Drag and drop from Skitch to Chrome GMail

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

I am not able to drag and drop images from Skitch to GMail using Chrome (dev).

[Joe Lopez 108]

Are you using the latest version of Gmail which uses the compose email box in the lower right of the screen? This appears to be having an issue with drag and drop from Skitch. We'll have to look into it and see if this is an issue on our side or something to do with Gmail. Hopefully it is something we can easily work around.

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

I am using the latest version of GMail, but I disabled that compose feature.

[Joe Lopez 108]

Hmmm. I just tested it and it works fine. What version of Skitch are you using?

[chrowe 0]

I am having the same issue.

• OS X 10.8.2
  
• Chrome Version 25.0.1349.2 dev
  
• Gmail - New compose popup UI
  
• Skitch Version 2.0.2 (262287)
  

If I use another Gmail account with the old style compose screen I can drag and drop an image from Skitch inline into the message body and as an attachment but the UI is a bit broken as compared to dragging an image strait from the Finder. It has to be dropped in the right place or does not always work.

In the new compose popup images dragged from the Finder will only show up as inline images, not attachments.

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

I am still having trouble with this. Here are my settings:

• OS X 10.8.2
  
• Chrome Version 23.0.1271.97
  
• Gmail - Old compose inline UI
  
• Skitch Version Version 2.0.3 (262383)
  

Here is a screencast of me trying to add a Skitch image to a GMail message.

http://screencast.com/t/H7XLB4P4Hx

[Joe Lopez 108]

Thanks. We'll look into it from our side and see if there is anything we can do fix the problem. If the issue is due to an update on Google's side, there might not be much we can do. Google has in the past done updates to Gmail which breaks third party apps.

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

Great! Thanks for your help.

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

Here is another instance where the drag and drop did not work with GMail:

http://screencast.com/t/hMkP4aUzJ56A

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

Here is another instance where Skitch (Version 2.0.3 (262383)) has inconsistent behavior when trying to paste an image into Pivotal Tracker using Google Chrome (Version 23.0.1271.101) on a Mac.

http://screencast.com/t/z3zDqkdC

Thanks!

[Joe Lopez 108]

@Josh - Thanks for passing this along. We tested out Gmail and while some of us were able to recreate your problem it was not consistent. We're continuing to investigate the issue but there is a strong possibility the issue lies with the sites themselves. Google has changed Gmail many times over the years and these changes can easily break interactions with third party apps.

When dragging from Skitch we simply a create file as if you had already had it on your desktop and dragged it to the browser window. This should behave no different then if you simply dragged to the desktop first and then to the web site. If the web site accepts drag and drop (and behaves nicely) then the file should be accepted. Unfortunately this website behavior can even be inconsistent between multiple places within the same site.

For instance a really popular agile/bug tool on the market accepts drag and drop from Skitch and the desktop on the issue creation screen, but if you tried to use their attachement page after the issue has been created, both drag and drop from Skitch and the desktop fail. You have to browse and then select.

Thanks again for passing this through and we'll continue to investigate to see if there is anything we can do on our side.

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

Thanks for the update.

I certainly understand the difficulty of integrating with third party tools.

The thing is that that is what Skitch was so good at doing. It often amazed me that it worked so flawlessly with GMail and Pivotal Tracker especially. As you said, it is not inconsistent at best.

Thanks again,

Josh

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

Here is another instance where it is difficult to drag and drop a Skitch into an application, this time Pivotal Tracker in Chrome, which worked fantastically well in the older versions of Skitch.

http://screencast.com/t/vKnV7blp9FRz

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

Here is another instance when the drag and drop functionality does not work in Chrome for the Mac.

http://screencast.com/t/tGYGMyYM

Chrome Version 23.0.1271.101

Skitch version Version 2.0.3 (262427)

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

None of the screen capture functions work in this session:

http://screencast.com/t/29FDhkMBW0H

Chrome Version 23.0.1271.101

Skitch Version 2.1 (262434)

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

The drag and drop functionality does not appear to be consistently working in Skitch Version 2.0.4 (262463) on Google Chrome Version 23.0.1271.101.

See: http://screencast.com/t/JKL5KijsljrD

[Alan Houser 6]

This same issue applies when using Skitch/Basecamp on Chrome.

Considering I have the same issue on Gmail and on Basecamp, it's a Chrome issue— not a Google issue.

