OneNote - While writing with pen, can I inhibit scrolling and type cover input?

Question

I use OneNote to take notes for my classes, and while it's even more convenient to use with the Surface Pen than ever before, there is a critical flaw in the interface design.  Specifically, while the pen is being actively used to make marks on the screen, inputs from the Type Cover keyboard are not ignored (in particular the Home, End, PgUp,and PgDn keys) while the Type Cover is open, nor is accidental contact between the hand (which rests on the screen itself) and the hidden scroll bars.  This often causes vertical lines to be drawn from where I was writing to where the scrolling stops.  While this does not permanently destroy my notes, it does waste valuable time trying to correct this immediate problem.   Is there a way to inhibit this behavior?

Answer 1

Hello S Norton,

Thanks for reaching out to us with this question about using OneNote on your Surface Pro 3. I'll do what I can to help you.

Thanks for the feedback on this issue. I was able to reproduce the issue you describe here on my Surface Pro 3. I understand your frustration with this. I found that if you use the modern version of OneNote, these problems do not occur. That version does not move up and down when these buttons are pressed. Another workaround you could use is briefly disconnecting the cover when you are going to be writing or drawing a lot by hand, but I understand if that is an undesirable workaround.

Please let us know if this helps and if you have any further information for us.

Best Wishes,

Zack_T

Answer 2

Hey Zack.  Explain what you mean by "the modern version".  If you mean the version from the Microsoft Store, that is the version of OneNote to which my original post applies.  With the type cover folded back (inactive), any time my hand moves too close to either the bottom or the right edge of the screen while writing, the scrollbar activates, and I am sent flying across the page.  It's annoying to try and navigate my way back to where on the page I had left off.

Answer 3

Hello S Norton,

First, by modern, we mean the OneNote app that is initially available on the Surface Pro 3, the one that is opened through the Start screen rather than Desktop. We've tried to reproduce this on our end in the modern version as per your description, we cannot replicate the described scenario. Writing on the bottom of the screen does make a scroll bar pop up, but we can't get it to react to our touch in a way that sends the display racing off the page. Our initial reply had to do with pressing the page up, page down, etc. as they are affected in the Desktop version of OneNote but not the modern version. With all of this being said, could you possibly post a video of your issue so that we better understand what you are describing?

Thank you in advance.

Best Wishes,

Zack_T

Answer 4

I use OneNote to take notes for my classes, and while it's even more convenient to use with the Surface Pen than ever before, there is a critical flaw in the interface design.  Specifically, while the pen is being actively used to make marks on the screen, inputs from the Type Cover keyboard are not ignored (in particular the Home, End, PgUp,and PgDn keys) while the Type Cover is open, nor is accidental contact between the hand (which rests on the screen itself) and the hidden scroll bars.  This often causes vertical lines to be drawn from where I was writing to where the scrolling stops.  While this does not permanently destroy my notes, it does waste valuable time trying to correct this immediate problem.   Is there a way to inhibit this behavior?

One thing you can do to disable the type cover keyboard while having it connected to the surface, is to flip the keyboard to the back of the surface....that will disable the keyboard.  If you flip it back to the typing position it will enable it back.