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Why is text selection such a broken mess on so many websites? Why does this have to be such a hassle?? (lemmy.ca)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca to c/android@lemdro.id
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Using Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Samsungs 'Internet' app, and every other browser I've used/tried on Android:

I'll go to select some text on a page by long-pressing on it and it'll select the word I'm touching as well as expand that selection to a somewhat random amount of additional text (usually not following any structure such as selecting a whole sentence for example).

I'll then go to adjust that selection by grabbing one of the two tabs on either end of it and the moment I do, the opposite tab jumps to a completely random spot on the page vastly expanding the selection, then the whole page scrolls to an entirely different section; Leaving me holding one end of the selection unable to see what was originally selected. I can't scroll to where I was, and If I let go and just click copy I've now copied 90%of the page to my clipboard.... Attempting to modify the selection any further yields the same lack of control and just makes things worse.

This doesn't happen everywhere, but I get these results far far more often than a successful copy+paste. Like just now trying to copy an address from a local transit guide.

I end up having to drop the paste into a notepad app, reselect the bit I actually wanted (if it even made it into the pile of garbage I was forced to grab) then delete the note once I'm done.

This is fucking stupid and I hate it. Rant over. Thank you for listening.

/edit: I don't have the power to pin a comment, but d3Xt3r@lemmy.world has a great solution: Use the rectangle select tool in androids 'Edge Panel' (must be enabled in settings), then press the 'T' button to copy text from the area you've selected.

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[-] can@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

Samsung had something similar.

[-] d3Xt3r@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

Yep, just use the rectangular selection from the edge panel and you can save it as a screenshot or extract the text.

[-] Bebo@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

Just to confirm, this edge panel function is Samsung feature, right?

this post was submitted on 30 Aug 2023
247 points (100.0% liked)

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