Bug 167647 - [RFE] Find & Replace dialog: hide the Replacement controls by default adding a button to expose them
Summary: [RFE] Find & Replace dialog: hide the Replacement controls by default adding ...
Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: UI (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
26.2.0.0 alpha0+ master
Hardware: All All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks: Find&Replace-Dialog
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Reported: 2025-07-23 11:34 UTC by Sahil Gautam
Modified: 2025-12-02 06:59 UTC (History)
8 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
find tab (47.50 KB, image/png)
2025-07-26 20:17 UTC, Sahil Gautam
Details
replace tab (47.69 KB, image/png)
2025-07-26 20:17 UTC, Sahil Gautam
Details

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Description Sahil Gautam 2025-07-23 11:34:25 UTC
Description:
We have a feature-rich search and replace dialog that users avoid, are confused or simply don't understand that it's possible to use it for searches (that is not solely for replacements)

We need to change the "Find and Replace" dialog so it has 2 tabs. To :

- Reduce the number of buttons (Search button; Replace button -> to -> Find button)
- Increase the discoverability of advance find options while keeping it simple (2 tabs, less competing items) and avoid confusion (I just want to find something using this advance options why do I need to fill the replace textbox?) and by making it the default in non Writer apps
- Be more consistent with what people expect and are used to

Steps to Reproduce:
1. press <CTRL+H> in writer or click on the magnifying glass button on the toolbar which shows a tooltip "Find and Replace".


Actual Results:
the user got intimidated by all the options and the find-n-replace edit boxes and closed the application.

Expected Results:
the user should not be confused/intimidated by the ui.


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: Yes

Additional Info:
Version: 25.2.4.3 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 520(Build:3)
CPU threads: 32; OS: Linux 6.12; UI render: default; VCL: gtk3
Locale: en-US (en_US.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded
Comment 1 Roman Kuznetsov 2025-07-25 18:29:54 UTC
I still don't see any benefit

UX-team?
Comment 2 Adolfo Jayme Barrientos 2025-07-26 19:55:14 UTC
@Roman: “Still”? Sahil just posted his rationale!
Comment 3 Sahil Gautam 2025-07-26 20:17:19 UTC
Created attachment 202014 [details]
find tab

this is how the dialog looks now by  default
Comment 4 Sahil Gautam 2025-07-26 20:17:58 UTC
Created attachment 202015 [details]
replace tab

when you click on the replace button, the replace controls show up.
Comment 5 Roman Kuznetsov 2025-07-26 23:22:00 UTC
(In reply to Adolfo Jayme Barrientos from comment #2)
> @Roman: “Still”? Sahil just posted his rationale!

We had some discussion about it in the Telegram, therefore "still"
Comment 6 Sahil Gautam 2025-07-27 00:20:34 UTC
(In reply to Roman Kuznetsov from comment #5)
> (In reply to Adolfo Jayme Barrientos from comment #2)
> > @Roman: “Still”? Sahil just posted his rationale!
> 
> We had some discussion about it in the Telegram, therefore "still"

I see only one comment (other than Ring's) in the telegram discussion by (Jandit), don't know if that's you. The comment says

"""
- I agree that it makes sense to split search and replace (currently replace is implicitly triggered by putting text into replace)
- It does not make it look simpler (still a lot of features that need buttons and whatnot) but it will most likely reduce mistakes

I think because having search and replace in one window mixes two different features ("modes") in the same place. So while it might be "less UI elements" it can be more confusing as it is now
"""

i would like to know "how it would be more confusing" and the argument goes in circles, makes sense -> will reduce mistakes -> having in same window mixes the two -> less elements ==> more confusion. i presented my views in favor of the change, i can't make sense out of what's being said here.

if you are not this person then please quote yourself from the discussion, or if you are then please state some solid reason reason like "i still don't see any benifit because ....so....and.....so....".
Comment 7 Heiko Tietze 2025-07-31 07:48:15 UTC
(In reply to Sahil Gautam from comment #0)
> We have a feature-rich search and replace dialog that users avoid, are
> confused or simply don't understand that it's possible to use it for
> searches (that is not solely for replacements)
Two issues: Users don't understand the F&R dialog as something to search (I don't see it) and the dialog is overly complex (I agree, but the tabs won't fix this issue - and make the interaction more complex). Another reason for tabs is familiarity with MSO - and I disagree with this reason.

A solution for simple searches is the sidebar - I'd rather put more effort in this UI.

(In reply to Sahil Gautam from comment #3)
> this is how the dialog looks now by  default
Commented on Gerrit: The toggle buttons are not tabs, and the content is not properly placed.
Comment 8 Heiko Tietze 2025-07-31 07:49:38 UTC
Same topic: Bug 156493 - Split search for text and for style into two tabs in Find and Replace dialog
Comment 9 V Stuart Foote 2025-07-31 14:06:53 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #7)

> Commented on Gerrit: The toggle buttons are not tabs, and the content is not
> properly placed.

Already in place for COOL but -WIP on master against 26.2 in
https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/core/+/188305
Comment 10 Heiko Tietze 2025-08-22 08:57:53 UTC
We discussed the topic in the design meeting.

The proposal removes two buttons and one input line on cost of two tabs. It might be inspired by MSO, but that does not always mean it's better. We should rather think about a larger overhaul of the dialog.

An alternative to the tabs might be turning the label "Replace" into a checkbox. And hide the controls if unchecked.

Anyway, the recommendation is to resolve this idea as WF.
Comment 11 Szymon Kłos 2025-11-18 05:55:03 UTC
hi, do we have some consensus here?

There is proposal patch from Sahil done already:
https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/core/+/194143

It's done via toggle buttons to avoid costly (and potentialy dangerous) rework of a dialog to use "tabs". Checkbox could be used too in that way.

Anyway: I like the idea of "smaller number of buttons" in "find" tab.
It's easier to operate "without thinking" :) // Just my opinion here.
Comment 12 V Stuart Foote 2025-11-18 11:16:05 UTC
> There is proposal patch from Sahil done already:
> https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/core/+/194143

Regards the initial patch [1] think UX consensus was => WF for splitting dialog into two tabs. Checkbox or buttons still potential to expose the replacement controls. But Heiko had -2 the original as it was not the tabs of the summary and he had concerns with the calculating dialog size and misplacement of other buttons.

The new patch is changed to use GtkToggleButton--but we don't know about effects on dialog size and other buttons. But I am fine with the button/rb/checkbox to expose the replacement controls. Replacement controls no longer exposed in the dialog by default.

But, since its already merged (as buttons) to CO 25.04 [1], maybe some annotated notes with screen clips of what would change should this also be implemented on LO?

=-ref-=
[1] https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/core/+/188305
[2] https://github.com/CollaboraOnline/online/pull/12480
Comment 13 Roman Kuznetsov 2025-11-18 20:20:35 UTC
(In reply to Szymon Kłos from comment #11)
> hi, do we have some consensus here?

Personally I disagree, two tabs will make the dialog worse.
Comment 14 Heiko Tietze 2025-12-02 06:59:13 UTC
-1 to a tabbed F&R dialog (see comment 10)