Bug 150812 - Rename the "Search Commands" menu item
Summary: Rename the "Search Commands" menu item
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: LibreOffice (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
7.5.0.0 alpha0+
Hardware: All All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords: difficultyBeginner, easyHack, skillDesign, topicDesign
Depends on:
Blocks: UNO-Command-Label HUD
  Show dependency treegraph
 
Reported: 2022-09-05 21:18 UTC by Eyal Rozenberg
Modified: 2022-12-21 23:18 UTC (History)
5 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description Eyal Rozenberg 2022-09-05 21:18:17 UTC
The "Search Commands" item on the help menu is too ambiguous IMHO, because:

1. It can also mean "Help about the commands used for searching" (since it's on the help menu after all)
2. It doesn't have an ellipsis, suggesting that it will not open a dialog
3. On the Edit menu, we use "Find", not "Search"

I therefore suggest it be renamed for improved clarity.

My suggestions are "Find Command..." or "Find Commands..."



Note: I don't support the rename suggestion in 148703, and its motivation is different.
Comment 1 V Stuart Foote 2022-09-06 01:53:13 UTC
Something for Italo and marketing... but as a feature it could use a snappy name.

But it's quikee's baby--maybe he'd like to put something out there.
Comment 2 Heiko Tietze 2022-09-06 07:03:18 UTC
Don't see an advantage of Find over Search. In fact, KDE's HUD Krunner shows "Search..." (it has much more capabilities) and on macOS it is "Spotlight Search". 

(In reply to Eyal Rozenberg from comment #0)
> Note: I don't support the rename suggestion in 148703, and its motivation is
> different.

bug 148703 Writer crash on undo after paste - seems to be wrong
Comment 3 Heiko Tietze 2022-09-06 07:11:58 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #2)
> bug 148703 Writer crash on undo after paste - seems to be wrong

It's bug 148073, Consider renaming "Search Commands" to "Search and execute commands", resolved NAB.
Comment 4 Eyal Rozenberg 2022-09-06 20:04:37 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #2)
> Don't see an advantage of Find over Search. 

The advantage is in removing the double-meaning of commands-regarding-search vs search-for-commands, not in the choice of words itself.
Comment 5 QA Administrators 2022-09-07 03:59:44 UTC Comment hidden (noise)
Comment 6 Mike Saunders 2022-09-12 14:11:38 UTC
I see the point Eyal is raising, and "Search for commands" makes more sense IMO.
Comment 7 Eyal Rozenberg 2022-09-12 15:09:12 UTC
(In reply to Mike Saunders from comment #6)

Modulo bikeshedding, Mike's suggestion is fine by me...

I like "Find Command" better because:

* Two words instead of three
* I don't know why, but I don't like seeing "for" in a menu. It has a "narrative" feeling for me.
* (weaker argument) Matches Edit | Find
Comment 8 Heiko Tietze 2022-09-15 06:08:03 UTC
We discussed the topic in the design meeting and decided to follow Mike's suggestion "Search for Commands..." (mind the ellipsis).

Code pointer:
officecfg/registry/data/org/openoffice/Office/UI/GenericCommands.xcu
<node oor:name=".uno:CommandPopup" oor:op="replace">
Comment 9 Adolfo Jayme Barrientos 2022-09-17 19:26:23 UTC
If we are going to modify this string and have it go again through the translation process, this change is too subtle and, in my experience, I’ve seen that many teams will simply not see the subtlety and submit an identical translation from their TM. It is better to use this opportunity to have LO match most other software: it should be “Command Palette”.
Comment 10 Eyal Rozenberg 2022-09-17 20:07:20 UTC
(In reply to Adolfo Jayme Barrientos from comment #9)
> If we are going to modify this string and have it go again through the
> translation process, this change is too subtle and, in my experience, I’ve
> seen that many teams will simply not see the subtlety and submit an
> identical translation from their TM.