Also, in both circumstances, I can drag from Skitch to desktop — then drag that file to Basecamp/Gmail. But cannot drag/drop from Skitch directly to the browser.

Please fix!

OSX 10.8.2

Chrome: Version 24.0.1312.52

Skitch: Version 2.0.4 (262476)

[smj2118 1]

Hello, I am having the same issuewith both Chrome and Safari 6.0.2 while trying to drag in to Pivotal Tracker from Skitch (both 2.0.3 and 2.0.4). It works fine if I drag my skitch file to the desktop then drag in that file but I cannot drag directly from Skitch.

OSX 10.8.2

Chrome: Version 24.0.1312.52

Skitch: Version 2.0.4 (262476) (and 2.0.3 previously)

Safar: Version

6.0.2

[Joe Lopez 108]

Thanks all for the issues. We are aware of some problems between Chrome <> Skitch <> OS X <> Misc Websites; we're trying to track down the cause of this, but at this time we believe this is largely an issue between Chrome, the sites, and OS X.

Once you start to drag and drop OS X takes over and starts to treat the image as a file creation/copy&paste event and Skitch is largely out of the loop. We've also observed the behavior is inconsistent between computers, browsers, and sites.

For example: I just created an email using Chrome (latest); 10.8.2; an Alpha version of Skitch and was able to drag and drop straight into the gmail message and have the file load up. When I tried this several weeks ago, Gmail would refuse to accept the attachment (that same day it was also failing 50% of the time from the desktop too).

Jira works when I drag onto the attachement button when creating an issue for the first time, but if I try to use the same attachement button for an existing issue, it will not accept the drag me file (nor will it accept from the desktop).

We'll keep looking into the issue and see if there is anything we can do on our side to fix it, but if this is truly an issue between the browser, OS, and site, then there might not be much we can do.

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

Thanks. If it does not involve Skitch, then why have these issues only appeared in later versions of Skitch? If Skitch were not relevant to this problem than why does this process work flawlessly in earlier versions of Skitch?

[Dersu 2]

Thanks. If it does not involve Skitch, then why have these issues only appeared in later versions of Skitch? If Skitch were not relevant to this problem than why does this process work flawlessly in earlier versions of Skitch?

I totally agree and just posted about this. It doesn't drag on to illustrator/psd windows as i was able to before and this version is clunky and tough to use! I used to be able to go to my history and select a handfull of images and drag them right into my email. In fact i haven't updated skitch on my desktop and it works fine with chrome and the new gmail, I'm so bummed I updated on my laptop because the new version can't do any of this! What happened to the old program??

[Joe Lopez 108]

At this time all we know is that there may be an issue involving any one or combination of the following:

• The destination site or app
  
• The OS
  
• Skitch's handoff to the OS
  
• The browser involved
  
• The handoff between any of the above.
  

In our testing we do not have Gmail fail to accept a drag me event (again using version 2.0.4) likewise we tested the latest Photoshop and Illustrator and did not have an issue with Drag Me.

@Josh and Dersu - When you say "before" or "previous version" which version were you using where it worked? 2.0.3? 2.0.2? Which browsers are you using? And what OS and version are you using? If a desktop app, what one and what version? Please help us diagnose the exact version and apps you are running into so we can determine if the cause lies with Skitch or the other pieces of the equation.

Our best recommendation at this time is to make sure you have the latest version of Skitch (and only 1 version); the latest version of OS X; the latest version of your browser; and if you are targeting a third party app the latest version of that app.

Just for the record I have just (in the last 10 mins tested the following Drag Me scenarios all worked with the latest versions of Skitch, browsers, OS X and target apps (if applicable):

• Gmail using Firefox
  
• Gmail using Chrome
  
• Gmail using Safari
  
• Photoshop
  
• Illustrator
  
• Mail
  
• Skype
  
• Jira
  
• Dropbox <- Worked for Firefox, did not work for Chrome. This is a Chrome issue, and not Firefox.
  
• Word/Powerpoint
  
• Numbers/Keynote/Pages
  

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for being so receptive to this kind of feedback.

At this time all we know is that there may be an issue involving any one or combination of the following:

• The destination site or app
  
• The OS
  
• Skitch's handoff to the OS
  
• The browser involved
  
• The handoff between any of the above.
  

This is great to hear. This sounds like a bigger acknowledgement than I recall before.

