Fix issue with composing text not being cleared on some Android devices

[mannol]

Summary

Clearing the android TextInput text programmatically (i.e. calling: this.textInputRef.clear()) does not clear the previously composing text, if enabled, causing inconveniences when such behaviour is desired (i.e. chat input box, where you constantly have to clear the input after sending a message). Instead, the currently observed behaviour is that, after a new text is entered (usually as soon as the first letter), the previously composing text reappears making the input unusable.

The effect is only observable on some devices, for example, we observed it on Samsung S6 devices using both Android 6 and 7, and several LG devices running Android 6.

This issue is only present when clearing the text; setting text to some other value does not produce the same effect.

Test Plan

// minimum code example
state = { v: "" };
_changeText = v => this.setState({ v });
clear = () => this.textInputRef.clear();

render() {
  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <TouchableOpacity onPress={this.clear}>
        <Text> Clear </Text>
      </TouchableOpacity>
      <TextInput
        ref={ref => this.textInputRef = ref}
        value={this.state.v}
        onChangeText={this._changeText}
      />
    </View>
  );
}

Steps to reproduce(test):

• Have a previously named device with default keyboard.
• Have autocorrect enabled in the phone settings.
• Type something in the input (preferably incomplete word so the autocomplete is not triggered).
• Press clear.
• Type a letter.
• You will then see the previously composing text appear again.

Release Notes

[ANDROID] [Fixed] - Fix issue with composing text not being cleared

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[facebook-github-bot]

@mannol I tried to find reviewers for this pull request and wanted to ping them to take another look. However, based on the blame information for the files in this pull request I couldn't find any reviewers. This sometimes happens when the files in the pull request are new or don't exist on master anymore. Is this pull request still relevant? If yes could you please rebase? In case you know who has context on this code feel free to mention them in a comment (one person is fine). Thanks for reading and hope you will continue contributing to the project.

[mannol]

Possibly @mkonicek and @shergin

[facebook-github-bot]

@hramos is landing this pull request. If you are a Facebook employee, you can view this diff on Phabricator.

[hramos]

Can you rebase? We're having issues importing PRs older than a few months old.

[mannol]

Sorry for the late response, I'll do this later tonight.

[facebook-github-bot]

@hramos is landing this pull request. If you are a Facebook employee, you can view this diff on Phabricator.

[react-native-bot]

@mannol merged commit b471916 into facebook:master.