NVDA fails to correctly announce deleted text when using Control+Backspace

[tarikhadzirovicofficial]

NVDA incorrectly announces parts of words when the Control+Backspace shortcut is used to delete text. Instead of announcing only the deleted word, NVDA announces the entire word preceding the cursor, even if only part of it was deleted.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Open any edit field.
2. Type "NonVisual Desktop Access" as an example.
3. Place the cursor between the letters "n" and "V".
4. Press Control+Backspace.

Actual behavior:

NVDA announces "NonVisual," even though only "Non" (the word preceding the cursor) is deleted.

Expected behavior:

NVDA should announce only "Non," since that is the deleted part of the word "NonVisual".

Additional information:

• NVDA version: NVDA 2024.4 34423 (installed).
• Windows version: Windows 11 23H2 (AMD64) build 22631.4602.
• Software: Issue occurs in any edit field.

Other questions

Does the issue still occur after restarting your computer?

Yes.

Have you tried any other versions of NVDA? If so, please report their behaviors.

Yes, the behaviors are the same.

If NVDA add-ons are disabled, is your problem still occurring?

Yes.

Does the issue still occur after you run the COM Registration Fixing Tool in NVDA's tools menu?

Yes.

[WxnChen11]

Im interested in working on this, does anyone have insights on where to begin?

[SaschaCowley]

@WxnChen11 I'd try starting with

nvda/source/editableText.py

Lines 267 to 295 in 19296bf

	def _backspaceScriptHelper(self, unit, gesture):
	try:
	oldInfo = self.makeTextInfo(textInfos.POSITION_CARET)
	except: # noqa: E722
	gesture.send()
	return
	oldBookmark = oldInfo.bookmark
	testInfo = oldInfo.copy()
	try:
	res = testInfo.move(textInfos.UNIT_CHARACTER, -1)
	except COMError:
	log.exception("Error in testInfo.move")
	gesture.send()
	return
	if res < 0:
	testInfo.expand(unit)
	delChunk = testInfo.text
	else:
	delChunk = ""
	gesture.send()
	caretMoved, newInfo = self._hasCaretMoved(oldBookmark)
	if not caretMoved:
	return
	delChunk = delChunk.replace("\r\n", "\n") # Occurs with at least with Scintilla
	if len(delChunk) > 1:
	speech.speakMessage(delChunk)
	else:
	speech.speakSpelling(delChunk)
	self._caretScriptPostMovedHelper(None, gesture, newInfo)