Uploading images via the phone camera is broken on iOS

[klonos]

Description of the bug Back in version 1.4 we added the ability to select an image from a mobile device's camera. Sometime since then, we lost it. We should find out how that happened and add it back.

Heres the markup for current input element:

<input data-file-auto-upload="1" data-file-extensions="png,gif,jpg,jpeg" accept="*/*,capture=camera" type="file" id="edit-field-image-und-0-upload" name="files[field_image_und_0]" size="22" class="form-file validate-extension-processed auto-upload-processed">

I think the problem maybe accept="*/*,capture=camera". That may need to be accept="image/*,capture=camera" for iOS.

Steps To Reproduce To reproduce the behavior:

1. Log into a clean backdrop install from your iPhone or iPad.
2. Create a post, and scroll to the image field.
3. Click "upload" and see if you can browse through your camera.

Actual behavior Unable to open images in the camera app

Expected behavior I should be able to load photos from my camera on an iPhone

Additional information Add any other information that could help, such as:

• Backdrop CMS version: 1.15 and 1.14 (and maybe others)
• Device: iPhone

Recommended Solution

Since we are only addressing about image fields in the PR, the change should not have any negative side affects.

This will NOT solve the problem for file fields that also allow images, those will still be unable to select images from the camera on iOS devices.

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Original issue:

I've been owning Android phones for many years now, so I have not noticed this, but I have recently asked a colleague to confirm this for me on their iPhone, and it is indeed broken.

Can we please have a few more people test in various Apple devices and confirm?

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PR: https://github.com/backdrop/backdrop/pull/3064

Advocate: @laryn

[Retsell]

A work-around for this issue was reported in the Forum by amilenkov. It is to install the File Resumable Upload module, https://backdropcms.org/project/file_resup. See: https://forum.backdropcms.org/forum/upload-images-not-working-ios-devices

[klonos]

Thanks for that info @Retsell ...I still want us to fix this in core properly. It's just that last time I had a look, it wasn't as simple as it seemed, and since this requires testing in multiple devices/browsers, it'll take some time. I still want to get back to this eventually.

[Retsell]

@klonos, Yes, the issue still must be resolved. The work-around only applies to image fields, but not to image uploads using Ckeditor, or for image fields on Webforms.

[jenlampton]

If this is not a problem in D7, perhaps a quick fix would be to revert the change we added to make uploads work on mobile devices?

[Retsell]

I can confirm that in D7 image uploads work properly on iOS devices.

[laryn]

I recently got an iOS testing device so thought I'd look at this issue. I added this on the latest PR as well, but for the record:

I've done a little spitballing and if I unset this "capture" attribute completely, iOS will then give the option to select from Photo Library, Take Photo, or Browse. If "capture" is there and blank, or filled with "camera" or "capture" then it goes straight to the camera.

And I've just tested in Firefox on Android and it also seems to give the option to select from Camera, or Files.

Do we need this "capture" attribute at all?

[laryn]

It seems that maybe "camera" is not even a valid value for this "capture" attribute!

• https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Attributes/capture

[klonos]

Hmm 🤔 ...I'll have another look as soon as possible.

Either way, I don't think that this will be able to make it for the upcoming 1.19.4.

[Retsell]

Do we need this "capture" attribute at all?

No, I don't think we do. "Take Photo" will accomplish the same thing. But "Photo Library" and "Browse" are the most important options.

[mazzech]

I just have a customer inquiry which should make camera access available for the webform data field... would this milestone also fix this?

[laryn]

I think I'm going to advocate for this issue. @jenlampton Are you interested in revising your PR or do you mind if I revise it?

[izmeez]

Is this fix going to get in to 1.26.0 ?

[laryn]

Thanks for raising again. I may try to create an alternate PR this week and if you can test we may be able to get it in.

[izmeez]

@laryn Thanks for the comment. As I look through this looong issue again I can see it hasn't fully come to rest. I also see a lot of the work has been done in two PR's: PR3064 and PR11. Also your comment appears to be the last kick at the can. Also a work around was offered in another comment:

A work-around for this issue was reported in the Forum by amilenkov. It is to install the File Resumable Upload module, https://backdropcms.org/project/file_resup. See: https://forum.backdropcms.org/forum/upload-images-not-working-ios-devices

[izmeez]

Maybe it is too much to expect this to be resolved in the short time remaining before the 1.26.0 release?