Drag-drop not working for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on VMware® Workstation 15 Pro

Question

I've installed Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on VMware® Workstation 15 Pro Version 15.5.2 build-15785246. The problem is that the drag and drop feature (From the host (Windows 10) to the guest (Ubuntu) on the VMware) doesn't work. I've tries the following two methods, but no success!

Method (1):

1. sudo apt-get autoremove open-vm-tools
2. Install VMware Tools by following the usual method (Virtual Machine --> Reinstall VMware Tools)
3. Reboot the VM
4. sudo apt-get install open-vm-tools
5. sudo apt-get install open-vm-tools-desktop
6. Reboot the VM

Method (2):

1. Go into VM / Settings / Options / Guest Isolation
2. Uncheck both checkboxes (Enable drag and drop, Enable copy and paste) and click OK.
3. Shut down the guest, and shut down VMware Workstation
4. Reboot the host computer
5. Run VMware Workstation but do not launch the guest yet.
6. Go into VM / Settings / Options / Guest Isolation for the guest, and
7. CHECK both checkboxes
8. Power On the guest.

Any idea how to solve the issue, please?

Solution

Enter the following command in terminal to enable drag and drop between virtual machines and the host.

gsettings set org.gnome.nautilus.preferences use-experimental-views false

Do the following to enable drag and drop between two virtual machines:

1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings), click the Options tab and select Guest isolation.

2. Select Disable drag and drop to and from this virtual machine to disable the feature. Deselect it to enable the feature.

Comments

[Franky]

From the host (Windows 10) to the guest (Ubuntu) on the VMware

[Franky]

I did this too, but nothing changed unfortunately! :(

[Rasik Adhikari]

Try this: apt install open-vm-tools open-vm-tools-desktop. This may help.

[Rasik Adhikari]

Run this: sudo /usr/lib/vmware-tools/bin32/vmware-user-loader &

[Franky]

Errors regarding permission turned up and I added "sudo" at the beginning of the commands. Still nothing different!

[Franky]

I've done this already. Please refer to the method (2) to the question body.

[Rasik Adhikari]

You need to uncheck the guest isolation box.

[Franky]

Which box? Drag and drop or copy and paste? There are two boxes!

[Rasik Adhikari]

Drag and drop should be unchecked.

[Franky]

It's not even showing the drag shadow now either!

[Rasik Adhikari]

Try reinstalling vmware. That may help sometimes.

[Rasik Adhikari]

You can try virtualbox. That definitely works.

[pomsky]

The first command is not useful for Ubuntu 20.04 as Nautilus doesn't handle desktop items anymore.