Android Gallery hiding from 'select files' in forum postings

[Netherthorpe]

(3rd gen wifi).
Hope this isn’t too long (just trying to minimise the need for questions!).

Had this phone nearly a year (& still glad I chose it!), but have only recently started configuring it for productivity, when it became my only computer (desktop & laptop currently unusable).

Some forums I use depend on photos, and the forum I’m currently trying to use has only 1 method; a ‘select files’ system, from which to find & select images in whatever device; a simple matter with desktop/notebook, but not so from my phone, it seems.

‘Select files’ finds 2 or more of my apps to find the photos in; usually Documents, Android System & my printer’s app, sometimes Camcorder, but never the Android Gallery. (Gmail sees the Gallery all right; no problem emailing photos from it). I’ve tried all the settings I can find (including app permissions) with no joy, tried in both Chrome & Firefox, & have searched the web extensively without finding the particular problem. Maybe that points to a quirk of the phone model (rather than of a browser/android generally)? Or maybe something in browser settings? Or could it be a carrier thing? (I did buy the phone including sim from my carrier, though without a contract, and I do everything over wifi apart from calls & SMS). I found just 1 relevant forum thread, & it was ‘resolved’, but only by the OP saying ‘forget it - I’ve figured it out’!

I gathered I needed a file manager app anyway, for similar purposes (the clean start re software was one of this phone’s charms for me!). But I’ve been unable to pinpoint one that’ll do this particular thing (let me insert a photo I’ve already taken in the right light/location!). The only one I’ve tried so far is Amaze File Manager (partly for its copy-paste for images, which I don’t seem to have in the phone as yet), but so far the only thing I’ve got it to do re the Gallery is copy a photo from it to paste into Google’s reverse image search (for which I’ve kept it).
I’ve also looked at other gallery apps, but again, with such a plethora available it’s hard to home in on one that might do what I want.

Could my 3rd-party bootloader (Nova) be getting in the way?
Or am I missing something obvious that ‘everybody’ knows? (It’s my 1st smartphone (due to finances/mobile signal too weak for data), Ist touchscreen and Ist Android device, so it’s been a busy learning curve.

Any ideas?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! In my experience, when I encounter that, the Documents option usually includes the photos that are locally saved on the phone. Do you see them there?

 

[Netherthorpe]

Thank you so much - it works!
I'd tried looking inside Documents before, but even though I'd read about people finding their Gallery in there, I couldn't seem to find it. I've just tried again, and this time tried the 'open from' menu on the left, and got a ling list including Gallery, which got me into it.

I think the reason I didn't try it before is ingrained Windows habits - must have confused the menu with Windows' 'Open With' menu, not knowing what in Android I'd open it with.

So it was right under my nose after all.
I blame circumstances confining me to Microsoft stuff from 1986 to when I bought this phone. Though I might soon have enough spare time to start using Unix in my computers!).

Thanks again.

P.s. And for your patience.
Perhaps I should explain asking such a basic question here; Iocation etc means I can't just ask a friend to show me how something's done (let alone re this phone - I don't personally know anyone anywhere with a Motorola!).