This is WAI, requested by tablet PM (omri).


There is a room to improve UX though.

I would like to suggest that the different use cases be documented, and then you can show how users are expected to manage those situations. 

One common example:

User has wireless (such as Logitech) or BT KB and mouse that are used occasionally when sitting at their desk. Chromebook would typically be placed in tent mode at the desk to use Chromebook display along with an external monitor.

Oshima, can you add a link to the spec or design doc describing the expected behavior and use cases?

I didn't work on it. assigning to omrillio@ who is the owner of this feature.

See also crbug.com/733092

There isn't a design doc but heres the one pager:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TIiQ_30SRc0PZrYVWUgRieTrW1m-7tWsKb6XPKq6UPk/edit#heading=h.vipoibvb20po

#c6,

That link is to a document we externals cannot view without permission.
I doubt you want each of us to ask for permission so can that be shared differently perhaps?

Thanx for your consideration.

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My takeaway from reading the document is that it's intentional that a convertible Chromebook will exit tablet mode when a mouse is present. (The doc doesn't say why this is the case, so you're not missing much there. :-P)

Just to check, however, is the virtual keyboard still present when you connect a mouse to a device that's folded into a tablet-like configuration? The doc suggests that it should be.

re #8 - Yes it should be present, it wasn't in M68, which is a bug filled here  issue 878795 .

Regarding access required, I'm happy to provide access to it to whoever wants, but the system forces me to review requests 1 by 1 to protect against other things leaking.

A kinda summary would be that:
1. Virtual keyboard state is decided based on whether there is a keyboard present and 
2. Freeform windows is decided on whether there is a mouse present.


The issue linked here (issue 679622) is unrelated and is from 2017, and should probably be marked as fixed.


That being said, what's not working as intended is that there seems to be a problem with the logic for Bluetooth accessories, we are investigating at the moment.


Interested to learn - what are the use-cases where you'd like to have tablet mode with a mouse? What's the benefit beyond just maximizing the window?

re: #c10,

Thanx for the explanation about doc access and for the summary of what it contains, that's good enough for me.

As far as the use-cases I'll defer to commenter #3 and/or others since I don't have a setup like this. I am interested though since I support Chromebook users in the forums so the outcome will be important to know.

re #c10

Thanks for your summary. I think the issue is that the virtual keyboard and freeform windows states are being impacted by the presence of a wireless (Logitech for example) dongle, not by the presence of an actual connected keyboard or mouse.

I just tested on my cyan. With the dongle inserted and ONLY a M570 trackball connected, I cannot get the virtual keyboard to appear. I can even turn off the trackball and the keyboard does not appear. I have to completely remove the dongle if I want to use the R11 in tablet mode.



I understand the complexity of logic and actual detection of the external devices. I believe that there will have to be some sort of UI control that allows the user to select tablet/laptop modes and override auto detection logic.

The logitech issue is something we have not thought about. We are currently investigating. 

Also created a master bug to help collect thoughts, see issue 884096

Keyboard *should* theoretically not be impacted by this change. However, it looks like some mice report being also a keyboard (e.g. to submit keys like back or fwd). We are investigating this as well.

Also with the wireless logitech mouse, if the user were to walk away from the desk for a while, they might take the chromebook with them and forget to disconnect the mouse and then try to use it in tablet mode. (not that that helps currently).

Duplicate issues:

https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=879923
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=863149

If I've read through everything correctly, it seems the following have all been taken note of. However, at the risk of beating a dead horse:

RE: "what are the use-cases where you'd like to have tablet mode with a mouse?"

My main issues are:

1) Being able to adjust the brightness from the quick settings pane when in tablet/tent/flipped mode. In the docked, laptop mode, brightness is adjusted via the keyboard shortcuts. These are unavailable in flipped or tablet mode, and so the brightness cannot be quickly adjusted.

2) Using the tablet in a portrait/vertical orientation with external mouse & keyboard. Entering laptop mode by attaching a mouse nullifies the ability to rotate the screen. This is fairly reasonable in true laptop mode, because the keyboard is attached. However, in tablet mode, there are various use-cases where you want to keep the tablet in portrait/vertical orientation, but still use an external mouse & keyboard. (See below).

3) There's also the issue of the disappearing "back" button in the lower left-hand corner that normally appears in tablet mode. While this isn't particularly important to me, I can imagine that for some users retaining the use of this button in a mouse-connected tablet mode may remain important, especially where a keyboard isn't connected.

