[jon9999]

From time to time, the Shift key on my Key2 physical keyboard loses its "stickiness": I press Shift, let go, and hit another key, and the letter appears in lowercase.

This happens only occasionally, and only in certain apps, like Gmail, that I believe use a subsystem called "webview" (or something like that).

At first I thought I wasn't pressing Shift hard enough, but I've noticed that when this happens, the up-arrow icon appears in the notification bar for perhaps 0.1 seconds before disappearing. So my shifting is being recognized, but it's being forgotten before I have time to hit the next letter.

See the series of screenshots attached. I type the word "next," then space, then Shift. The up-arrow appears in the notification bar briefly (second image), then disappears just before I type the "S" in "Saturday" (third image), which then appears in lowercase. (You can't tell from the screenshots, but the up-arrow disappears about 0.1 seconds after I press Shift and before I press "S.")

This happens often enough that it's really annoying, but not often enough that I can reproduce it at will.

[dakusama]

Hi, that does seem rather unfortunate. I press **** and the letter I want in uppercase at the same time, just as you would do using a computer keyboard. Does the problem still persist when doing as I advise?

[jon9999]

I press **** and the letter I want in uppercase at the same time, just as you would do using a computer keyboard. Does the problem still persist when doing as I advise?

(I assume you meant "Shift" when you wrote "****" above.)

No, if I hold down Shift while typing another letter, that letter is always in upper case. But the BlackBerry has always supported sticky Shift (and the Key2 clearly is supposed to support it, since it usually works), and I'm very accustomed to pressing Shift and letting go before typing the next letter. It's automatic, after so many years and so many BlackBerries. Anyway, it's very hard to type capital Z without stickiness because the Shift key and the Z key are so close together.

[dakusama]

(I assume you meant "Shift" when you wrote "****" above.)

No, if I hold down Shift while typing another letter, that letter is always in upper case. But the BlackBerry has always supported sticky Shift (and the Key2 clearly is supposed to support it, since it usually works), and I'm very accustomed to pressing Shift and letting go before typing the next letter. It's automatic, after so many years and so many BlackBerries. Anyway, it's very hard to type capital Z without stickiness because the Shift key and the Z key are so close together.

I am sorry, of course I meant so say "shift".

You may try clearing the settings of your BBKeyboard application (Clear all Data).
Be advised: You will loose your dictionary and your word substitutions.

Please report back if this worked.

[jon9999]

This still hasn't been fixed, and it's a pretty bad thing when the one feature that made me buy a BlackBerry is the one feature that doesn't work properly.

Is anyone else having the same issue of the Shift key not working properly in apps like Gmail? It would help if others with the problem would also report it to BlackBerry. I submitted a report over a month ago and gotten several auto-replies saying the issue is still being looked into, but there hasn't been a resolution or even a hint of when it might be fixed.

You'd think a keyboard issue in a BlackBerry would rise pretty close to the top of the to-do heap.

[RegN]

I did some testing in Gmail and have no issues you mention. I am able to press shift and easily count to 10 and still get an uppercase letter. Does you phone work correctly if you hold a letter for long press to get uppercase?

[TheBond]

It doesn't look like you had a Shift "Locked" from your screenshots. Either press Shift twice or keep it pressed for 3 seconds, and the icon you see above is a "filled" Shift icon and not just one with outline.

[jon9999]

It doesn't look like you had a Shift "Locked" from your screenshots. Either press Shift twice or keep it pressed for 3 seconds, and the icon you see above is a "filled" Shift icon and not just one with outline.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...691ea0a688.jpg

Nope, I'm not trying to lock the shift. I'm just trying to type a single capital letter. On BlackBerry devices, you're supposed to be able to press the Shift key once and let it go and then press the letter that you want capitalized, and then continue typing lower-case letters. In other words, the Shift key is supposed to be sticky until after the next key is pressed.

When you press and release [Shift], then [m] [o] [n] [d] [a] [y], you're supposed to get Monday. But more than half of the time, I'm getting monday.

[RegN]

I'm curious if the long press on a key gives you consistent uppercase letters?
This is pretty much only way I type is long press which may or may not be quicker. I use the shift for numbers and trying to learn to use the sym key to access that.

Blackberry KEY² Silver Edition
Reg

[TheBond]

Nope, I'm not trying to lock the shift. I'm just trying to type a single capital letter. On BlackBerry devices, you're supposed to be able to press the Shift key once and let it go and then press the letter that you want capitalized, and then continue typing lower-case letters. In other words, the Shift key is supposed to be sticky until after the next key is pressed.

