Cannot drag and drop items

Report · Apr 21, 2018

In Adobe Bridge CC, I am unable to drag and drop items from the Content panel into folders in order to reorganize my photos. It works fine for a while, then stops. If I shut down the program and restart, it will (sometimes, not always) work for a while, then stop again, so the only way to move files is:

> File > Move > Choose folder > navigate to folder > confirm

... versus the single fluid motion of drag and drop.

Can someone please help? I would be very appreciative! Thank you!

Pam

Report · Apr 21, 2018

It should work without a hitch. Resetting Bridge Preferences may solve the problem.

Start Adobe Bridge and immediately press Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS) until the Reset Settings dialog box appears. Select all three options--Reset Preferences, Reset Standard Workspaces, and Purge Entire Thumbnail Cache--and then click OK.

Report · Apr 21, 2018

First of all, it took me a bit (and an internet search) to figure out how to get the Reset Settings dialog box. Hold Ctrl before clicking to start Bridge gets that dialog; your method didn't work.

Secondly, after resetting everything, no difference: I still can't drag and drop all items, though it will allow some. It's quirky; it works for a while, then stops. I've tried several different folders, both internal and external drives. I finally resorted to using Windows explorer earlier, much easier. But I'd like to fix it if possible.

Report · Apr 24, 2018

Hi Pam,

Thank you for reporting your problem.

In order to help us debug the issue, Can you please provide below information?

1. Your Operating system and Bridge version

2. Exact behavior of Bridge when you drag-drop a folder. Does it hang ? Is it only moving few files inside a folder?

Thanks,

Siddharth

Report · May 21, 2021

Is Siddharth still working there? Seems not based on the lack of a response in over 3 years. Please... someone at Adobe, pay attention, your users are getting frustrated by what is obviously a software issue within Bridge itself.

Report · Oct 16, 2018

Operating System is Windows 64 Bit

Bridge Version is 9.0.0.204 x64

In Master Folder, I have a sub-folder which appears in the content area.

When I select an image to move to that folder using the 'Move To' function, nothing happens.

If I try to use 'Cut & Paste', the 'Cut element is available but when I put the image over the folder, there is no 'Paste' Function.

If I do this and try to paste it into the same folder but listed in the 'Folders' Panel, 'Paste' appears and I can use it.

This has only happened since I installed your latest version yesterday.

Regards

Mike

Report · Apr 15, 2019

I am having the same issue, did you find any resolution to this?

Report · Nov 18, 2019

Nightmare. I can't Drag within InDesign Either. I have to place everything in Indd, AI and from Bridge to ANY application. I can't drag anything.

Report · Nov 28, 2020

Hi there - I have this exact problem and it's November 2020 - any fixes? Dragging photos works fine for a while, then stops. Just wasted two hours organizing photos before I noticed all the missing photos in my library. Not happy!

Report · Dec 03, 2020

Operating system is MacOS Mojave Version 10-14.6, Bridge is 2021.I wanted to move about a dozen files to a sub folder, did drag and drop but only one was moved, tried again with remainder and again only one moved after which non will move. Created a second sub folder but still ca't move any files. The problem seems to be only affecting the one folder and it's sub folders. Hve check some of the others and they seem to be working correctly Help Please! Pam

Report · Dec 03, 2020

Hi Pam, just out of curiosity, are these folders on an external drive?

Report · Dec 03, 2020

Yes Gary, they are. I got over it a few minutes ago by using finder to locate the folder, made a new folder and dragged and dropped the files into it. Went back into Bridge, seems to work fine there now, so deleted the 'broken' one. Just a very faffy way of sorting it

Report · Dec 03, 2020

Hi Pam,

I think what also is going on is that with Mohave and even more so with Catalina, Apple upted the ante on protection against applications doing things or accessing things behind your back (so to speak). The following screenshots are from Catalina but you may want to check your system to see if these apply to you as well:

Go to your System Preferences and select Security and Privacy (found in the top section). Now click on the Privacy setting (last tab). Now click on the lock on the bottom left and provide your Administrator code. Now select the Full Disk Access option and click on the "+" symbol. This will bring up the standard Mac Open window and let you add any application you want or need to have full access. Look for Bridge, select it, it will now appear in that window and make sure it's checked. Next go to the Files and Folders option and do the same thing as above (although there's nothing to check, just add. Close everything down and see if that makes it all work.