In our testing we do not have Gmail fail to accept a drag me event (again using version 2.0.4) likewise we tested the latest Photoshop and Illustrator and did not have an issue with Drag Me.

>>I have uploaded several instances of this with version numbers. Is there an explanation of these problems?

@Josh and Dersu - When you say "before" or "previous version" which version were you using where it worked? 2.0.3? 2.0.2? Which browsers are you using? And what OS and version are you using? If a desktop app, what one and what version? Please help us diagnose the exact version and apps you are running into so we can determine if the cause lies with Skitch or the other pieces of the equation.

>>before Evernote started integrating Skitch into Evernote

Our best recommendation at this time is to make sure you have the latest version of Skitch (and only 1 version); the latest version of OS X; the latest version of your browser; and if you are targeting a third party app the latest version of that app.

Just for the record I have just (in the last 10 mins tested the following Drag Me scenarios all worked with the latest versions of Skitch, browsers, OS X and target apps (if applicable):

• Gmail using Firefox
  
• Gmail using Chrome
  
• Gmail using Safari
  
• Photoshop
  
• Illustrator
  
• Mail
  
• Skype
  
• Jira
  
• Dropbox <- Worked for Firefox, did not work for Chrome. This is a Chrome issue, and not Firefox.
  
• Word/Powerpoint
  
• Numbers/Keynote/Pages
  

I nearly always use Skitch with gmail in chrome, all of which are automatically upgraded with no user intervention. Skitch is the only version variable, and I have posted version numbers.

Is it possible to isolate this to Skitch and Gmail for Chrome for the purpose of reducing variables? Maybe we can have a separate queue for this to try to resolve this particular inconsistency? This is likely one of the more popular uses, so this will likely have wider impact.

Thanks,

Josh

[Joe Lopez 108]

@Josh - Sent you a PM in order to get some more information.

We've been testing on our side and cannot reproduce the issue. I'll have our QA folks try a variety of scenarios and see if they can get something to fail, but so far on our side, the only time we've seen a problem is with the new composer window in Gmail, and that also failed on a simple drag and drop from the desktop.

I have confirmed with our engineers that the genearl process that is taking place in OSX is:

• When you Drag Me away from Skitch and the cursor turns into a thumbnail, or file icon, what has happened is we have created a temp file on your system and passed that over to OS X.
  
• At this point Skitch is no longer involved and OS X takes over and is trying to place the temp file into the app/browser.
  

We'll investigate to see if there is a problem with the file handoff, but we aren't seeing one ourselves on any of our Macs (and we run a variety of Mac here in all sorts of odd states).

[Alan Houser 6]

Agreed on the receptiveness to this issue Joe!

I wish I didn't care— but now that we've experienced how awesome Skitch can be, it's hard to step back.

Ditto ☟

Thanks. If it does not involve Skitch, then why have these issues only appeared in later versions of Skitch? If Skitch were not relevant to this problem than why does this process work flawlessly in earlier versions of Skitch?

Ditto ☝

Completely accurate. Within this same version of Chrome, this same OS and the previous version(s) of Skitch, this worked without a hitch. In-fact, my workflow as a Creative Director using Basecamp ("New" Basecamp), was like this:

1. View development work on a site

2. screencap

3. annotate

4. immediately drag the image into a new comment.

This was so incredibly fast— Skitch became one tool that made things incredibly efficient. But Now:

1. View development work on a site

2. screencap

3. annotate

4. fumble for a new Finder window

5. browse to desktop

6. tab-back to skitch & drag to desktop

7. tab-back to bring Chrome into focus

8. re-size Finder in a 2-up view

9. click a file + space-bar to find the right file

10. drag/drop

11. in an hour, delete the 20 files from my desktop

This sounds like an exaggeration, but these are the quickfire steps.

[Alan Houser 6]

Sorry to post this on two "topics", but I think I had an a-ha moment when discovering the difference.

It's that the modern experience (Gmail, Basecamp & Squarespace— below) encourages drag/drop as part of their core functionality.

Here's a screencast I just recorded showing how Drag/Drop works on Safari, but not Chrome (on a Squarespace 6 site— where the target is specifically coded to accept a draggable asset)

view full-screen on YouTube: http://go.cr8.cc/114fQHy

[Josh Fialkoff 5]

I believe my Skitch issues are related to GMail extensions. When I turn off all extensions, Skitch seems to work reliably.

