Trackpad multi-gesture doesn't work while mouse is clicked

try reinstalling lion. reboot hold cmd R. This has solved weird issues for me in the past.

I have the same thing. I thought 10.7.2 was supposed to fix dragging files to full-screen apps. I hope this is just a bug and not a feature, although how something like this can go through testing undetected is beyond me.

In your original post you talk about showing the ONE desktop with four finger spread. Now you're talking about draggin a file to an application in a new space. Which is it?

Four finger reveal desktop works for me. I have my files spring loaded so all I need to do is drag it onto the finder icon in the dock, and wait. The finder window pops in and I can place it wherever I wanted.

Spring loaded folder time to hold is in finder preferences.

Now to address the post you link to.

if you see in the post that you give, you will need to drag your content on the second space you are trying to use. When they say desktops, they are referring to SPACES, not your main desktop.

as in these:

Does this mean on step three you have five fingers down?? how do you even do that comfortably? try this, take the file you are trying to put into finder, or whichever app, from step 2 and then drag it on the icon of the app you are trying to put it in (on the dock). The application's window will appear and you will be able to do what you want. this will only happen if you have things spring loaded (in finder preferences)

your other method, though fast, might have been something BTT allowed in the past, or maybe even Lion did, but this is not the way to do what you are trying to do. However if you want to send feedback to apple about this, do so, someone there might hear you loud and clear, but again, I don't think this was ever the way to do this.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

my confusion is on what happens between your step two and three, are you dual wielding a mouse and trackpad at this point?

Sorry I couldn't help, but I don't think this is supported the way you think it is. Besides, I usually drag things from finder to an application.

Yes, I do the same, I have a mouse and also use the magic trackpad to switch between spaces etc. Just because you do things differently because you don't have a mouse doesn't mean this is wrong or "unsupported". This used to work fine before 10.7.2, when Apple tried to fix dragging files to full-screen apps and broke this.

It's also natural, you pinch out to hide the windows, find the file on your desktop using the mouse, click it, and pinch the trackpad again to bring the windows back and drop your file. Simples.

Only now it's not working.

how is that easier then having a finder window open? I don't get that. instead of constant pinching and clicking you just have finder open to your desktop and click and drag your files to the app you want and you can do it multiple times without having to change the view/going to your desktop.

the only thing you can do is hope they write in what you want it to do after sending in feedback.

Or learn how to use finder to your benefit.

ok, a little update. I brushed off the dust of my magic mouse and tried a few things. I can see what you're saying how gestures on the trackpad are stopped while holding down the icon with the mouse (something I didn't know you were using until recently). however, if you have BTT, which you do, then turn on the gestures for application switcher. These seem to still work and will get you to the application you're trying to go to. maybe you can turn off the native method and turn it on on BTT (for me, exposé, which is what we're talking about. will bring your windows back after gesturing them away to see the desktop. BTT might force the action, even if you are clicking an item with the mouse. But who knows. you'll have to try that out.

But again there are a number of native ways to do what you want to do (drag a file from the desktop to an app/or folder) that you are just not exploring and which are faster in the long run of things.

Ok the drag file to dock icon approach doesn't work.

Just as a test, have an image file on your desktop ready. Go to a site that has a file input. Go to this one - http://www.spritecow.com. Click Open Image. Maximize the browser window so that you can't see your desktop and your file. Click on List View because dragging files doesn't work in icon view, another thing which Apple messed up in Lion (used to work in Snow Leopard).

Now pinch the trackpad to go to the desktop. Drag the file onto your browser's icon in the dock.

Did it work? It doesn't for me.

And the open a new Finder window, click on Desktop each time I want a file seems longer for me than my current workflow.

most sites that let you upload an image to it have an interface to do so without having to drag the things onto it. The only site I know that supports this is google mail. Sprite Cow doesn't like Safari, however I did try.

if you have a finder open in front of your browser open to desktop, you'll be able to drag those items from the window, in icon view or list view to your browser. If I do it here it just pastes the file destination of the image, most likely because that's not how you post pictures on here.

If you are unable to drag items into finder in icon view, then there is something wrong with your installation of lion, which is a whole different issue.

Apple Stores offer classes for using your computer. your method is very convoluted to what you are actually trying to do.

If dragging files to the dock doesn't work then you haven't spring loaded your folders in Finder Preferences which I stated earlier, needs to be on for this to work. you can set the immediacy in which it does it.

Go to Finder>preferences, when on finder. there you should see this, and you should toggle the option for spring loaded folders to be on and set the amount of time it waits to initiate the action. For you I'd assume you would want an instant change.