drag & drop flaws

[admin]

Just tried FireFox 2.0: all works fine! Hmm

[TheQwerty]

Does this still work for everyone?

Because I can't seem to get it to work with Firefox 2.0.0.10.

When I drag the image over XY it shows a small gray rectangle with the shortcut arrow, but when I drop it there I get an error dialog:

Cannot copy file: Cannot read from the source file or disk.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

Doesn't make any difference if I hold down a modifier key other than with Shift the shortcut arrow is not shown.

Dragging from IE6 seems to work fine though.

EDIT: This is with 6.60.0036

[admin]

Does this still work for everyone?

Because I can't seem to get it to work with Firefox 2.0.0.10.

Works fine with Firefox 2.0.0.7.

PS: with Firefox 2.0.0.9 as well.

[TheQwerty]

With a fresh profile of Firefox 2.0.0.10 and a fresh install of XY 6.60.0036 I get the exact same error dialog.

EDIT: Do you happen to be using the DOM Inspector and Talkback extensions which are included with Firefox by default?

[admin]

With a fresh profile of Firefox 2.0.0.10 and a fresh install of XY 6.60.0036 I get the exact same error dialog.

EDIT: Do you happen to be using the DOM Inspector and Talkback extensions which are included with Firefox by default?

No, why?

[TheQwerty]

With a fresh profile of Firefox 2.0.0.10 and a fresh install of XY 6.60.0036 I get the exact same error dialog.

EDIT: Do you happen to be using the DOM Inspector and Talkback extensions which are included with Firefox by default?

No, why?

Because I did. With them disabled I still get the error though, so no luck.

Wonder what else it could be then.

EDIT: As a test I tried dropping the image onto a program listed in XY (in the list not the catalog) which prints out the arguments passed to it.

From IE the app returns the path to the image as stored in Temp. Internet Files.

From Firefox I get an info dialog from XY (it doesn't pass it on to my program) that states:

ShellDrop failed (apidlFQs(0) = 0).
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

EDIT 2: More oddities.

From Opera I just get the no sign and XY completely ignores the drop.

In addition to images the behavior when dragging the favicon from the address bar differs.

From IE:
No modifiers: Creates Shortcut
+Shift: No sign and blocks.
+Ctrl: Creates Shortcut.

From Firefox:
No modifies: Creates Shortcut
+Shift: Displays the gray rectangle without the shortcut arrow, but when dropped creates a shortcut.
+Ctrl: Creates shortcut.

From Opera:
Blocks for all three conditions.

[admin]

With a fresh profile of Firefox 2.0.0.10 and a fresh install of XY 6.60.0036 I get the exact same error dialog.

EDIT: Do you happen to be using the DOM Inspector and Talkback extensions which are included with Firefox by default?

No, why?

Because I did. With them disabled I still get the error though, so no luck.

Wonder what else it could be then.

EDIT: As a test I tried dropping the image onto a program listed in XY (in the list not the catalog) which prints out the arguments passed to it.

From IE the app returns the path to the image as stored in Temp. Internet Files.

From Firefox I get an info dialog from XY (it doesn't pass it on to my program) that states:

ShellDrop failed (apidlFQs(0) = 0).
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

Good idea, your test!

Here is what IE/FX use as temp storage location on my system (when dragging head.gif from the browser):
' IE: C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Donald\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\CD2741MV\head[1].gif
' FX: C:\DOKUME~1\Donald\LOKALE~1\Temp\head.gif

No idea why it does not work at your end.

When you drop, does FireFox window overlap XYplorer window, or is XY the top window of all windows?

[TheQwerty]

Good idea, your test!

Here is what IE/FX use as temp storage location on my system (when dragging head.gif from the browser):
' IE: C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Donald\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\CD2741MV\head[1].gif
' FX: C:\DOKUME~1\Donald\LOKALE~1\Temp\head.gif

No idea why it does not work at your end.

When you drop, does FireFox window overlap XYplorer window, or is XY the top window of all windows?

Well it might be related to the fact that my work system is set up so that profiles are stored on D:\... but other than that and the translation (English here) the paths are the same.

As for the overlapping question, no. They were on separate monitors both the top most window on their monitor.