Now that I think about it, one of the first troubleshooting steps ought to be to disable all extensions.

I'm now in the process of reenabling extensions to see which one(s) are to blame.

[Joe Lopez 108]

Josh is correct, one of the first things you should try is disabling any extensions and see if the issue goes away with the site. Then proceed to activate them one at a time to see which one is the culprit.

@Alan - I see the same issue with Dropbox. I can drag and drop a file from the desktop, but unable to do it when using Chrome from any Drag & Drop app. I tried both Skitch and another app with similar functionality. However dropping worked fine with Safari.

In order for the site Javascript to work properly it has to be designed to accept drag and drop and then the browser needs to be able to read it (not all browsers work the same), and then the operating system needs to behave properly.

We use a standard temp file procedure for handoff to OS X. It is also possible that the Browser/Site/App/OSX combination doesn't want to use the temp file (for whatever reason) and therefore won't accept the submission either.

[Alan Houser 6]

Awesome Joe. Thanks so much for letting me play QA/QC for a bit.

[Joe Lopez 108]

No worries. We appreciate the support. We're trying to make sure Skitch is the best tool for visual communication and feedback like yours is what helps us solve problems.

[Tom Kerswill 0]

Hi,

 

I hope it's okay to jump in on this.

 

I'm having the same issues with dragging from Skitch to Chrome. BUT, I have noticed a difference depending on what I do in Skitch:

 

If I double-click on a note in skitch, so that I am seeing the note in detail, and then drag the "Drag Me" into a chrome message, then things DO work, and I can drag directly into the email. Although, while dragging, I do have to do a command-tab to bring Chrome into focus.

 

If I go to the index of skitch notes, and drag one or more notes from that view into Chrome, then Chrome does not react --- eg. it does not behave as if I have moved draggable content onto it.

 

So, I'm having to go into each individual Skitch note in order to drag it directly into Chrome, which is slow.

 

OR, I can drag from the Skitch index into finder, as others have mentioned, which works okay.

 

Tom

[Joe Lopez 108]

@Tom

 

Thanks for passing this along. I've seen sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't and that seems to change with updates to Chrome and the underlying website. 

 

Whether you're dragging from the Drag Me tab or from the Library we are using the same process with OSX (we tell OSX about the file, OSX turns it into a temp file, and then OSX handles the drop). So the process is the same, but the reaction from apps does vary.

 

I've been testing similar functionality form other apps and notice the same behavior. Works well from one view, and then doesn't from another. 

 

One other thing you might try is not moving your arrow cursor, but rather an edge of the file on the web page's drop zone. Here's an example:

We use Jira at Evernote. In their most recent update if I drag and drop an attachment into a ticket, I no longer can use the point of the arrow cursor to move the attachment onto their drop zone. I have to use the bottom left edge of the icon to activate the upload. This is true if I'm using Skitch, or even a file from the desktop. Worked off the arrow point before, but now it is not.

 

Please let us know if you're continuing to see these odd behaviors and we can keep investigating and seeing if there is anything we can do to ensure the handoff between Skitch and OSX goes as smoothly as possible. 

[Tim Diggins 0]

I've had the same experience for a while now with Chrome (currently at 28.0.1500.71) and Skitch (currently at 2.6.1) on osx 10.8.4 for multiple websites: gmail, basecamp, pivotal. I've tried turning off all Chrome extensions, but still doesn't work. Note that the drag and drop happens fine (from skitch), it's just that the final target doesn't seem to respond to it. It works fine in Safari 6.0.5 Has anyone found a good resolution to this in Chrome (other than the drag to desktop workaround, or just using Safari)

[m_g_ 0]

+1 for a resolution here please. We're using Atlassian's tools as well (including JIRA) with Chrome on a Mac and drag to upload does not work from Skitch for us (basically defeating the main reason why we use Skitch). Any updates on this front will be much appreciated! 

[emlak21 0]

Great! Thanks for your help.

 

Gratisproben Bestellen

[gylim78 0]

I am having the same problem in chrome. Never tried safari.

But a bit different.

 

It works for me in Gmail.

But not in Whatsapp (Web) or Slack.

It is a mac issue cos it works fine on a PC with the two apps mentioned.

 

Using OSX 10.10.5

Chrome : Version 45.0.2454.99 (64-bit)