyn]

For me left arrow resolves to this:

2023-04-19 15:46:39.117 [info] [KeybindingService]: | Resolving LeftArrow
2023-04-19 15:46:39.117 [info] [KeybindingService]: \ From 11 keybinding entries, matched editor.action.scrollLeftHover, when: editorHoverFocused, source: built-in.
2023-04-19 15:46:39.117 [info] [KeybindingService]: + Invoking command editor.action.scrollLeftHover.

instead of cursorLeft

[rebornix]

Thank you for your feedbacks. The fix was not shipped in 1.77.3 but is available in Insiders and also the next 1.78 stable.

[AnnaGolubeva]

when is 1.78 with the fix coming out? this issue is making it nearly impossible for me to work with vscode

[PeterJamesLawson]

So the issue is marked 'closed', but the fix isn't in the current stable release, and the time line for the next stable release version is unknown?

[lvdtweel]

According to April 2023 Endgame #180716, 1.78 is expected to be released somewhere early next week (May 1-3).

[ArimJin]

still same problem OTL

[miedda]

This issue still exists in 1.78

[rebornix]

Thank you all for the detailed reproduce steps and analysis. The arrow key is very hijacked by editor.action.scroll*Hover command whose context keys might not be updated properly. cc @aiday-mar

[Linusnie]

glad to hear this is getting looked into! To add to the temporary fixes people already suggested I also added this to make the escape key work:

    { "key": "escape", "command": "-editor.action.escapeFocusHover", "when": "editorHoverFocused" },

[SunYong0821]

1.78.2 still exists

[rebornix]

I figured out one way to reproduce this issue:

• Hover on a variable
• Click on the Hover (which makes it focused)
• Enter, which focuses the cell container
• Click on the Hover again, which will set editor selection
• Move mouse away, Hover disappears, and then the arrow keys are stuck

Screen.Recording.2023-05-16.at.11.19.42.AM.mov

@aiday-mar we need to figure out how to update the context key in this scenario.

[matrs]

In the latest 1.78.1.
This makes vs-code close to be unusable for notebooks. Also, this bug didn't exist a few months ago.

[xareelee]

• VSCode 1.78.2
• Jupyter Extension v2023.4.1011241018

I face this issue/bug for 1~2 months.

[mmalex]

Pressing Ctrl+K and Ctrl+I twice, to enter and exit hover mode, seems to work around this issue if you run into it. (or command+K, command+I on mac)

[Ar-Kareem]

I found a workaround that permanently made this issue go away for me, I just had to unbind the scroll hover commands

See here #13514 (comment)

[mapio]

I found a workaround

This actually was known since weeks ago #13263 (comment), #13263 (comment) just to make a few examples.

[kimnegrette3]

Hi! I'm still facing this issue. VSCode Version: 1.78.2. Anyone could work their way around on mac? Thanks!

[Ar-Kareem]

Hi! I'm still facing this issue. VSCode Version: 1.78.2. Anyone could work their way around on mac? Thanks!

Yes try unbinding scroll hover as suggested above.

[plauria]

I note that this issue also applies to the Home and End keys as well. Similarly to the above workarounds, removing "hover" keybindings from those keys fixes things.

[Groni3000]

Pressing Ctrl+K and Ctrl+I twice, to enter and exit hover mode, seems to work around this issue if you run into it. (or command+K, command+I on mac)

This is the best advice here. Thanks a lot! Why should I unbind hover commands or something like this to make it work :/ Your advice much much better, it helps to mitigate the problem until it get fixed.

[starball5]

Related on Stack Overflow: VSCode: Arrow keys in Jupyter Notebook stop working after a while

[rebornix]

This issue should now be fixed in latest VS Code Insiders and will be available in next week's Stable release. Thank you everyone for your patience and valuable troubleshooting tips.

[raespanha]

I have been struggling with this problem for weeks, specifically in certain cells. Even after deleting and recreating those cells, the issue persisted in that particular cell, which was quite frustrating.

However, I found a workaround that seems to work. It involves hovering over a method in the affected cell, clicking in the documentation window, and then pressing the arrow keys. By doing so, the arrow keys start functioning properly.

I hope this solution proves helpful in your situation.

[francisohara24]

Same issue here.

[avtaliong]

I have a workaround - Hover over a variable or a function and click on the hovered window press escape and arrows are back

[AlvaroMatsuda]

I have a workaround - Hover over a variable or a function and click on the hovered window press escape and arrows are back

This worked for me. But as he said is a workaround. It would be nice if this behavior is fixed

[AndrewLaganaro]

August and it still exists.
Jupyter extension: v2023.3.1201040234
Python extension: v2023.6.1
Vs code version: 1.77.3

Solved by closing and reopening Vscode

[zachwarner]

I'm not sure if this is a separate issue, but the broken arrow key behavior persists for me when running ipython in the integrated terminal (R and Python are both unaffected). I implemented the hover keybinding workaround, which did not resolve it. Versions as follows:

VSCode: 1.81.1
Python: v2023.14.0
Jupyter: v2023.7.1002162226

Update: I'll leave this here in case anyone arrives via google like I did. Apparently it's an ipython issue. Here's a solution that worked for me.