Automatic UI focus navigation regularly skips nodes when using controller on macOS

[AdriaandeJongh]

Tested versions

• Reproducible in 4.4-stable
• Not reproducible in 4.3-stable

System information

Godot v4.4.stable - macOS Sequoia (15.3.1) - Multi-window, 2 monitors - Metal (Mobile) - integrated Apple M3 Max (Apple9) - Apple M3 Max (14 threads)

Issue description

Automatic UI focus navigation regularly skip nodes when using controller. I've made an MRP to help debug this issue. I also made a video below showing the faulty behavior at:

• 0:04 (horizontal left)
• 0:10 (horizontal left)
• 0:20 (diagonally down left)
• 0:29 (diagonally up right like a horse in chess)

Screen.Recording.2025-03-10.at.11.14.00.mp4

Steps to reproduce

1. Open and run MRP.
2. Use a controller joystick to navigate the grid buttons.

Minimal reproduction project (MRP)

focus-mrp2.zip

[AdriaandeJongh]

May be related to #103895, but seemed distinct enough for me to make two issue reports.

[Rindbee]

Do you use the D-pad keys or the axes for control?

[AdriaandeJongh]

I used the controller joysticks, so axis.

[Rindbee]

This may be an issue about the controller.

[AdriaandeJongh]

Yeah maybe! I've reproduced this on macOS with a wired Xbox controller, a PS4 controller, and an 8BitDo Pro 2 controller. Especially the PS4 controller was displaying this issue, sometimes skipping even 2 or 3 buttons:

Screen.Recording.2025-03-10.at.12.06.18.mp4

My colleague on Windows can't reproduce it, but it would be great if others on Windows and Linux could try it so we can pinpoint this to the improvements controller support on macOS for 4.4.

[Rindbee]

If you can reproduce it with keyboard and controller buttons, then it is most likely a focus issue.

I remember seeing a related issue report, but I can't find it yet.

[AdriaandeJongh]

I cannot reproduce it with keyboard or the dpad on controller, so then according to your logic it is a controller input issue. Perhaps on macOS the ui_* [up / down / left / right] is triggered multiple times? I'm just spitballing here.

[Rindbee]

Possibly related issues: #54959, #73241, #35751

[AdriaandeJongh]

I just tested this in Godot 4.3 and it shows the correct behavior there, meaning this is a regression from 4.3.

If this is a regression from changes between 4.3 and 4.4, and only applicable on macOS, and only related to controller, then @stuartcarnie's rewrite of the macOS controller stuff is only PR I could find that may have introduced this, unless there's some other platform specific stuff I couldn't find.

[Rindbee]

Can you still reproduce it after manually specifying focus_neighbor_*? If it still occurs, it may be a controller-related issue.

[AdriaandeJongh]

Good question! It does still happen when I enter the focus neighbors. So this is increasingly looking to be a controller-related issue.

[akien-mga]

CC @stuartcarnie @bruvzg

[bruvzg]

I can reproduce it with analog stick (but not the d-pad).

[bruvzg]

Seems like the issue happens when multiple events are sent during the same physics frame. Not sure if it's macOS only issue.