Fix Alt+key copy shortcuts not working for HTML notebook outputs

[Copilot]

Users reported that keyboard shortcuts involving the Alt key (like Alt+C for copy) were not working for HTML notebook cell outputs, while they worked fine for plain text outputs and the standard Ctrl+C shortcut worked for all output types.

Root Cause

The issue was in the OutputElement class in webviewPreloads.ts. When implementing drag-and-drop functionality for notebook outputs, an Alt key handler was added that immediately set element.draggable = true whenever Alt was pressed:

window.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
    if (e.altKey) {
        this.element.draggable = true;  // This interfered with Alt+C copy
    }
});

Making an element draggable can interfere with text selection and copy operations, preventing Alt-based keyboard shortcuts from working properly.

Solution

Modified the Alt keydown handler to check for common copy/paste/cut key combinations and skip making the element draggable in those cases:

window.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
    if (e.altKey) {
        // Don't make element draggable if Alt is used with copy/paste/cut keys
        // to avoid interfering with Alt-based keyboard shortcuts for copying
        const isCopyPasteShortcut = e.key === 'c' || e.key === 'C' ||
                                   e.key === 'v' || e.key === 'V' ||
                                   e.key === 'x' || e.key === 'X';
        if (!isCopyPasteShortcut) {
            this.element.draggable = true;
        }
    }
});

What This Fixes

• Alt+C, Alt+V, Alt+X keyboard shortcuts now work correctly for HTML notebook outputs
• Both uppercase and lowercase key variants are supported
• Copy operations work properly without interference from drag behavior

What Remains Working

• Drag-and-drop functionality is preserved for Alt + other key combinations
• Image outputs remain draggable by default (unchanged behavior)
• Standard Ctrl+C/Cmd+C copy shortcuts continue to work
• Window blur and Alt release properly reset the draggable state

This is a minimal, surgical fix that only affects the specific condition causing the problem while preserving all existing functionality.

Fixes #251433.

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[Yoyokrazy]

This is not an issue we can solve by listening for particular keystrokes. The user is allowed to set a completely arbitrary keystroke based upon their own needs, for example something like alt+w which is not a common or expected keystroke.

It would appear that when the keystroke is used, the command is still triggered (the copy command), hoewver the holding of alt seems to be putting the HTML text into a technically unselected state (even though there is still a visual selection). Please try to address the root cause here.

[Copilot]

This is not an issue we can solve by listening for particular keystrokes. The user is allowed to set a completely arbitrary keystroke based upon their own needs, for example something like alt+w which...

You're absolutely right. I've addressed the root cause by changing the approach entirely. Instead of trying to detect specific keystrokes, the fix now:

1. Tracks Alt state without immediately setting draggable=true - this prevents interference with text selection and any Alt-based shortcuts
2. Only sets draggable=true when detecting actual drag intent (Alt + mousedown) and when there's no active text selection
3. Respects existing text selections - if text is selected, it won't make the element draggable even during drag attempts

This approach preserves all keyboard shortcuts (including arbitrary user-configured ones) while still enabling drag-and-drop functionality when the user actually intends to drag content.

Warning

Firewall rules blocked me from connecting to one or more addresses

I tried to connect to the following addresses, but was blocked by firewall rules:

• electronjs.org
  • Triggering command: node-gyp (dns block)

If you need me to access, download, or install something from one of these locations, you can either:

• Configure Actions setup steps to set up my environment, which run before the firewall is enabled
• Add the appropriate URLs or hosts to my firewall allow list