When you press and release [Shift], then [m] [o] [n] [d] [a] [y], you're supposed to get Monday. But more than half of the time, I'm getting monday.

Ah I understand it now. I tested it on Gmail app and it didn't happen at all. I wonder if you've got any app installed that has observation or draw over other apps access that might be causing the problem.
Also check if you didn't have your thumbs planted / hovering over the keyboard. That can cause cursor to appear and then you can lose the Shift action. Perhaps you can turn the Gesture off on the PKB and see if the issue persists.

[jon9999]

I wonder if you've got any app installed that has observation or draw over other apps access that might be causing the problem.

I don't know about that. How can I tell? There are too many such apps to uninstall one by one. The apps that have Draw over other apps permission on my Key2 are:

• Android Accessibility Suite
• Android Auto
• Bitmoji
• BlackBerry Keyboard
• BlackBerry Launcher
• BlackPlayer EX
• Brother Print Service Plugin
• Duo
• ES File Explorer Pro
• Excel
• Firefox
• Google
• Google Play Music
• Google Play services
• Hiya
• Locker
• Norton Mobile Security
• Phone
• Photos
• PowerPoint
• Preview
• Privacy Shade
• Productivity Tab
• Radio
• Support Center
• Translate
• Uber
• Updates
• VIP Access
• VLC
• Word
• YouTube

I don't know how to determine which apps have Observation permission, since that permission isn't listed anywhere I can find.

Also check if you didn't have your thumbs planted / hovering over the keyboard. That can cause cursor to appear and then you can lose the Shift action. Perhaps you can turn the Gesture off on the PKB and see if the issue persists.

I turned off Physical Keyboard gestures a long time ago, because of the problem you mentioned, as well as the keyboard selecting suggested replacement words on its own. (That's a separate, ridiculous bug that I know has been discussed in other threads. It's pretty upsetting that BlackBerry has so much trouble getting the keyboard software right, of all things.)

[jon9999]

I'm curious if the long press on a key gives you consistent uppercase letters?

Yes.

[TheBond]

I would first try to turn off Draw over other apps permission off on the following and see (as I don't have them on my phone):
1. Hiya
2. Norton
3. BlackPlayer
4. VIP Access

Do you have Button Remapper or any other services installed (check through Settings > Accessibility > Downloaded services)? They may be playing up.

Also, have you tried testing typing with VKB and see if this is reproducible? Technically if it's caused by another service / app, then it should happen with VKB too.

[jon9999]

I would first try to turn off Draw over other apps permission off on the following and see (as I don't have them on my phone):
1. Hiya
2. Norton
3. BlackPlayer
4. VIP Access

I turned them all off, but I was still able to reproduce the issue.

Do you have Button Remapper or any other services installed (check through Settings > Accessibility > Downloaded services)? They may be playing up.

I have Norton Security Services and Nova Launcher there. Nova Launcher says OFF, and my Shift issue predates my installation of Norton. I tried turning Norton off there, but I was still able to reproduce the issue.

Also, have you tried testing typing with VKB and see if this is reproducible? Technically if it's caused by another service / app, then it should happen with VKB too.

It doesn't happen with the on-screen keyboard, just the physical keyboard.

[jon9999]

Something else I just noticed:

The unsticky Shift seems to happen when I'm typing fast. I've had a BlackBerry for decades, so I usually type very fast indeed. The time between Space and Shift is minuscule, and that's when the Shift doesn't "take." I've watched what's happening, and what I've observed is that the Shift indicator in the notification area comes on for a split-second and then goes out. I think somehow the short interval between pressing Space and pressing Shift is causing the Shift to not stick.

If I type slowly, or at least if I pause between the Space and the Shift, then the problem doesn't happen.

Can those of you whpo have not been able to reproduce the bug please try again while typing very fast and minimising the delay between pressing Space and Shift?

(And another thing I've noticed: The Alt key doesn't have this same problem. If I press Alt, it always sticks -- even if it comes very quickly after a space. Strange.)

[skrble]

I'd submit this issue by "Support Centre" app or what's it's name in English.

[mirlix]

I have the same issue, only a few times a day, but it is a bit annoying.

[jon9999]

@TheBond and others:

When trying to reproduce this issue, note that I have both "Auto capitalization" and "Double-tap space bar for period" turned OFF in the Prediction and Correction section of BB KB settings.

