Palette/sidebar channel switch doesn't focus the terminal (must click to type) #35

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opened 2026-08-26 16:36:05 +01:00 by pedromcaraujo · 0 comments

pedromcaraujo commented

2026-08-26 16:36:05 +01:00

Owner

Symptom

Switching channels via the command palette (Alt+K → Enter, or clicking an entry) leaves keyboard focus off the terminal — the next keystroke goes nowhere and you have to click the terminal before you can type. Switching by clicking the sidebar has the same underlying path.

Diagnosis

It is not a missing focus call — focusTerm() is invoked twice on a palette switch:

closePalette() calls it immediately (web/index.html).
The iframe load handler calls it when the new channel's document loads.

The problem is timing. activate() runs go(name), which sets frame.src and reloads the iframe. focusTerm() retries only at [0, 60, 200, 500] ms, then gives up (done never becomes true because frame.contentDocument.activeElement === ta is never satisfied). On a channel switch the new xterm textarea — and the ttyd websocket it needs — frequently isn't ready inside that 500 ms window, so every retry no-ops and focus is left on <body>. The immediate closePalette() call can also "succeed" against the outgoing document (setting done=true) a beat before navigation replaces it, so focus is then lost with no further retries.

Fix ideas

Extend/scale focusTerm()'s retry schedule past ttyd's connect (e.g. add ~900/1500 ms attempts), and don't let a focus that sticks on the old document before navigation count as done.
Or drive the focus purely from the new iframe's load (already wired) and make its retry window long enough for ttyd.

Desktop only — focusTerm() is intentionally a no-op on touch (focusing the textarea pops the Android soft keyboard).

Verification

Needs a browser: Alt+K → pick another channel → type immediately without clicking; the keystrokes should reach the shell. Check both an already-connected session and a cold one (slower ttyd connect).

## Symptom Switching channels via the command palette (Alt+K → Enter, or clicking an entry) leaves keyboard focus off the terminal — the next keystroke goes nowhere and you have to click the terminal before you can type. Switching by clicking the sidebar has the same underlying path. ## Diagnosis It is *not* a missing focus call — `focusTerm()` is invoked twice on a palette switch: 1. `closePalette()` calls it immediately (`web/index.html`). 2. The iframe `load` handler calls it when the new channel's document loads. The problem is timing. `activate()` runs `go(name)`, which sets `frame.src` and reloads the iframe. `focusTerm()` retries only at `[0, 60, 200, 500]` ms, then gives up (`done` never becomes true because `frame.contentDocument.activeElement === ta` is never satisfied). On a channel switch the new xterm textarea — and the ttyd websocket it needs — frequently isn't ready inside that 500 ms window, so every retry no-ops and focus is left on `<body>`. The immediate `closePalette()` call can also "succeed" against the *outgoing* document (setting `done=true`) a beat before navigation replaces it, so focus is then lost with no further retries. ## Fix ideas - Extend/scale `focusTerm()`'s retry schedule past ttyd's connect (e.g. add ~900/1500 ms attempts), and don't let a focus that sticks on the *old* document before navigation count as done. - Or drive the focus purely from the new iframe's `load` (already wired) and make its retry window long enough for ttyd. Desktop only — `focusTerm()` is intentionally a no-op on touch (focusing the textarea pops the Android soft keyboard). ## Verification Needs a browser: Alt+K → pick another channel → type immediately without clicking; the keystrokes should reach the shell. Check both an already-connected session and a cold one (slower ttyd connect).

pedromcaraujo added the

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2026-08-26 16:36:05 +01:00

pedromcaraujo referenced this issue from a commit

2026-08-27 06:35:59 +01:00

Keep focus on the terminal after a channel switch (#35)

pedromcaraujo referenced this issue from a pull request that will close it,

2026-08-27 06:36:13 +01:00

Keep focus on the terminal after a channel switch (#35) #36

pedromcaraujo closed this issue

2026-08-27 08:45:53 +01:00