Closed Bug 1935799 Opened 2 months ago Closed 1 months ago

Cmd-Opt-Left/Right no longer moves between tabs...

Categories

(Thunderbird :: Mail Window Front End, defect)

Product:
Thunderbird
Component:
Mail Window Front End
Version:
Thunderbird 128
Type:
defect

Tracking

(Not tracked)

Status:
RESOLVED INVALID

People

(Reporter: FredStluka, Unassigned)

References

Details

(Whiteboard: [add-on: QuickFolders])

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/131.0.0.0 Safari/537.36

Steps to reproduce:

  • Open multiple tabs in the Tbird main window
  • Hit Cmd-Opt-LeftArrow or Cmd-Opt-RightArrow

Actual results:

The current tab remained current, but it now displays the
message list of a different mail folder, as though I had hit
Opt-Left or Opt-Right without holding down the Cmd key.

Expected results:

The previous or next tab should have become current.
That is the behavior I see in Firefox and all of my other
Mac apps. The Cmd key should not be ignored.

On macOS 13.2.1 Ventura, I recently updated quickly from:

  • T-bird 91.13.1
    to the following one after the other:
  • TBird 102.15.1
  • TBird 115.10.1
  • TBird 116.0
  • TBird 128.5.1esr

This behaved as expected in 91.13.1 and perhaps in 102.15.1.
I first noticed the problem in 115.10.1.
It is still a problem in 128.5.1esr.

Thanks for your continued support of an incredible product!
--Fred

Component: Untriaged → Mail Window Front End

I'm sure this is a duplicate; I'll try to find it.

Workaround is: Ctrl-PageUp/PageDown

duplicate of bug 1859927, I think.

(In reply to Calum Mackay from comment #2)

duplicate of bug 1859927, I think.

Callum,

No, I don't thunk this is a duplicate of this Bug 1859927.

In Bug 1859927, comment 0, you said:

MacOS Ventura 13.5.2 (22G91). I don't have TB on any other platforms to test if it's the same there.
...
In 20231015 on, it still works when the focus is in the Folder Pane, or the Message Reader, but it no longer has any effect when the focus is in the Message List. In that case, nothing happens at all; nothing in the Error Console either.

You said the bug happens only when the keyboard focus is in the Message List. For me, that is not true. It happens in all 3 panes of the main message window.

You also said the bug behavior is that nothing happens when you hit Cmd-Opt-Left/Right. For me, that's also not true. When I hit Cmd-Opt-Left or Cmd-Opt-Right, it acts as though I had hit Opt-Left or Opt-Right, without holding down the Cmd key.

I'm using TB 128.5.1esr nebula on macOS 13.2.1 Ventura.

Thanks!
--Fred

(In reply to Calum Mackay from comment #1)

Workaround is: Ctrl-PageUp/PageDown

Calum,

6 comments/questions:

  1. Sorry about misspelling your name in my previous comment!
  2. I see that you edited your comment #1 above after you saved it. I know this because I got email with your original comment text and can see that it is now different. How did you edit your existing comment? Is that something I can do for my own comments (to correct the typo of your name, for example)? Or is it an admin-only capability?
  3. In your original comment, you said that the bug only occurred when the tab was threaded. By that, I assume you mean that the messages are grouped into threaded conversations in the Message List. For me, that is not true. The bug occurs even after I click the "Toggle message threads" button in the column headers of the Message List to un-thread the messages. Perhaps that's why you deleted that part of your comment.
  4. You say the Ctrl-PageUp/PageDown is a workaround. Great info! Thanks! On a Mac, there are no PageUp/PageDown keys, but the same effect is accomplished with fn-Up/Down. So I tried Ctrl-fn-Up/Down, and yes, they move to the next/previous tab. I'll use that as a workaround for now.
  5. I just remembered that another common way to switch to next/previous tab is Cmd-Shift-[ and Cmd-Shift-]. All 3 of these combinations have the same effect in Firefox, Chrome and other Mac apps. But Cmd-Shift-[ and Cmd-Shift-] do NOT work in TBird. That is already reported as Bug 541198.
  6. In Bug 541198, mjnkml mentioned that Ctrl-Tab is yet another way to move between tabs. I tried and yes, Ctrl-Tab moves to the next tab, and Ctrl-Shift-Tab moves to the previous tab. That DOES work in TBird, just as it does Firefox, Chrome and other Mac apps. So, I guess that's another workaround I can use. Just have to re-train my fingers...

--Fred

hi Fred, re comment #3, I would note that I logged the other bug over a year ago, so things might be slightly different now…

hi Fred,

(In reply to Fred Stluka from comment #4)

  1. I see that you edited your comment #1 above after you saved it. I know this because I got email with your original comment text and can see that it is now different. How did you edit your existing comment? Is that something I can do for my own comments (to correct the typo of your name, for example)? Or is it an admin-only capability?

When logged in, you should see a "pencil" icon, as the first in the row of icons on the RHS, in the header of your comment. That should allow you to edit it.

  1. In your original comment, you said that the bug only occurred when the tab was threaded. By that, I assume you mean that the messages are grouped into threaded conversations in the Message List. For me, that is not true. The bug occurs even after I click the "Toggle message threads" button in the column headers of the Message List to un-thread the messages. Perhaps that's why you deleted that part of your comment.

Yes, the original bug affected only the message list, I believe. i.e. if the focus was in the message reader, then I could still switch. And now I see that threading affects it.

As you say, things might be different, but it does seem like the same issue, or very similar.

