Amusing/Weird KDE 3.3 bug or error
 

So, my system is currently suffering under the weirdest bug I've yet encountered.

I'm running Debian (originally a Knoppix hard disk install), and I'm thoroughly upgraded and what-not. My window manager of choice is KDE.


So here's the bug:

In any window (konsole, firebird, gaim, you name it), when I hit "Enter", there seems to be about a one-in-ten chance of the system either a) cascading all the windows I have open, or b) switching me to a different virtual desktop.

It's not destroying my system, but it's quickly killing my productivity, as my windows re-arrange themselves right under my nose, or whisk me off to a different desktop entirely.


Anyone seen this before? Anyone have any idea as to a solution??

Thank you in advance for any help.

Does anyone have any ideas?

I'm wondering if maybe it has something to do with my mouse. My mouse is configured to open the "Window List Menu" on middle click. That menu has "Unclutter windows" and "Cascade windows" as the first options.

But I don't think my mouse button is sticking, and I have NO clue why that would relate to the "Enter" key.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Have you messed with xkbmap at all?

This IS an odd problem:) heheh

-Shade

Isn' it, though?

I haven't even heard of xkbmap, though I do have "Multimedia Keys Daemon" active... I have a Logitech iTouch keyboard.

Perhaps I need to reinstall that, somehow...

I removed Acme, my multimedia keyboard daemon.

The problem remained. So, that's not it.

I went to KDE Control center and disabled my keyboard setting, putting it on Generic 105 key.

The problem remained. So, that's not it.

I'm running out of ideas, and it's really hard to get work down with your windows flying around out of control.

Anyone have any advice?

Did this ever happen to you with a different kde version? If not why not just switch back to another version of KDE? Since you said that it was a knoppix hardrive install does Knoppix have the same problem? Maybe it's the KDE with your hardware or maybe a generic bug. Try reporting to the kde developers. I hope my information could provide you with some help.

Thanks for replying, bolinux.

I have KDE 3.1.4, since installation, and it's only recently started having problems (I haven't upgraded... the problem just kind of appeared).

I'm thinking of uninstalling KDE and reinstalling it. If the bug still persists, then perhaps it is time to contact the KDE team.

Aah! It just did it again, switching me from Desktop 1 to 3.

*sigh*

Is it only when you press enter. I think that you can get a virtual keyboard on your screen and see if you can hit enter without it screwing up. If you can do this try to use a different keyboard to see if that fixes the problem.

Installed xvkbd (Virtual keyboard Debian Package).

The easiest way to get the error to occur is pressing enter in konsole or Gaim. I played around hitting enter in konsole for a while, using the virtual keyboard.

Bang! Problem still happens.

So it's not the keyboard. It looks like some weird key-binding or something. Even hitting "Enter" on the virtual keyboard will cause the error.

I checked every Control Center and keyboard thing I can find on my desktop- I don't see any weird bindings. and even so, why does it only happen like 1 time in 10 or 20?

Thanks for the continued guidance, bolinux. I'm learning how to be more thorough in figuring this stuff out. Back to the drawing board this time, though.

Oh-- Yes, it's only "Enter" (either "enter" key, btw), which causes the error.

Try to disable virtual desktop.

I don't have virtual resoltion active, so I shut down my virtual desktops (switched to only 1 desktop in KDE, which really cramps my style).

Nope, hitting enter will still rearrange open windows and what-not.

The fact that it's definitely a software problem (since even the virtual keyboard would cause the problem) worries me. I haven't had time to figure out how to reinstall KDE yet. Would that even help?

Any other ideas/advice? Thanks for anyone who can help me!

Try to install gnome or a window manager for the moment while we try to figure out the problem. I am going to try to find a debian package for kde so that you can install it.

Best of luck.

I think I found it. Yay yipee. Here is the website ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/packages/deskt...an/pool/main/k
I'm not familiar with debian but I hope that this helps.

I am running SuSE 8.1 with KDE 3.1.3. I can get a similar effect by positioning my pointer over the pager applet and spinning the mouse wheel. KDE rapidly flips through my desktops. I also can get the effect when I am doing a drag and drop and drag across portions of the control panel. I think that the effect is a result of the function that allows you to drag and drop from one desktop to another.

But I have no idea why it would happen when paradoxdruid hits Enter. Perhaps paradoxdruid has sticky mouse keys and he is actually hitting some combination like <Enter> <left mouse button> He could test that by cleaning out the mouse and see what happens.


___________________________________
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Steve Stites

Thanks for the reply, jailbait.

I've been working on this problem some more, and it's gone from amusing to REALLY frustrating.

I've used different mice, so it's not just a stuck mouse button.

The fact that even the virtual keyboard caused the error to me suggests a key binding or error somewhere in the software.

I've checked key shortcuts in KDE, no luck.


So- drastic measure: I need to purge and reinstall KDE. So.. um... how would i do that?

I'm running Debian testing, with lots of unstable packages (like KDE).

Thanks for any help!