One way to try to reproduce it is to open Gmail (or any other webview app), put your right thumb on the spacebar and your left thumb on the Shift key, and type [Space] [Shift] quickly. If you do it not-so-quickly, you'll see the Shift indicator (up-arrow) in the notification area come on and stay on, as it should, so that the next letter will be capitalized. If you do it quite quickly, you may see the Shift indicator come on for a split-second and then go away, so the next letter will be in lower-case. That's the core of the issue: the Shift indicator goes away even at my normal (fast) typing speed.

My typing speed hasn't changed since I had previous BlackBerrys including the KeyONE, PRIV, BB10, and many others, but apparently the Key2's lag time or ability to distinguish nearly simultaneous key presses has changed, at least with the spacebar and the Shift key. At least I think that's what's happening.

(And yes, @skrble, I reported this through the Support Center app six weeks ago. BlackBerry acknowledged receipt and opened a ticket, but no progress has been made since then and they won't give me any kind of progress report. Perhaps @LiamQ can get us some clarity on whether this is actively being worked on or not.)

[TheBond]

@TheBond and others:

When trying to reproduce this issue, note that I have both "Auto capitalization" and "Double-tap space bar for period" turned OFF in the Prediction and Correction section of BB KB settings.

One way to try to reproduce it is to open Gmail (or any other webview app), put your right thumb on the spacebar and your left thumb on the Shift key, and type [Space] [Shift] quickly. .

"Auto capitalisation" did the trick for me. I was able to reproduce the issue. When I turned it ON, which I generally do, the issue doesn't happen. As a workaround, you may want to enable it back. I have gestures, double space for period and auto capitalisation all enabled.

[jon9999]

I was able to reproduce the issue. When I turned it ON, which I generally do, the issue doesn't happen. As a workaround, you may want to enable it back.

Thank you! I'm relived that you've been able to reproduce the issue. That makes two people besides me who have confirmed it on this thread.

(I keep Auto Capitalization turned off because I've developed such muscle-memory over the years that my thumb automatically hits the Shift key at the beginning of a sentence whether I consciously want to or not. If Auto Cap is enabled, then hitting the Shift key turns shifting off. I've tried, but I just can't seem to unlearn hitting Shift!)

[TheBond]

Thank you! I'm relived that you've been able to reproduce the issue. That makes two people besides me who have confirmed it on this thread.

(I keep Auto Capitalization turned off because I've developed such muscle-memory over the years that my thumb automatically hits the Shift key at the beginning of a sentence whether I consciously want to or not. If Auto Cap is enabled, then hitting the Shift key turns shifting off. I've tried, but I just can't seem to unlearn hitting Shift!)

No worries, at least we found out what causes it. Yes it took me a while to get used to it when I moved to BlackBerry Passport.
See if you can reach out BlackBerry support team with the above combination so that they can get this sorted.

[LiamQ]

@jon9999, is it possible that with your quick typing, you're pressing Shift before you press Space?

[jon9999]

@jon9999, is it possible that with your quick typing, you're pressing Shift before you press Space?

Hi Liam. Good thought, but no, I'm definitely hitting Space before Shift. Perhaps there's a possibility that I might be pressing the Shift key down before the spacebar has had a chance to come back up (if that's how it works), but the spacebar is definitely going down before the Shift key is going down.

As I said, I can reproduce the issue by just hitting Space then Shift quickly and watching the indicator come on and then go off. And also as I said, I haven't changed my typing pattern in a long time, but I haven't had this issue on any BlackBerry I've had before the Key2.

(To confirm this, I just took out my ancient BlackBerry Q10, plugged it in, and typed a bit. I cannot reproduce the issue on the Q10, even though I type just as quickly, so I'm definitely not hitting the Shift before the Space.)

Could this be related to the many reports of physically defective spacebars on Key2s? Or does this seem more like a software issue?

[LiamQ]

If it's only seen in WebViews, then it might be a bug in Chrome. We haven't been able to reproduce the issue in our testing though.

[jon9999]

If it's only seen in WebViews, then it might be a bug in Chrome. We haven't been able to reproduce the issue in our testing though.

I'm distressed that you can't reproduce the issue. (And I don't know exactly which apps are WebViews ones, so I can't 100% confirm that it only happens in those apps. If you guide me, I'd be more than happy to try to confirm that, though.)

Have you turned off the Autocapitalization and Double-tap-space-for-period options when testing? And are you testing in Gmail or a similar app? Are you just typing Space-Shift quickly? It kind of astounds me that you aren't able to reproduce the issue, since I've been having it for months and it's not hard at all to reproduce it. I would describe it as pervasive, to the point that it ruins the physical-keyboard experience.