1. Don't they see that _some_ change has happened?
2. Won't they notice the ellipsis?
3. Aren't there reviews on translation changes?

Finally, if they translate to the same thing, then - maybe they have already corrected the ambiguity in their language to begin with.

> It is better to use this opportunity to
> have LO match most other software: it should be “Command Palette”.

I would not know for sure what a Command Palette is, and that doesn't sound like something which would let me search. Also, my suggestion here was inspired somewhat by the CLion IDE, where the menu item reads "Find Action...".
Comment 11 Buovjaga 2022-09-18 06:43:42 UTC
(In reply to Eyal Rozenberg from comment #10)
> (In reply to Adolfo Jayme Barrientos from comment #9)
> > It is better to use this opportunity to
> > have LO match most other software: it should be “Command Palette”.
> 
> I would not know for sure what a Command Palette is, and that doesn't sound
> like something which would let me search. Also, my suggestion here was
> inspired somewhat by the CLion IDE, where the menu item reads "Find
> Action...".

I never heard of it myself, but a search turns up hits, it seems popular especially in code editors:
https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/getstarted/userinterface#_command-palette
https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/using-github/github-command-palette
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/sublime_text/sublime_text_command_palette.htm
https://jupyterlab.readthedocs.io/en/stable/user/commands.html
https://www.ultraedit.com/wiki/Command_palette
https://docs.lapce.dev/get-started/command-palette
https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP%20Business%20Application%20Studio/9d1db9835307451daa8c930fbd9ab264/78788bf69e7c4834a2d3411b10c5d84a.html
https://www.jetbrains.com/help/datalore/dl-command-palette.html
Comment 12 BogdanB 2022-11-11 05:48:52 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #8)
> We discussed the topic in the design meeting and decided to follow Mike's
> suggestion "Search for Commands..." (mind the ellipsis).
> 
> Code pointer:
> officecfg/registry/data/org/openoffice/Office/UI/GenericCommands.xcu
> <node oor:name=".uno:CommandPopup" oor:op="replace">

If the decision is final I can work on this bug. 
Search Commands -> Search for Commands...

I am waiting for an answer.
Comment 13 Heiko Tietze 2022-11-11 08:26:07 UTC
(In reply to BogdanB from comment #12)
> If the decision is final I can work on this bug. 

The doer decides. Could repeat my personal opinion again but since we have different views you should make your own mind (even resolving WF is valid).
Comment 14 Adolfo Jayme Barrientos 2022-12-21 16:03:08 UTC
(In reply to Eyal Rozenberg from comment #10)
> 1. Don't they see that _some_ change has happened?
> 2. Won't they notice the ellipsis?
> 3. Aren't there reviews on translation changes?

Alas, “no” is the answer for the three questions. We work alone, it is highly demandating (I myself translate LibreOffice to three languages!) and we often miss subtle changes like added ellipsis. I don’t want this to sound like self-pity, but localization is very underregarded among FLOSS projects, and our tools are often not up for snuff (for instance, our Weblate doesn’t highlight the exact differences).
Comment 15 Eyal Rozenberg 2022-12-21 23:18:34 UTC
(In reply to Adolfo Jayme Barrientos from comment #14)
> (In reply to Eyal Rozenberg from comment #10)
> > 1. Don't they see that _some_ change has happened?
> > 2. Won't they notice the ellipsis?
> > 3. Aren't there reviews on translation changes?
> 
> Alas, “no” is the answer for the three questions. We work alone, it is
> highly demandating (I myself translate LibreOffice to three languages!) and
> we often miss subtle changes like added ellipsis. I don’t want this to sound
> like self-pity, but localization is very underregarded among FLOSS projects,
> and our tools are often not up for snuff (for instance, our Weblate doesn’t
> highlight the exact differences).

I actually brought this up in the recent LOCon:

https://events.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice-conference-2022/talk/SNBAMY/

Slide 19.