Bug 159414 - Text cannot be highlighted on Mac using Version 7.5.9
Summary: Text cannot be highlighted on Mac using Version 7.5.9
Status: RESOLVED INSUFFICIENTDATA
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: LibreOffice (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
7.5.9.2 release
Hardware: x86-64 (AMD64) macOS (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2024-01-28 14:17 UTC by svemivo
Modified: 2024-08-29 11:52 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
Video showcasing the issue (3.54 MB, video/quicktime)
2024-01-28 14:28 UTC, svemivo
Details
Yellowed out preview (1.39 MB, image/png)
2024-01-28 18:40 UTC, svemivo
Details
GraphicsRenderTest LibreOffice (3.19 KB, text/plain)
2024-01-28 18:51 UTC, svemivo
Details

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Description svemivo 2024-01-28 14:17:25 UTC
Description:
As the summary says I cannot highlight any Text in LibreOffice using Version 7.5.9. The Text Cursor is lagging and it is very hard to edit text not knowing what is highlighted. 

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Open Libre Office
2. Write Text
3. Try to highlight Text

Actual Results:
Text is not visibly highlighted.


Expected Results:
Text should be highlighted.


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: Yes

Additional Info:
Version: 7.5.9.2 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: cdeefe45c17511d326101eed8008ac4092f278a9
CPU threads: 4; OS: Mac OS X 13.6.3; UI render: default; VCL: osx
Locale: de-DE (de_DE.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded
Comment 1 svemivo 2024-01-28 14:28:40 UTC
Created attachment 192203 [details]
Video showcasing the issue
Comment 2 Patrick (volunteer) 2024-01-28 15:13:59 UTC
There is a known bug - tdf#155266 - that affects some Mac Intel machines. Normally that bug shows during scrolling but some Mac Intel users have reported that it causes highlighting problems like you describe.

There is a possible workaround for LibreOffice 7.5.9 and 7.6.4 for tdf#155266: enable LibreOffice's Skia/Metal rendering option. To enable Skia/Metal rendering, do the following steps:

1. Open the Options dialog by selecting the LibreOffice > Preferences menu
2. Select LibreOffice > View in the left panel
3. In the right panel, check the "Use Skia for all rendering" and uncheck "Force Skia software rendering" checkboxes as shown in the following screen snapshot:
https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/attachment.cgi?id=191409
4. Press the "OK" button and restart if prompted

Is there any improvement if you enable Skia/Metal rendering?
Comment 3 svemivo 2024-01-28 18:34:48 UTC
Patrick, thank you for this work around. It dramaticly improved the situation from what I experienced in the short time I tested it. Whenever I now highlight more the one line, the lines will show a light yellow tone. This is nothing bad in general, just curious, is that what "skia" stands for?

Thanks again!
Comment 4 svemivo 2024-01-28 18:36:43 UTC
Just came across another issue, I am sorry. 

When I open up LibreOffice now all my documents are completly yellow in the "Previously used documents" section. I will attach a screenshot.
Comment 5 svemivo 2024-01-28 18:40:04 UTC
Created attachment 192207 [details]
Yellowed out preview
Comment 6 svemivo 2024-01-28 18:43:25 UTC
This yellow coloring is also visible within documents especially within jpegs in those writer documents.
Comment 7 svemivo 2024-01-28 18:51:57 UTC
Created attachment 192208 [details]
GraphicsRenderTest LibreOffice
Comment 8 Patrick (volunteer) 2024-01-28 19:16:09 UTC
I had a feeling you might see what you are seeing with Skia/Metal. That is a separate, unrelated bug that was fixed in LibreOffice 7.6.x. LibreOffice 7.6.x uses a newer version of Google's Skia code and that newer version fixed a lot of Skia/Metal rendering issues for some GPUs on Mac Intel machines. Skia/Metal renders much faster than the default macOS rendering. But, it is was pretty buggy on some Mac Intel machines before LibreOffice 7.6.x.

In February 2024, LibreOffice 7.6.5 is planned to be released and that version should include the fix for tdf#155266 and the newer version of Google's Skia code so no workarounds should be needed.

While we wait for LibreOffice 7.6.5 to be released in a few weeks, there are two other temporary workarounds that you can choose from:

- Reinstall LibreOffice 7.5.8. This version does not include any of the changes that caused your original bug report so you won't need to use the Skia/Metal workaround.

- Try installing LibreOffice 7.6.4 and use the Skia/Metal workaround
Comment 9 Patrick (volunteer) 2024-01-28 19:18:47 UTC
(In reply to Patrick Luby from comment #8)
> - Reinstall LibreOffice 7.5.8. This version does not include any of the
> changes that caused your original bug report so you won't need to use the
> Skia/Metal workaround.

I forgot to add a download link for the LibreOffice 7.5.8 Mac Intel release:

https://downloadarchive.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice/old/7.5.8.2/mac/x86_64/
Comment 10 Stéphane Guillou (stragu) 2024-01-30 15:41:28 UTC
Regarding the yellow colour issues, seeing bug 145988 and bug 156881, I'd also recommend testing the latest 7.6 release.

You can also test a daily build of the upcoming 7.6.5, if you'd like to confirm that the situation has also improved regarding the highlighting issue: https://dev-builds.libreoffice.org/daily/libreoffice-7-6/MacOSX-x86_64@tb92-TDF/current/

Please let us know how an update helps.
Comment 11 QA Administrators 2024-07-29 03:14:45 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 12 QA Administrators 2024-08-29 03:16:32 UTC
Dear svemivo,

Please read this message in its entirety before proceeding.

Your bug report is being closed as INSUFFICIENTDATA due to inactivity and
a lack of information which is needed in order to accurately
reproduce and confirm the problem. We encourage you to retest
your bug against the latest release. If the issue is still
present in the latest stable release, we need the following
information (please ignore any that you've already provided):

a) Provide details of your system including your operating
   system and the latest version of LibreOffice that you have
   confirmed the bug to be present

b) Provide easy to reproduce steps – the simpler the better

c) Provide any test case(s) which will help us confirm the problem

d) Provide screenshots of the problem if you think it might help

e) Read all comments and provide any requested information

Once all of this is done, please set the bug back to UNCONFIRMED
and we will attempt to reproduce the issue. Please do not:

a) respond via email 

b) update the version field in the bug or any of the other details
   on the top section of our bug tracker

Warm Regards,
QA Team

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