However, that is indeed where the problem lies. Something is behaving differently when dragging from a window on one monitor to a window on another monitor. I'm not sure if it's Firefox, XY, or XP but I did a few small tests to verify this:

• Window To window (No taskbar activation)
  • On Different Monitors
    • Both Normal (Not max-/min-imized) - Error
    • FF Max / XY Normal - Error
    • FF Normal / XY Max - Error
    • Both Max - Error -
    • FF Max / XY Min - Not Possible
    • FF Normal / XY Min - Not Possible
  • On The Same Monitor Overlapping
    • Both Normal (Not max-/min-imized) - Works (Renames duplicates)
    • FF Max / XY Normal - Not Possible
    • FF Normal / XY Max - Works (Renames duplicates)
    • Both Max - Not Possible
    • FF Max / XY Min - Not Possible
    • FF Normal / XY Min - Not Possible
  • On The Same Monitor NOT Overlapping
    • Both Normal (Not max-/min-imized) - Works (Renames duplicates)
    • FF Max / XY Normal - Not Possible
    • FF Normal / XY Max - Not Possible
    • Both Max - Not Possible
    • FF Max / XY Min - Not Possible
    • FF Normal / XY Min - Not Possible
• Window To Taskbar for Activation To window
  • On Different Monitors
    • Both Normal (Not max-/min-imized) - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • FF Max / XY Normal - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • FF Normal / XY Max - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • Both Max - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • FF Max / XY Min - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • FF Normal / XY Min - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
  • On The Same Monitor Overlapping
    • Both Normal (Not max-/min-imized) - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • FF Max / XY Normal - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • FF Normal / XY Max - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • Both Max - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • FF Max / XY Min - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • FF Normal / XY Min - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
  • On The Same Monitor NOT Overlapping
    • Both Normal (Not max-/min-imized) - Works (Does not rename duplicates)
    • FF Max / XY Normal - Not Possible
    • FF Normal / XY Max - Not Possible
    • Both Max - Not Possible -
    • FF Max / XY Min - Not Possible
    • FF Normal / XY Min - Not Possible

Note: Not Possible doesn't mean XY blocked the operation, just that I didn't believe the test case was actually possible.

This is really getting a bit confusing. I haven't gone through the same list of tests with Windows Explorer and I'm not going to get to for quite some time actually. (I don't have dual monitors at home and I'm going on vacation next week so this is my last day in the office until I get back.) Perhaps someone else with dual monitors could verify these results and test Windows Explorer?

To be honest, now that I kind of know how to get it to work I'm not as bothered by it. I just have to train myself to use the taskbar to activate XY first.

[admin]

As for the overlapping question, no. They were on separate monitors both the top most window on their monitor.

However, that is indeed where the problem lies. Something is behaving differently when dragging from a window on one monitor to a window on another monitor. I'm not sure if it's Firefox, XY, or XP but I did a few small tests to verify this: ...

Wow, thanks for testing. Indeed confusing. Especially since it all works here without problem. I have to leave it at that for the time being.

[Demic]

When dropping files from Windows Explorer the mouse cursor is "create shortcut" rather than "copy here" (you know, curvy arrow vs. '+'). Files are copied though.

Holding Ctrl does not change the cursor shape.

This is a minor issue, but looks a bit confusing.

XY: 6.60.0042

[admin]

This is a minor issue, but looks a bit confusing.

I agree. I know the problem ever since. It's AFAIK unfixable. Probably a VB-bug. Bugs me.

[admin]

This is a minor issue, but looks a bit confusing.

I agree. I know the problem ever since. It's AFAIK unfixable. Probably a VB-bug. Bugs me.

Fixed it!

[Demic]

Fixed it!

Wow! Congratulations!

You know, this happens to me all the time: stumble upon something; bang my head against the wall trying to fix it; give up ; declare it unfixable ; come back two days later with an idea and make it work!

Very happy for you!

[TheQwerty]

So I just made a small discovery in the Firefox dual monitor problem I was experiencing.

Set up:
Firefox is topmost window on monitor 2, and is the active window.
XY is topmost window on monitor 1, and is inactive.

If you drag an image from FF to XY without activating it first (via taskbar hover), and drop it on the list or tree you get the error message described previously.

If you do the same but drop it on a Catalog Category it creates a new Catalog Go To item that points to the image's temp file (though the temp file is sometimes deleted immediately after dropping here).

If you do the same but drop it on a Tab (background or foreground) it creates the image just as you'd expect (and like).


I'm not sure if that provides any clue to perhaps solving this, but more importantly it provides an alternative solution for anyone plagued by this.


EDIT: Also, the new Paste Into New Image File makes this flaw even less annoying (if you can accept converting the file to the specified format).

[admin]

If you do the same but drop it on a Tab (background or foreground) it creates the image just as you'd expect (and like).

Interesting, thanks for the info.