Google Sheets: pressing spacebar erases all previously typed characters in a cell

[gelraen.ua 33]

Open Google Sheets app, create a new spreadsheet, tap on any cell to set input focus there. Type some characters then press spacebar on physical keyboard - and watch characters you typed disappear.

This happens with default layout, stock android English layout, and with FinQwerty layouts as well.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

It is an odd bug in google sheets. Try with usb debugging on and ADB

adb shell input keyevent 62

it matches a press on the spacebar by sending a KEYCODE_SPACEBAR

[gelraen.ua 33]

Indeed, that produces the same result 😮 Do you have a reference to Sheets bug report?

[EskeRahn 5,471]

49 minutes ago, gelraen.ua said:

Indeed, that produces the same result 😮 Do you have a reference to Sheets bug report?

Nope, sorry.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

If I install Swiftkey and DISABLE Gboard on the Pro1 then Space works fine in sheets, either pressed or emulated.

Also tried to send the same on a Samsung S8- and here it DOES give a space.

So the bug is more subtle than not respecting the keycode at all. Seems related to the keyboard driver also??

Anyone with another device with Pie that are using a BT keyboard could check that combo? Or just the emulated?

Preferably a pixel or Android One device with no added keyboard driver, to have it as close to stock as possible, and with Gboard.

[elvissteinjr 359]

Tried this on my Moto Z with USB keyboard connected, with Gboard as the input method. Works as it should there.
Not running Pie though.

If you have an adapter lying around and no BT keyboard, try connecting a USB keyboard to the Pro1 and see what happens.

Edited February 3, 2020 by elvissteinjr

[gelraen.ua 33]

I have a Pixel 4 with stock android (although it's 10, not Pie, so major OS upgrade might change things) - doesn't reproduce with both BT and USB keyboard.

Thanks for the tip about SwiftKey, that kind of points into direction of Gboard being at fault... except that Gboard on Pro1 and Pixel 4 mentioned above have identical version IDs

[gelraen.ua 33]

2 minutes ago, elvissteinjr said:

If you have an adapter lying around and not BT keyboard, try connecting a USB keyboard to the Pro1 and see what happens.

Yeah, tried that, and it deletes characters as well.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

16 minutes ago, gelraen.ua said:

Yeah, tried that, and it deletes characters as well.

So it is somehow seems to be related to Gboard combined with either Pie or specifically the Pro1. How odd!?! 🤯

[gelraen.ua 33]

1 minute ago, EskeRahn said:

So it is somehow seems to be related to either Pie or specifically the Pro1. How odd!?! 🤯

Gboard AND (Pie OR Pro1) 🙂 Testing on another Pie device with Gboard could provide a useful data point. Either way, I've filed in-app feedback from Sheets on Pro1, maybe something will come out of it.

[DieBruine 397]

A workaround is using Swiftkey. I sheet all the time 😁. Just temporary switch to Swiftkey and you'll be fine.
I switch because I haven't figured out yet how to make the emoticons shortcut work in Swiftkey, which I use a lot.

[wilhelmfitzpatrick 47]

I can add that holding down the function arrow while typing space does cause a space to be correctly entered into Sheets. Very odd bug.

[FlyingAntero 871]

10 hours ago, gelraen.ua said:

Gboard AND (Pie OR Pro1) 🙂 Testing on another Pie device with Gboard could provide a useful data point. Either way, I've filed in-app feedback from Sheets on Pro1, maybe something will come out of it.

I tested this with my Xperia XZ1 Compact running Pie (not an Android One device thought) and I can put space there without any issues. If I press the space it does not erase the cell.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

3 hours ago, FlyingAntero said:

I tested this with my Xperia XZ1 Compact running Pie (not an Android One device thought) and I can put space there without any issues. If I press the space it does not erase the cell.

Thanks. It is not an issue with the fake keyboard on the Pro1 either. It is 'only' when using  real physical one, or emulated with ADB. Have you tried with ADB?

[FlyingAntero 871]

35 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

Thanks. It is not an issue with the fake keyboard on the Pro1 either. It is 'only' when using  real physical one, or emulated with ADB. Have you tried with ADB?

OK, I didn't quite understand first. I tested with bluetooth keyboard also and the space did not erase the cell (Xperia XZ1 Compact).

[EskeRahn 5,471]

43 minutes ago, FlyingAntero said:

OK, I didn't quite understand first. I tested with bluetooth keyboard also and the space did not erase the cell (Xperia XZ1 Compact).

Ah thanks! Would expect the BT keyboard to give the same bug as @gelraen.ua reported a BT keyboard to trigger it on the Pro1.
Just to be sure, what keyboard software are you using? Gboard or something else? If something else, could you try with Gboard only?

[FlyingAntero 871]

1 hour ago, EskeRahn said:

Ah thanks! Would expect the BT keyboard to give the same bug as @gelraen.ua reported a BT keyboard to trigger it on the Pro1.
Just to be sure, what keyboard software are you using? Gboard or something else? If something else, could you try with Gboard only?

Yes, I had installed Gboard and only selected that to active. Xperia XZ1 Compact has three virtual keyboard installed by stock: Xperia keyboard Japan and China, SwiftKey. I am able to disable Xperia keyboards from app settings but only thing what I can do for SwiftKey is force close. But if I go to keyboard settings I am able to disable SwiftKey from there. It is still listed but grayed out.

So I only had Gboard enabled from the keyboard settings and same result. I am able to put space without erasing the cell. I don't know if SwiftKey has any effects here since it is pre-installed.

[gelraen.ua 33]

Thanks a lot! This means that it's more likely to be specific to Pro1 than Pie.

11 minutes ago, FlyingAntero said:

I don't know if SwiftKey has any effects here since it is pre-installed.

It shouldn't, I could still reproduce the bug with SwiftKey installed but inactive.

 

[EskeRahn 5,471]

3 hours ago, gelraen.ua said:

Thanks a lot! This means that it's more likely to be specific to Pro1 than Pie.

It shouldn't, I could still reproduce the bug with SwiftKey installed but inactive.

Swiftkey can be there as long as Gboard is chosen active I get the bug

Also if I disable gboard and selects "Key Mapper Keyboard" as active (that is no virtual keyboard....), I still gets the bug.

Sheets on mine insists on portrait. Forcing it landscape did not matter.

 

It thius seems swiftkey does something positive, rather than gboard doing something negative....???

 

So it somehow seems limited to Pro1 without Swiftkey selected active - how odd!

[peperuizsj 0]

This is currently happening to me on a macbook pro.