can't embed image in email now

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billhansen

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Oct 1, 2014, 8:33:12 AM10/1/14
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Some time during the past two weeks my Gmail options for sharing photos have changed for the worse. I've lost the ability to embed a photograph into an email. The only options now are to download an image from Drive, or to attach a file. I refuse to upload all my images to Drive just so I could send an occasional one to a friend or colleague. Attaching files is okay, depending on the computer of the recipient. Sometimes it's quick and simple to open the image, but on some computers is seems to involve a prolonged and somewhat complex series of clicks starting with the small thumbnail image.

The problem may have originated when I downloaded an Google antimalware program for my Android smart phone. That seemed to automatically enroll me in Google Drive.

Is there a fix for this, or a workaround? Is it possible to "resign" from Drive - and would that bring back the option to embed images in an email?

Thanks - Bill Hansen

Marko Vukovic

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Oct 1, 2014, 3:56:15 PM10/1/14
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Bill

Everyone who has a Google account has access to Drive. This doesn't mean you are forced to use it. 

Have you tried the usual troubleshooting steps i.e. clear cache and cookies, try a different browser?

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bill hansen

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Oct 1, 2014, 6:42:03 PM10/1/14
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The trouble isn't the browser. It's the slightly new (to me) Gmail interface. I went ahead and tried Chrome and Firefox browsers, but as you'd expect, there's no difference.


Now I'm wondering if Drive is the problem! The  Google instructions involve uninstalling Google Drive from the Windows control panel. But when I check that, Drive is not listed - so maybe Drive is not really installed, or maybe it's one of the programs which doesn't show up in the "uninstall a program" list?  It isn't listed in All Programs either.

Bill



Kenneth Ayers

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Oct 1, 2014, 7:24:22 PM10/1/14
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Bill,

Do you not see the "Insert Photo" icon on your compose/reply screen?  I've embedded a screenshot of the photo with the icon circled in red below.



Marko Vukovic

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Oct 1, 2014, 7:36:37 PM10/1/14
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On Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 11:41 PM, bill hansen <billhan...@gmail.com> wrote:

The trouble isn't the browser. It's the slightly new (to me) Gmail interface. I went ahead and tried Chrome and Firefox browsers, but as you'd expect, there's no difference

​I can drag and drop, copy and paste or insert pics using the 'Insert Photo' button in Chrome or Firefox.​ What is the actual error you have when you try?
 
Now I'm wondering if Drive is the problem! The  Google instructions involve uninstalling Google Drive from the Windows control panel. But when I check that, Drive is not listed - so maybe Drive is not really installed, or maybe it's one of the programs which doesn't show up in the "uninstall a program" list?  It isn't listed in All Programs either.

​The 'Insert files using Drive' inserts them from the cloud, not from your local computer. It does not need the program installed.​

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Marko Vukovic

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Oct 1, 2014, 7:38:12 PM10/1/14
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On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 1:24 AM, Kenneth Ayers <justk...@gmail.com> wrote:
Do you not see the "Insert Photo" icon on your compose/reply screen?  I've embedded a screenshot of the photo with the icon circled in red below.

​Nice circle Kenneth, I wouldn't be able to do that with a mouse ;)​

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Marko

bill hansen

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Oct 1, 2014, 11:24:50 PM10/1/14
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Ken - Yes of course - it's there. But - oops - you've solved my problem for me. Thanks for pushing me to find the solution. Apparently I can't insert photos directly any more, but I can do so after I press the Insert Photo icon in an email and then press the "Upload" option, third from left on the resulting screen. Foolishly perhaps, I thought the "Upload" option was asking me to upload images to Drive. Not so. This is a slightly different way of embedding which takes one extra click, and I haven't seen it before - but it's perfectly useable.  - Bill
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bill hansen

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Oct 1, 2014, 11:24:50 PM10/1/14
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Marko - Thanks fro your note. I used to be able to do all that directly, but now I need to go through an extra step, which I thought was requiring me to upload pics to Drive. See my Reply to Kenneth. -

Bill

Jeff Grossman

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Oct 1, 2014, 11:25:01 PM10/1/14
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Bill,
When I click on Insert Photo Inline image 2 I get a screen asking me where to get the picture from.  In the lower right hand corner I have Insert Images Inline or As Attachment Inline image 1

Is your screen different than mine?

Marko Vukovic

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Oct 2, 2014, 6:06:15 AM10/2/14
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On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 2:40 AM, bill hansen <billhan...@gmail.com> wrote:
Marko - Thanks fro your note. I used to be able to do all that directly, but now I need to go through an extra step, which I thought was requiring me to upload pics to Drive. See my Reply to Kenneth

​Can you explain what you mean by 'directly', and what happens/what error you receive? I am able to drag & drop or copy & paste images into the compose window without needing to click the Insert Photo button.

Regardless of which method you choose, the photos will upload from your computer to the Gmail system.​ Upload ≠ Drive.
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bill hansen

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Oct 2, 2014, 9:18:48 PM10/2/14
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Jeff - Thanks for your note. I used to get that same screen, asking where to get the image. Now it's slightly different - I need to click on "Upload" and from there I can navigate to my images. It takes a couple of more clicks, but it works. I had assumed the "Upload" button was trying to get me to upload images to Drive, which I am not willing to do. The new way works well enough. I just had not been flexible enough (mentally) to try the Upload button. I'm happy again. - Bill

bill hansen

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Oct 2, 2014, 9:18:48 PM10/2/14
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Marko - By now you may have seen my last couple of posts to this thread. I'm okay now. Until the past week or two I could click on "embed image" and immediately get the option to upload from my computer. My mistake was in thinking that the new (to me) Upload button was requiring me to upload to Drive, so I wasn't willing to try it. But although it takes a few more clicks, the "new" (to me) way works perfectly well.

Bill

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