Browser limits phone usability

Lakotaubp

@domubpkm Some details in here https://ubports.com/blog/ubports-news-1/post/ubuntu-touch-q-a-139-3924

kugiigi

Sadly this is indeed a major problem right now since UT relies more on the web than the mainstream OSes. The issue with QtWebEngine/Chromium is a tricky thing to fix unless we find a way to move to Qt6 quickly and even then, we'll still have the problem of being always behind.
The browser Alfred is experimenting with is using Webkit which is what Apple uses in Safari and iOS browsers. It's very promising so far and progressing well. I guess it can already be a good workaround on some transactional sites. Currently, it still lacks basic functions though like for example good media playback and even pinch zoom. Hopefully, it can be released soon to the general public as an alternative for sites that are essential to some users that doesn't work properly in Morph anymore.

jojumaxx

@moodroid said in Browser limits phone usability:

A great tip from @arubislander is to add MOZ_USE_XINPUT2=1 to the exec in firefox.desktop

I tried that but noticed no difference.
Can you tell me exactly where to put that (line number) and what effect this is supposed to have?

moodroid

@jojumaxx Hi

In /home/phablet/.cache/libertine-container/focal/rootfs/usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

replace each occurrence of:
Exec=firefox ...
with:
Exec=env MOZ_USE_XINPUT2=1 firefox ...

lines 153, 200 and 222

Does that not allow you to do scrolling etc. with the touchscreen?

domubpkm

@kugiigi All one can wish for is, unlike morph and QtWebEngine, simplified updates (much less amount of development work) to ensure continued compatibility of websites.

uxes

this firefox is pretty good https://gitlab.com/debclick/uFirefox/-/jobs/6640346479/artifacts/raw/build/aarch64-linux-gnu/app/firefox.fuseteam_0.4_arm64.click

jojumaxx

@moodroid said in Browser limits phone usability:

In /home/phablet/.cache/libertine-container/focal/rootfs/usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

replace each occurrence of:
Exec=firefox ...
with:
Exec=env MOZ_USE_XINPUT2=1 firefox ...

lines 153, 200 and 222

Does that not allow you to do scrolling etc. with the touchscreen?

Thank you very much!
I had put "env MOZ_USE_XINPUT2=1" after "Exec=firefox..." not before that, so that was probably my mistake. And I missed the first of the three appearances.
I can use the touchscreen now for scrolling etc. That's a great thing! It's pretty smooth in my opinion :smiling_face:
The only flaw is, that the onscreen keyboard doesn't always come up e.g. to type a new URL... Switching to another app and back seems to be a workaround.

moodroid

@jojumaxx excellent. Hope it does the job for you until this new browser appears

messayisto

@uxes "site not found" -? when I click on the link.

domubpkm

@messayisto last artifact two weeks ago
https://gitlab.com/debclick/uFirefox/-/jobs/6725276670/artifacts/download?file_type=archive

messayisto

@domubpkm thanks!

uxes

This post is deleted!

domubpkm

For uFirefox debclicks info see https://gitlab.com/debclick/uFirefox/-/issues/1

messayisto

@messayisto this artifact doesn't work on opo5, rc, focal. It is installed, but has no icon. It is shown under installed apps, but cannot be opened by openstore.
(Sadly I have no logs, I deinstalled the click again, because I use my phone as a daily driver and didn't want to risk anything, sorry for that.)

jojumaxx

I realized, after I set up Firefox, that a Vim shortcut appeared in my app drawer.
It does nothing, when tapped.

I didn't install anything but Firefox in my Libertine container, therefore I can't uninstall it.
Where does a Vim shortcut come from? Is that connected to installing Firefox or the Libertine container itself?

I don't like a shortcut without functionality...
Should I remove the .desktop file?

moodroid

@jojumaxx I think it’s Libertine not Firefox. I just deleted mine.

Cubiking

@domubpkm May I know how to correctly install it? I extracted the latest arm64 zip and open the click file with Openstore. Now openstore sad it is successfully installed but uFirefox can'tbe opened.

domubpkm

@Cubiking The method is good but the .click does not work on your smartphone model.

Cubiking

@domubpkm any reasons for that? Since a browser isn't sth low level, I think it should work on a ut device with near perfect functionality

jojumaxx

I really tried to use Firefox for some time now, but often it does not register taps at all or not at the position tapped and too often sites are hard to use due to rendering issues.
Firefox unfortunately turns out to be also quite unusable.
After what I read, uFirefox also is not a real option, yet.

Morph is failing on more and more sites.

For me the browser is the most important app on the phone and I can't keep going like this.

Is there another Browser usable through libertine and some tweaks to enable usage on a small touchscreen?