Insert link: the link selection disappears when entering a link

[noisysocks]

Issue Overview

When inserting a link, your text selection disappears when the focus changes into the Paste URL or type text field. This makes it hard to tell exactly what text you are linking.

Screenshots / Video

Steps to Reproduce (for bugs)

1. Create a paragraph block
2. Select some text
3. Click on the Link button in the formatting toolbar

Expected Behavior

Your cursor should be in the Paste URL or type text field and there should be a blue selection rectangle around the text that you selected.

Current Behavior

Your cursor is in the Paste URL or type text field but the text you selected is no longer selected.

Possible Solution

The classic editor solves this by immediately inserting a link placeholder, as soon as you create a link:

Related Issues and/or PRs

This was flagged as an issue in #4572 and #5960 (comment). #4909 contained a failed attempt at fixing this.

[designsimply]

I tested using WordPress 4.9.7 and Gutenberg 3.3.0 and confirmed that, if I select text and click the link icon in the paragraph block, no formatting or highlighting appears to show me what link text is currently selected. Tested with WordPress 4.9.7 and Gutenberg 3.3.0. (screenshot)

[talldan]

This seems to have regressed in master - reopening the issue. Unsure why the e2e tests didn't catch it.

[noisysocks]

Is this to do with the recent RichText changes? @WordPress/gutenberg-core

[ellatrix]

Yes, the link UI was rewritten without the placeholder link... We can restore that I guess.