Effects can't be dragged and dropped

[scm28]

When I try to drag and drop an effect onto a track nothing happens.  I get a white blank dot that looks like an old comic book character's eye, and while all the online video tutorials show an icon (like a simple fade in/out) onto the video track, I get nothing, nothing stick to the track.  

[Kevin-Monahan]

SCM,

Sorry. Try trashing preferences, then report back.

Thanks,

Kevin

[scm28]

Didn't work.  The tutorial videos show an icon saying Film Disolve will appear at the front or back of the clip.  It does not.  The vids say clicking on that will allow users to control the length of the fade.  Can't do that, and don't know what the new way of doing this process involves.  Film Disolve does not appear in the effects controls panel either so I'm stumped.  

[Michael Grenadier]

are you trying to apply a transition effect?   If so you need to drop it on the edit point not on the clip...  at least I think so.  

[RobShultz]

Drag the transition to the edit point of the clip(s)

[scm28]

Yes, dragging to the end point of a clip works but not the way it should.  It drops a default very quick dissolve onto there, but 1- it doesn't drop the icon onto the clip and 2, more importantly, there seems to be no way to control that dissolve (make it longer etc.)