Finally, I'll reiterate a point I made in one of the duplicate issues, namely that when I disconnect my Bluetooth mouse, the tablet remains stuck in laptop mode until I restart. Again, this bug seems to have already been noted.

I'm attaching a photo of my ideal usage, which has been broken by these bugs. This usage in particular is one of the primary reasons I purchased a detachable. The device is an HP Chromebook X2 in flipped mode, attached to the keyboard. Note the grey stand on the right of the screen that would allow me to detach the tablet portion and use it in portrait mode with mouse and keyboard. This is necessary/preferred for certain Android apps in particular.

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 Issue 879923  has been merged into this issue.

 Issue 863149  has been merged into this issue.

 Issue 856440  has been merged into this issue.

As a musician, tablet mode is essential for reading digital sheet music, and a bluetooth HID foot pedal allows hands-free page changes while playing an instrument.

I haven't tried connecting the pedal with USB cable, but can imagine a misstep causing the Chromebook to go flying off the music stand.

 Issue 879585  has been merged into this issue.

 Issue 882245  has been merged into this issue.

I want to echo what a previous commenter mentioned about a Bluetooth foot pedal for musicians. Being able to remain in portrait mode to view music while using my foot pedal is imperative.

For those who just need portrait rather than full tablet mode with a mouse connected orientation in desktop mode can be set either in settings or by pressing ctrl+shift+reload(F3) on a keyboard.

I use my Pixelbook in tablet mode on a tablet stand with a wired mouse plugged in. The physical keyboard is of course folded away and unavailable. With the mouse plugged in, the OS insanely assumes that the physical keyboard is available, even though it knows the hinge is folded completely back.

I am constantly unplugging the mouse to use the on-screen keyboard, and to adjust the brightness, and then plugging it back in. I went from loving my Pixelbook to hating it. I want a Microsoft Surface now instead.

Toggling between tablet and laptop modes based upon the mouse instead of based upon the hinge makes less-than-zero sense.

abodenha,

In tablet mode with bluetooth pedal, I need orientation set to 90. Thanks for the shortcut!

My musicsheet app now displays the nav back arrow at top of page with top-edge swipe down. This works for me!

re c#25: The inability to bring up the virtual keyboard is a known bug and is fixed now.

omrilio@ should we detach the question of "keyboard enabled" from the question of "We're presenting a touch-focused UI"?  

jonross@ makes good point that if the keyboard is folded over, even if I'm in desktop mode it's pretty clear that I don't want that keyboard to be active.

I am a musician and I need to use the tablet in portrait orientation with my bluetooth pedal connected. I have to keep reverting to OS version 67 in order to keep this functionality. This means that I cannot power down my tablet because it will do an update which forces me to do a powerwash and revert to version 67.

tspayde01@  see comments #24 and #26

I often use a BT Logitech trackball mouse with my ASUS Flip in tent or tablet mode due to physical disabilities that require better ergonomics than a trackpad. This causes chrome OS to turn off auto-rotate and virtual keyboard, and there is no way to toggle it back on that I have found except to do a hardware reset - a major inconvenience. TY!

@laura.da...@gmail.com: 

You can go into Settings then Accessibility and turn on the On-screen keyboard, but it will be the one with small buttons, not the normal large buttons, and it will pop up even when you have the computer in laptop mode and are using the physical keyboard, which is very annoying.

This bloody bug is making me disappointed with my new first Chromebook experience.
The 70 version is still there, but it's not getting any better.
Only the introduction of the tablet ui.
This bug can not be used with a Bluetooth mouse
Because I do not reboot when I use the screen
Never rotate.

Agreed. Totally annoyed with my Pixelbook. I bought it because of how well it worked in tablet mode (on a tablet stand) with a mouse. Now that use case is badly broken. I want a Surface now instead. Highly frustrating.

This bug from chrome os 68 to version 70
I pay homage to the developers who are hugging.
If you have a model that is filp like c302ca samsung plus model
If you look at the same issue,
As a temporary measure
chrome: // flags / # force-tablet-mode
In the bookmarks bar.
You can not solve this problem in any version.
Once again the problem still can not fix
I pay homage to the developers.
Damn it.

70 hasn't come to Pixelbooks yet. Is this bug really still not fixed in 70? That would be maddening. I may have to switch to a Surface.

