Bug 94147 - Some Selected Objects Flash/Blink
Summary: Some Selected Objects Flash/Blink
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: UI (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
4.2.0.4 release
Hardware: Other All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords: accessibility
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2015-09-11 22:02 UTC by MarjaE
Modified: 2019-11-26 11:30 UTC (History)
4 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
Sample Image, Trimmed from Larger Project (16.67 KB, application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.graphics)
2015-09-13 15:32 UTC, MarjaE
Details
Animated gif showing the issue (23.70 KB, image/gif)
2018-01-18 09:17 UTC, Heiko Tietze
Details

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Description MarjaE 2015-09-11 22:02:51 UTC
After selecting a text object, with a line along its edge, the line flashes/blinks.

I have sensory processing issues, and flashing lights are pointlessly painful [and safety signals are blindingly painful].
Comment 1 Alex Thurgood 2015-09-13 14:17:37 UTC
@Marja : we need more information to understand what exactly you are doing when you have this problem. Please proide a sample document where you see the problem and detailed explanations as to how to reproduce it.

Please also advise if you are using a version of LibreOffice from the Apple Store or if you are using the TDF official downloads.
Comment 2 MarjaE 2015-09-13 15:32:23 UTC
Created attachment 118675 [details]
Sample Image, Trimmed from Larger Project
Comment 3 MarjaE 2015-09-13 15:32:54 UTC
It doesn't seem to depend on fills or edge-lines. It seems to affect all text. I downloaded from the Document Foundation website, not from the App Store.

Step 1: Select any text object.

Step 2: Select the edge of the text object, e.g. to move it, give it a fill or edge-line, etc.

Step 3: At this point the edge of the text object will start blinking or flashing at irregular intervals.
Comment 4 Alex Thurgood 2015-09-14 16:13:19 UTC
Confirming on

Version: 5.0.1.2
Build ID: 81898c9f5c0d43f3473ba111d7b351050be20261
Locale : fr-FR (fr.UTF-8)

OSX 10.10.5
Comment 5 QA Administrators 2016-09-20 10:32:09 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 6 MarjaE 2016-09-20 16:05:27 UTC
In 5.2.1.2 in OS X:

Draw: Selected text is in a rectangular frame, with blinking edges. Selected circles are in a rectangular frame, without blinking edges. Selected lines appear without any frame, with blocks at each point. Selected groups including text appear in a rectangular frame, which blinks once at the edges.

Writer: Cursors blink. Selected text is in green, with blinking cursor at the end. In Windows and Linux, there are supposedly ways to disable to flashing cursor. On OS X, there is no way to disable the flashing cursor. Due to my strobe sensitivity, I've had to switch to Bean and Textedit to escape the flashing cursor.

Calc: After command-c to copy a cell, it has blinking edges.
Comment 7 Xisco Faulí 2017-09-29 08:52:53 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 8 MarjaE 2017-09-29 16:50:28 UTC
Still occurs in 5.3.6.

Edges of text objects blink. If selecting text, the edges stop blinking but the cursor starts blinking. Edges of other objects do not blink.
Comment 9 MarjaE 2018-01-10 06:41:28 UTC
Still unresolved and still triggers migraines in 5.4.4.
Comment 10 Telesto 2018-01-17 18:53:56 UTC
Versie: 4.2.0.4 
Build ID: 05dceb5d363845f2cf968344d7adab8dcfb2ba7
Comment 11 Heiko Tietze 2018-01-18 09:17:00 UTC
Created attachment 139173 [details]
Animated gif showing the issue

Just to clarify, do we talk about a) the blinking frame that highlights what's currently in focus and b) the blinking cursor itself.

How is this feature handled in other programs for a11y optimized systems? I mean at least the cursor blinking comes from the OS (can be tweaked somehow). Not sure, on the other hand, how much from the system settings we take into our implementation.
Comment 12 Heiko Tietze 2018-10-28 12:15:49 UTC
Alex, what is your take about flashing/blinking lines?
Comment 13 Heiko Tietze 2018-11-01 09:44:58 UTC
We discussed the request in the design meeting. 

There is the advanced option Office.Common.VCL.AnimationsEnabled which makes the walking ants standing still in Calc. We should add the flashing text frame as well as the sliding Header/Footer animation to this setting (see also bug 92450) and make it more easily accessible. That could be at Tools > Options > Accessibility "[x] Use interface animations".
Comment 14 MarjaE 2019-10-22 04:58:46 UTC
As of 6.2.8, still an issue. Can't see screen when trying to move text objects.

As of MacOS 10.14.6, MacOS system settings don't include a system-wide fix. Some help requires at Ask LibreOffice suggest that Inux system settings aren't working either.
Comment 15 MarjaE 2019-10-28 05:22:45 UTC
I bought LibreOffice NBC-- it's a pay version which hacks the standard free LibreOffice to stop the blinking cursors-- but it doesn't address the flashing around selections.
Comment 16 MarjaE 2019-10-28 08:15:44 UTC
LibreOffice doesn't currently allow invisible edges, but in related software which does, a workaround is to create a rectangle or other shape, add a text box to the rectangle or other shape, and make the fill transparent and edges invisible.

This is easier than trying to run Windows versions, but it is still not optimal.
Comment 17 Alex Thurgood 2019-10-28 10:24:46 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #12)
> Alex, what is your take about flashing/blinking lines?

They are always 2 sides to the coin :

- for people like Marja, and others who suffer from similar issues, they are a real PITA ;

- however, for others, with vision/focussing disabilities, especially in this age of monochrome UI design, they are a great help.

Being able to configure the behaviour and/or turn it off completely would be a huge bonus IMO.