Please let me know

Report · Dec 03, 2020

On my end, I have the same exact problem, but on Windows 10 with an external Sandisk SSD. Just wanted to chime in to highlight that this is not unique to MacOS.

Thanks for everyone's help!

Report · Dec 03, 2020

Hi Gary

As I've sorted the Files that were noting working properly I now don't have a problem now, hope it doesn't come back!

If it does I will follow your instructions but I'm worried that if I do it now I might create a whole lot more trouble and as I'm in he middle of a very large and important project at he moment I daren't take the risk. I hope you understand and are not offended.

Take care,

Pam

PS I would add that I'm a long way from be an expert with software which always makes me think twice!

Report · Dec 03, 2020

Absolutely! When you are in the middle of something and have it working (even if not "properly"), do not stop to screw yourself up! Finish the tast at hand and then go back and see what happens when you set things as I've shown.

I would appreciate learning the outcome of the problem AFTER you've had a chance to make the changes in your preferences.

No offence taken!

Report · May 21, 2021

This looked like a solution with potential, but it has made no difference at my end.

Report · May 23, 2023

This fixed it for me Gary. Thank you.

Report · Jun 14, 2021

Thanks for that...been having the same problem and also a deadline coming up for a pdf which your 'create a new folder' worked perfectly!...thanks again!

Report · May 21, 2021

Not in my case Gary. The files are on my desktop within a "work in progress" (W.I.P.) folder. Another issue that appeared simultaneously to the drag & drop problem is that Bridge, for the 3rd time in as many years, made my desktop WIP folder disappear from my Mac desktop. Apparently there might be an issue with resetting some aspect of the files date being reset to 1984 (Apple Mac's d.o.b.). The only way I've found of fixing that problem is by copying all the WIP folders content into other folders. So a bit of a brutish work around for that, but drag and drop still not working in Bridge. I have since uninstalled the 2021 version of Bridge and reinstalled the 2020 version, with and without saving prefs, but it has made no difference. I have also replaced my preferences with an older version from a few days before the problem, but the drag & drop function is still not working. grrrr. Annoyingly this has cost me 2 days of work!

Report · May 21, 2021

Hi Rory,

What OS are you using? And what release?

I haven't seen reference to resetting file dates back to 1984 ever since OS X came out (brings back memories).

Have you deleted your folder's cache?

Refresh your cache.

Go into your Tools (menu) -> Cache -> Manage Cache ... and you'll get a window popping up:

Select the button (in the red rectangle), click "Next" and follow along.

Report · May 23, 2021

Magic Gary, that worked a charm! You're a lifesaver, well... not literally, but close enough. 🙂

And yes, that Mac birhdate issue was so interesting I was compelled to follow it.

Big Brother might have been watching after all...

Report · Dec 03, 2020

It isn't an OS problem, Mac, PC are all affected. That means it is software problem. Adobe, please fix.

Report · Dec 03, 2020

I have actually been having this problem for about 3 years - regardless of whether I'm using my imac or my mac book pro, and does not matter whether I'm working locally on my hard drives or external drives. My Adobe software is up to date, my macs are both runnning Catalina 10.15.7. It's an intermittent problem, but most of the time I cannot drag and drop images out of bridge. Instead I have to right click and select "copy to" or "move to" instead of just dragging images from one folder to another. I'm currently working on a very large wedding, and the amount of time wasted by not being able to drag & drop makes me want to search out other software to use instead of bridge. (BTW I did follow all of the guidlines outlined in this string for resetting workspaces, etc. = no change in bridge behavior sadly.) I would rather use bridge but cannot live with this much longer. Let me know if you find a fix!!!

Report · Apr 08, 2021

Having this problem right now. Bridge is great when it works but not consistent. I've tried all the suggestions but nothing is working. This affects my JOB. I pay a monthly fee for these programs and spend more time trouble shooting than getting work done. Adobe products are steadily getting worse.