HP Chromebook X2 updated to Version 70.0.3538.76 (Official Build) today. Unbelievably, the bug still isn't fixed. The following are of note when using the device with the tablet portion detached ("undocked") from the physical keyboard: 

+ Device remains stuck in desktop mode after disconnecting Bluetooth mouse. Expected behavior is to return to tablet mode.
+ Device is forced into landscape orientation when connected to Bluetooth mouse. Expected behavior is to allow portrait mode for various use cases. Essentially, the software appears incapable of distinguishing between "true" docked, desktop mode and desktop mode via Bluetooth mouse & keyboard. Needless to say, it should be able to do so.


On the plus side, when forced into desktop mode I can now at least adjust brightness via quick settings pane thanks to the new UI. This functionality was lost in previous versions.

Also of note, the "#force-tablet-mode" flag does maintain the desired tablet mode even with a Bluetooth mouse & keyboard attached. Of course, desktop mode is then entirely lost, even in docked mode. I'll probably be using this flag while waiting for a fix.

Sadly, I must say this does reflect quite poorly on Google's part, although I suppose it is in line with its "forever in beta" culture. Does anyone have any insider updates?

My Pixelbook just got 70 and unbelievably no one bothered to fix this annoying bug. If the computer is not in laptop mode, you absolutely need the on-screen keyboard. If the mouse is plugged in, it will not let you have the on-screen keyboard. This is wildly illogical.

The OS knows from the hinge that the keyboard is not available. It knows that the mouse is not a keyboard and that you cannot type on a mouse. It therefore knows that the on-screen keyboard is essential. Yet it refuses to let you have it!

Before this bug appeared the Pixelbook was a great computer. It soon became a frustrating waste of lots of money. This would be so simple to fix.

Why is there no fix? Why?!

The best way is to re-report the bug as a new problem
They seem to have forgotten this problem at all.
There is no response from the help center. I know they are volunteers.
At least Google developers here should not ignore this problem.
Unfortunately, I am not a native English speaker, so I borrow the power of Google Translator.
There is a limit. I have difficulty communicating.
This problem must be resolved.
We should emphasize it to them
This is a bug in the nightmare that has been going on since version 68
If my translator is English, I will write a new article on behalf of me. 2in1 Chromebook
I ask for the users

And if you want to write it, please leave a link
I will give it a star.

It truly is frustrating that it still doesn't work. Every time I want to use tablet mode I have to remove the USB receiver and I'm sincerely surprised I've yet to lose it. My computer is now on OS 71 and the issue doesn't seem to have changed at all. At least it seems that the bug status changed from unverified to assigned, so I don't think developers are ignoring it, but this bug is obviously not a priority to them. I'm not sure making repeat reports will work, but perhaps by inviting people to add to this discussion we might be able to get the dev's attention. 

Too much time has passed.
Developers need to respond to this bug.
Even if the developer did not intend
This bug tricked the users that 2in1 is a functioning device
This is because the 2in1 function does not work the moment you connect the mouse.

The fact that it was not resolved in version 71
It is very disappointing.

I also hate the you lose the "X" in the upper-right corner when you have a mouse plugged in while in tablet mode. The only way to close a window is to use the application switcher and then click the "X" in that mode. Or unplug the mouse,have the "X" appear and click it, and then plug the mouse back in. Annoying.

Just got an OS update and none of these bugs are fixed. When will they be fixed? Highly frustrating.

https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=904095

Another bug induced by the programmer's lack of diligence in testing is that with a blue tooth pedal connected, the power button will not put my Samsung Chromebook Plus in sleep mode when the keyboard is folded back (tablet mode) since you cannot get into tablet mode with some blue tooth devices connected.

Thank you for all your comments everyone.

We have addressed many of the bugs mentioned here, and see that amount of feedback reports went down significantly after the latest update. That being said, as mentioned, there are still bugs with some HID devices, mainly certain types of mice and foot pedals that are still misbehaving. 

We'd like to learn more about those peripherals so we can address this and have a great experience for everyone. Since we can't reproduce many of these issues we need your help identifying the bad states. 

Please help us by filling out this short form (https://goo.gl/forms/Vq2vaVAXZvxnK5kq2) to help us investigate. 

Since we will get feedback via the form in real-time and for folks not to lose this comment, I am closing this for additional comments. Please continue giving structural feedback via the form.

Sorry again for the non-ideal experience some of you might have, and thanks for your help in the investigation so we can solve it!