Bug 168867 - VT: Use only icon for vertical tabs (by default) with mouse-over tooltip with label
Summary: VT: Use only icon for vertical tabs (by default) with mouse-over tooltip with...
Status: RESOLVED INVALID
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: UI (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
26.2.0.0 alpha0+ master
Hardware: All All
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks: Vertical-Tab-dialogs
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Reported: 2025-10-15 09:41 UTC by Telesto
Modified: 2025-10-16 06:39 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

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Crash report or crash signature:


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Description Telesto 2025-10-15 09:41:16 UTC
Description:
VT: Use only icon for vertical tabs (by default) with mouse-over tooltip with label

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Open any dialog or take a look at screenshot attachment 203247 [details] (screenshot)

Actual Results:
Currently implementation: icon + label

Expected Results:
Well it's more a 'suggestion' instead of 'expected'. Icon only system, like the toolbar with mouse-over tooltip for the vertical tabs is probably a lot cleaner

If this should be the only way or only the default can be discussed. Although configurability overcomplicating stuff a lot. Source of bugs. The non-default setting will barely be tested.

Advantages
* Fixed icon size, no dynamic width adaption (bug 168796) to fit content. So more consistent look
* No struggle with position of the label (like right from icon) or below the icon. FWIW: Not even sure if position of the label right from icon being neutral for RTL readers compared to LTR. See bug 168203
* No variation of icon sizes bug 168137
* More items can fit on a dialog (especially if label being shown below the icon) bug 165989

Prerequisite communicative/expressive icons. No clue about accessibility (color blindness and such)


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No

Additional Info:
Version: 26.2.0.0.alpha0+ (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: b1c0c4838d2e006ffa8e72516569ce8d13bdbe01
CPU threads: 4; OS: Windows 10 X86_64 (build 19045); UI render: Skia/Raster; VCL: win
Locale: nl-NL (nl_NL); UI: en-US
Calc: CL threaded
Comment 1 V Stuart Foote 2025-10-15 12:34:26 UTC
-1, I think by default we should keep the label + icon; but provide the user the option to suppress the labels (in favor of tooltips only).

The labels are essential for "Benjamin" users, while "Eve" users would have the sophistication/familiarity to be functional without button labeling (with a tooltip should they need reminder of the icons motif).
Comment 2 Heiko Tietze 2025-10-15 15:07:27 UTC
(In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #1)
> I think by default we should keep the label + icon; but provide the user
> the option to suppress the labels (in favor of tooltips only).
So actually +1 :-).

The icon-only VT would work like an ordinary toolbar. I guess some users like this.
Comment 3 V Stuart Foote 2025-10-15 15:29:40 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #2)
> (In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #1)
> > I think by default we should keep the label + icon; but provide the user
> > the option to suppress the labels (in favor of tooltips only).
> So actually +1 :-).
> 
> The icon-only VT would work like an ordinary toolbar. I guess some users
> like this.

But we are talking defaults! 

Unlike the toolbars where buttons have always depended on icons (with tooltips), the configuration dialogs have always been text--for good reason!

Removing the text labels, while visually streamlined, would not be helpful for the majority of users unfamiliar with what is contained on the dialogs--they are low frequency use and users continue to benefit from the control title labeling. 

I'd be fine for an *option* to suppress the labeling (and let users rely on tooltips) with good sets of icons, but the default for the VT should *continue* to include the text labels, localized as expected.
Comment 4 Heiko Tietze 2025-10-15 15:37:32 UTC
(In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #3)
> But we are talking defaults! 
I hope we are not. My blessing is limited to a checkbox under Tools > Options > Appearance depending on whether VT is enabled.
Comment 5 Telesto 2025-10-15 16:37:17 UTC
Well lets keep icon + label system and make it as consistent as possible across all dialogs. There are currently some differences between dialogs.

Please don't create additional setting in Tools > Options > Appearance. All those additional features generate bug potential and additional effort. I don't think it worth it. Except if dozens of users start requesting it. KISS
Comment 6 Roman Kuznetsov 2025-10-15 20:58:28 UTC
(In reply to Telesto from comment #5)
> Well lets keep icon + label 

Yes, please
Comment 7 Eyal Rozenberg 2025-10-15 22:22:55 UTC
Even as an opt-in ability... this is rather questionable.

I would say that icons are absolutely, positively, insufficient for communicating what a tab contains even in principle. And in practice, our tab icons d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y aren't up to this task, and many icons for different tabs are rather similar.
Comment 8 Heiko Tietze 2025-10-16 05:52:40 UTC
(In reply to Telesto from comment #5)
> Well lets keep icon + label system...
You could resolve your own ticket as NAB/INV.