Bug 400074

Summary: Accessibility Sticky-Keys Becoming Disabled At Random At Times
Product: [Applications] systemsettings Reporter: David A. Smith <dasmith>
Component: kcm_accessibilityAssignee: Gunnar Schmidt <gunnar>
Status: REPORTED ---    
Severity: normal CC: dasmith, kratky, nick
Priority: NOR    
Version: 5.8.7   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: openSUSE   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed In:
Attachments: Screen Snapshot Of Accessibity Options Menu.
Screen Snapshot Of Accessibity Options Menu From System Settings.

Description David A. Smith 2018-10-20 19:59:21 UTC
Created attachment 115785 [details]
Screen Snapshot Of Accessibity Options Menu.

SUMMARY

Accessibility Sticky-Keys Becoming Disabled At Random At Times

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

1. Execute Accessibility either by:

   a). Typing in the first couple of letters of the command to search for on the KDE desktop, such as: "access". When the Accessibility command appears high lighted, press the enter key to execute it.

   b). From the System Settings menu select Desktop Behavior and then Accessibility.

2. When the Accessibility Options menu appears, click on the "Modifier Keys" section.

3. Click on the "Use sticky keys" category to enable sticky keys.

4. Make sure the "Lock sticky keys" and "Turn sticky keys off when two keys are pressed simultaneously" options are unchecked and the "Use system bell whenever a modifier gets latched, locked or unlocked".

5. The "Use system bell whenever a locking key gets activated or deactivated" option can be checked or unchecked.

6. Make sure the "Use Plasma's notification mechanism for modifier or locking key state changes" option is checked.

7. Finally click on the Apply button to apply the Sticky Key settings.

OBSERVED RESULT

The Sticky Keys function will eventually stop latching the Shift, Ctrl and Alt keys as though the "Turn sticky keys off when two keys are pressed simultaneously" option was checked and two keys had been pressed simultaneously. The only way to recover the Sticky Keys function again is to reapply Sticky Keys  once again from step number 1 from the instructions above.

EXPECTED RESULT

Sticky Keys should remain to function once the options are set from the Accessibility Options menu. Also, if the "Turn sticky keys off when two keys are pressed simultaneously" option is unchecked, then Sticky Keys should not become disabled if two keys are pressed simultaneously. Another cause of Sticky Keys becoming disabled is the use of Bluetooth wireless keyboards and their battery conserve feature of shutting down after a period of no activity may cause Sticky Keys to turn off too and not start again with the Bluetooth wireless keyboard.

SOFTWARE VERSIONS
(available in About System)
KDE Plasma Version: 5.8.7
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.32.0
Qt Version: 5.6.2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
OpenSUSE Leap 42.3 (64bit)
Comment 1 David A. Smith 2018-10-20 20:07:21 UTC
Created attachment 115786 [details]
Screen Snapshot Of Accessibity Options Menu From System Settings.
Comment 2 Nick W 2019-06-21 01:32:25 UTC
I have encountered this bug with multiple wireless keyboards. Its quite frustrating to have to go re-enable sticky keys every time my keyboard hibernates.

Also, when it happens the checkbox for sticky keys still shows on as if it was never disabled. You have to uncheck the box, re-check it then hit apply. I have to do this 3-4 times some days.

Easy way to reproduce: While sticky keys is on, unplug a usb keyboard and plug it back in. Sticky keys will show it's active, but it won't be working.
Comment 3 Robert Kratky 2021-08-02 08:21:27 UTC
For me, this happens every time I restart KDE-Plasma. The setting stays on reliably, unless I launch the desktop newly. No problem with unplugging a replugging the keyboard.

The ~/.config/kaccessrc file shows the correct setting (StickyKeys=true) even when the function doesn't work. Setting it to 'false' and then back to 'true' has no effect. Only remedy is to re-apply the setting through the System Settings UI.

Operating System: Fedora 34
KDE Plasma Version: 5.22.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.83.0
Qt Version: 5.15.2
Kernel Version: 5.13.5-200.fc34.x86_64 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: X11