  1. You say the Ctrl-PageUp/PageDown is a workaround. Great info! Thanks! On a Mac, there are no PageUp/PageDown keys

I didn't know how to describe them. Both my Mac USB (A1243) keyboard, and my Logitech Mac-compatible wireless/USBdongle keyboard have pageup/down buttons. They're the right two buttons on the 6-button grouping that has "fn" & "delete" as the left two buttons.

  1. In Bug 541198, mjnkml mentioned that Ctrl-Tab is yet another way to move between tabs. I tried and yes, Ctrl-Tab moves to the next tab, and Ctrl-Shift-Tab moves to the previous tab. That DOES work in TBird, just as it does Firefox, Chrome and other Mac apps. So, I guess that's another workaround I can use. Just have to re-train my fingers...

I fear so; the workarounds being available has perhaps meant this bug hasn't garnered much attention.

(In reply to Calum Mackay from comment #6)

When logged in, you should see a "pencil" icon, as the first in the row of icons on the RHS, in the header of your comment. That should allow you to edit it.

No pencil. Just a Reply arrow and a Collapse "-". Are you a privileged user of any sort (admin, etc.) for this Bugzilla project? Or should you and I have the same rights?

As you say, things might be different, but it does seem like the same issue, or very similar.

I say leave them as separate but related bugs for now. The same fix may not fix both.

I didn't know how to describe them. Both my Mac USB (A1243) keyboard, and my Logitech Mac-compatible wireless/USBdongle keyboard have pageup/down buttons. They're the right two buttons on the 6-button grouping that has "fn" & "delete" as the left two buttons.

I'm using a MacBook Pro laptop, with no external keyboard. I thought PageUp/Down was a PC thing. Hmmm... Checking the box in the basement... Found an external Mac USB keyboard I bought 10 or 15 years ago, and never used. Yeah, it does have such a 6-button grouping. Plus more Function keys (F13-F19). And Ctrl on the right, not just left. And separate Backspace and Delete. And a numeric keypad. I'd forgotten all about it. I'll probably still never use it, since I sit in a recliner inside or a lawn chair outside, rarely at a desk, so I always use the bullt-in Mac laptop keyboard and touchpad, not external mouse/keyboard. But good to know...

I fear so; the workarounds being available has perhaps meant this bug hasn't garnered much attention.

Yeah, as a software developer for over 35 years, I remember well the difficulty in finding the time to fix minor bugs that SHOULD be fixed, but were not urgent for any of the users.

--Fred

See Also: → 1859927

(In reply to Fred Stluka from comment #7)

No pencil. Just a Reply arrow and a Collapse "-". Are you a privileged user of any sort (admin, etc.) for this Bugzilla project? Or should you and I have the same rights?

How mysterious! I only see the pencil/edit on my own comments, obviously. I didn't realise everyone didn't see that.

I've been here a very long time; perhaps I have more privileges than I realised :)

(In reply to Calum Mackay from comment #8)

How mysterious! I only see the pencil/edit on my own comments, obviously. I didn't realise everyone didn't see that.
I've been here a very long time; perhaps I have more privileges than I realised :)

Yeah, that must be it. Thanks! --Fred

I found the solution.
This is NOT a TB bug.
It's caused by an add-on that seems to be grabbing the Cmd-Opt-Left/Right keystrokes.
Sorry for the false alarm!
I hope I didn't waste too much of anyone's time!
Feel free to close this ticket.

I'm using the QuickFolders add-on, and it seems to be causing the problem.
When it turn off its "Alt-Left / Alt-Right for previous / next Tab" feature, everything works fine.

FYI,
--Fred

Status: UNCONFIRMED → RESOLVED
Closed: 1 months ago
Resolution: --- → INVALID
Whiteboard: [add-on: QuickFolders]

thanks Fred,

(In reply to Fred Stluka from comment #10)

When it turn off its "Alt-Left / Alt-Right for previous / next Tab" feature, everything works fine.

to clarify: for me, Cmd-Opt-Left/Right still do not move between tabs, with the current Daily build, as per bug 1859927. No add-ons installed.

(In reply to Calum Mackay from comment #11)

to clarify: for me, Cmd-Opt-Left/Right still do not move between tabs, with the current Daily build, as per bug 1859927. No add-ons installed.

Sorry to hear that Calum. Hopefully, they can fix your reported Bug 1859927 soon.

I've been REALLY lucky with the add-on I'm using.
I reported this bug to its developer 2 days ago, and he fixed it and sent me a new release within 17 hours.
I also reported one other extremely low priority bug to him 2 days ago, and he fixed it and sent me a new release within 21 hours.

Axel Grude, author of the QuickFolders add-on is extraordinarily responsive!
When I reported the 2nd bug to him, I emphasized that it was extremely low priority to me.
As we discussed it with a series of comments in his bug tracker, it quickly became apparent that I'm a real edge-case for his add-on.
I explicitly choose to NOT use about 99% of his functionality, but make VERY heavy use (hundreds of times per day) of just a handful of his features.
The bug I reported would not be noticed by almost any of his other users, because it goes away when his add-on is used as he intended it to be used.
Even so, he STILL engaged with me, with a couple of back/forth comments, figured out the problem and sent me a fixed version.
All within 21 hours!
And the previous bug within 17 hours!
I've been an Agile software developer for over 40 years, often doing new software releases every week or two, but I'm not sure if I've EVER gotten a bug fix into production THAT fast. Wow!

--Fred

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