Funny, I was having a similar conversation with someone else about this. Are you looking to "link" to the images or actually upload them. I'll need to look into this more and see if there is a way I can make this more simple. Below is an excerpt of a conversation I was having with @alexinvancouver about this... The problem when you try to “upload” them from your PC, they look like they are on your desktop, but they actually are not, its a link to the picture in google drive. Here is how I figured that out... If we take a look at the post it looks like there is an “attached” image that isn’t showing up. When I go into edit mode, it “looks” correct: However I then flipped it to “code” view.. by pressing the little button in upper right corner: Now you see it didn’t “attach” or upload the image. Its actually a link to google drive.. So it was never uploaded.. essentially the images would have to actually be on your PC. With the new software and “cloud” solutions things look like they are on your PC that aren’t actually. I'm not sure how to solve this issue so that the image actually uploads here or if desired allow you to link to it. I would think if the image is in "Shared" mode it could be linked to.
Here's a pic linked directly from my Google Photos: After you open a photo in Google Photos, using the "Get link" option returns a link to open the Google Photos website itself (at where the photo is), which isn't what you need for a forum image. Instead, right click on the photo and select "Copy Image Address". This will be a super long link (like 600 characters). However, this link doesn't have a file suffix (.jpg, .png, etc) and forum software rejects it because it doesn't recognize it as an image. To fool the forum software, append ?x=.jpg at the end of the long link. I've been doing this for awhile and it seems to work.
Lets see....... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/QWCZpQWU0XmlLpdCIIQJa8lOoa3NMTA-iKGyMyGQEeh9vHkW-7PNvmscdvuURHzJHqxvZzI1l958FmMJvExyU3KtJRFjNDAsrwA6oYI4GMPk4aS5xRGDPjd8YN1qJ7nUR4MQpcNuO9pJjKgo2cGzR09mGXjOWeefqXmblNH4GsXNxtgex3v_2wAHcOROpv4dHxAzlGr07XU3i8vCY0MLG4Yw1o8k98WGb39gERTGjsjWUJFZ6ufUWf7jQWZtXu-D4bxmH2TIYSAlcAsQ1hKwEEgiDejnw9mvL7fzP8tEEi_LtDYUiCGxm7zOTXSjNy1r5L4J4LZmouHTMb79m8tLnZiHukGxspKTUAO2r1H7LwEr0WRs544-20Pl3QSK6_BbNxexeR1TZ6sq48hDeX-JQ943kzEDNGY9LnOGihAsL8k5jjcdU7jYmTrfSv5x_h3UC134PeARt8-Leom8TVky44ACwjsks575ObxJnWxkzmT0dTv2AQ7PIcOCXJVdiHGq9DMvYfGpSf7X5ZkG45VeglE7gqJshy_zXBPUx16wnaTHnq1rCsTMEpx02dzL3ojwAh4jOcFa6Ef9N0h9Hux9XsgJJ0PuvacjvCsVqbWI=w1266-h949-no?x=.jpg Nope, can't get that to work.......
In this case I think you were using the "link" button. If you click on the one with "Mountains" and put it in the link section there it should work if the permissions on the file are correct. I tried it above, and I think we don't have permissions correct... but not 100% sure on that. I'll have to setup a google photo's account and test.
I guess you downloaded the photo first and then uploaded it into an attachment. In your earlier failed case, it's showing an icon that probably means that it was blocked for some reason (maybe permissions?). However in my case I didn't do anything to set permissions or make it public. If you check the address of my photo, you'll see that it's directly linked from Google. I don't have an explanation for why your direct link didn't work. Here's another:
What I found was the Google sync app that keeps your desktop and Google drive (inc. Photos) synched. That way I have all of my drive stuff and my laptop all synched together. No need to manually connect my phone to my laptop anymore. Works great.
Good point - that way you will actually be uploading the pic compared to linking which long term is better should google choose to do the photobucket route. I'm actually manually working on restoring the photobucket images... its going to take a long time. None of the scripts I've found or made work. The ones that previously did (right after it happened but before we moved to this platform) no longer work. Glad you got it figured out!