Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer Topic is solved

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passa
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Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by passa » 2021-03-11, 14:56

Hi,

when editing address bar url and switch to other application and back the whole address text gets selected as a whole.
This unfortunately interferes with linux pasting mechanism via X selection buffer ("mouse middle button pasting") as the clipboard gets replaced when the address text gets selected by palemoon.
Would it be possible that the text in address bar isn't selected at all when switching?

Ideal workflow:
1. User composes more complex URL in palemoon's address bar
2. Temporarily switches to different app (like terminal or whatever) to select some text which should be added to URL
3. Switches back to palemoon
4. Pastes the selection into URL in the address bar

Currently the selection buffer set in point 2 is immediately replaced at point 3 by the URL edited in address bar.
One can workaround it by using normal clipboard but it's cumbersome, esp. with terminals.

Thanks for consideration,
Pavel

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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by vannilla » 2021-03-11, 15:07

Use a virtual terminal with proper support for clipboard; it's $CURRENT_YEAR after all.
A quick test has shown that browser.urlbar.clickSelectsAll to false will do what you want, but as I don't use it I don't know if there are any caveats.
Try it and tread with care.

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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by Moonchild » 2021-03-11, 15:09

See also viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4947&p=30445

We prefer clipboard usage over primary buffer in Pale Moon, but you can change the settings to give it that UNIX-y behaviour if you want.
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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2021-03-11, 15:12

The behavior can be influenced by some linux specific preferences but as it stands the range of behavior will not be changed beyond what is established and available by those preferences.

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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by Moonchild » 2021-03-11, 15:19

FTR: we settled on the current behaviour in 2014. It won't be changed out of the box.
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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by passa » 2021-03-12, 13:40

vannilla wrote:
2021-03-11, 15:07
Use a virtual terminal with proper support for clipboard; it's $CURRENT_YEAR after all.
There is nothing "unproper" about X selection mechanism and most terminals support both X selection and clipboard. My issue was about breaking selection in linux.
vannilla wrote:
2021-03-11, 15:07
A quick test has shown that browser.urlbar.clickSelectsAll to false will do what you want, but as I don't use it I don't know if there are any caveats.
Try it and tread with care.
browser.urlbar.clickSelectsAll is what I was asking for, thanks.

I would close this topic, but I don't see how ;)

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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by jobbautista9 » 2021-03-12, 14:58

passa wrote:
2021-03-12, 13:40
I would close this topic, but I don't see how ;)
You can mark vannilla's answer with the "solved" button. Moderators here don't manually lock forums unless necessary.
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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by ron_1 » 2021-03-12, 16:41

The workaround has the negative effect of then requiring a double click to select the url. Is this the only possible solution?

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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by biopsin » 2021-03-12, 16:45

Xellent, this has bin troubling me as well.
@ron_1 press F6 to select all, I mostly use keyboard so this works quicly for me at least
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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by vannilla » 2021-03-12, 16:54

passa wrote:
2021-03-12, 13:40
There is nothing "unproper" about X selection mechanism and most terminals support both X selection and clipboard. My issue was about breaking selection in linux.
I war referring to this sentence of yours:
One can workaround it by using normal clipboard but it's cumbersome, esp. with terminals.
Last time I had to deal with selections and clipboards in a virtual terminal, things worked like ass, hence my strikethrough sentence.
I'm not aware of significant improvements on the matter, which is the sarcastic element of that line.
Fortunately since then, I moved on to something better and I'm not dealing with other terminals so much as to find myself in need to copy something from or paste something to a virtual terminal.

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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by ron_1 » 2021-03-13, 19:35

biopsin wrote:
2021-03-12, 16:45
@ron_1 press F6 to select all, I mostly use keyboard so this works quicly for me at least
The workaround has the negative effect of then either requiring a double click to select the url or pressing F6 on the keyboard. Is this the only possible solution?

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Re: Address bar corrupts workflow with linux selection buffer

Unread post by Moonchild » 2021-03-13, 20:56

ron_1 wrote:
2021-03-13, 19:35
The workaround has the negative effect of then either requiring a double click
In their case that's not a negative effect. it's what they want. You can't magically have a program know what a user intends to do with their interaction and if their interaction is a (single) click, then one and only one action will be tied to that event. Otherwise you're breaking down the user experience with intermittent unwanted behaviour. And that is also far from intuitive.
"Sometimes, the best way to get what you want is to be a good person." -- Louis Rossmann
"Seek wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past; wisdom is of the future." -- Native American proverb
"Linux makes everything difficult." -- Lyceus Anubite

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