[This was originally mentioned by somebody else in the context of an accessibility course, but I agree it would be a good idea.] The "Properties" sidebar deck provides a quick and easy way to allow seeing and editing various properties of images (and other objects) in Writer. However, seeing/setting an accessibility alternative text is currently not possible there. Making that possible would make it easier to create accessible documents (that are e.g. required by legislation in many cases). # Steps to reproduce: 1. start Writer 2. insert an image ("Insert" -> "Image") 3. With the image selected, open the sidebar, deck "Properties" # Actual behavior: There is currently no way to set/change an alternative text in that sidebar deck. Therefore, another approach needs to be taken, e.g. one of these: * open context menu, select "Properties", go to the "Options" tab * "Format" -> "Alt Text" # Expected/Desired behavior: I think it would be nice to provide an easier way, e.g. also to be able to quickly get over existing images in a document to check/update those alt texts. Version: 26.2.0.0.alpha0+ (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community Build ID: 8d1b336569d225958cc29eabc73ee257bcfd0c4b CPU threads: 32; OS: Linux 6.16; UI render: default; VCL: qt6 (cairo+xcb) Locale: en-GB (en_GB.UTF-8); UI: en-US Calc: threaded
IMHO, this would make sense for other components as well, not just Writer.
+1, but since images (and draw shapes, tables, etc.) all are *already* available in consistent in the SB Navigator wouldn't the context menu there be an equally viable location to selectively review an Alt Text description? As opposed to adding additional fields/content panels to the crowded Properties deck.
available in consistent *object links* in the Sidebar Navigator
(In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #2) > +1, but since images (and draw shapes, tables, etc.) all are *already* > available in consistent in the SB Navigator wouldn't the context menu there > be an equally viable location to selectively review an Alt Text description? > > As opposed to adding additional fields/content panels to the crowded > Properties deck. You mean the existing way to select an object in the Navigator, then open the context menu and select the "Edit" entry to open the "Properties" dialog, then navigate to the "Options" tab? That works, but I think it's not very easy/quick to reach, though, in comparison with options available directly in the "Properties" sidebar deck. I'll leave that up to the UX team to decide.
The SB Properties deck behaves differently for each object type. For example, compare an Image to a sd Shape, kind of chaotic to now squeeze an 'Alt Text' field in there. IMHO directly providing 'Alt Text' description edits, in addition to current 'Rename' actions, from the Navigator deck's context menu for objects would be a more consistent implementation for all the object types that could benefit from (or require for a11y) 'Alt Text' descriptions. As opposed to the crowded Properties deck and its Content panels.
Another approach for using the SB Properties deck would be a completely new collapsable Content panel 'Accessibility' where all an object's attributes affecting accessibility could be grouped. And expanded with a 'More options...' button as needed by type. Just seems the Navigator framework would be more direct for reviewing/editing the 'Alt Text' of any object.
Disagree to place each and every option at the sidebar. Text Alternative for images might be relevant for some but is rather solved via the Accessibility Check sidebar > Fix... interaction than per some (very prominent) property. (In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #5) > IMHO directly providing 'Alt Text' description edits, in addition to current > 'Rename' actions, from the Navigator deck's context menu... Sounds like a plan; I could also imagine to have access to the Alt Text (why is it still not changed into Text Alternative?) dialog from the context menu. IOW: add .uno:ObjectTitleDescription to the Image context menu. New to "make Text Alternative more accessible".
> (In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #5) > Sounds like a plan; I could also imagine to have access to the Alt Text (...) dialog from the context > menu. IOW: add .uno:ObjectTitleDescription to the Image context menu. That sounds good to me, and would also be consistent with how the accessible name can be set in Impress. It would still require opening a separate dialog for each image, but what should be directly in the sidebar and what not is up to the UX team to decide.
Created attachment 203631 [details] Demo of opening the text alternative dialog from the Writer Navigator Easy enough to add this to the Writer Navigator context menus and toolbox functions toolbar.
(In reply to Jim Raykowski from comment #9) > Demo of opening the text alternative dialog from the Writer Navigator 👍
(In reply to Jim Raykowski from comment #9) > Created attachment 203631 [details] > Demo ... Thanks Jim. The new SB Navigator toolbox button "Add descriptions of non-text objects (for accessibility)" and the "Text Alternative..." context menu for objects in sw Writer Navigator SB toolbox/context menus would resolve this. Agree there is a consistency issue for some of the object Properties -> Options dialogs, some needing addition of the "Text Alternative" field. @Mike, *? But what of the other modules> should Navigator toolbox of the other modules all have the same "Add descriptions" and "Properties" button(s) for consistency? Or for those would just addition to the context menu of a "Text Alternative..." entry for each be enough--each CM having a "Name" and a "Text Alternative..." menu item? And the other modules will need new BZ issues.
Link to a patch that does what is shown in https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/attachment.cgi?id=203631 https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/core/+/193376
(In reply to Jim Raykowski from comment #12) > Link to a patch that does what is shown in > https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/attachment.cgi?id=203631 > > https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/core/+/193376 Thanks a lot, that looks great to me! The only minor question that comes to my mind is whether the terminology/string for the tooltip should just be "Alt Text..." as used elsewhere instead of "Add descriptions of non-text objects (for accessibility)" for consistency, but I don't have a strong opinion on that. (Or alternatively, maybe use "*Edit* (...)" instead of "*Add* (...)", as there might already be a text to edit.)
(In reply to Michael Weghorn from comment #13) > ...the tooltip should just be "Alt Text..." as used > elsewhere instead of "Add descriptions... Really? See bug 155044 about the effort to turn this into a human readable label. Alt Text => Text Alternative
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #14) > (In reply to Michael Weghorn from comment #13) > > ...the tooltip should just be "Alt Text..." as used > > elsewhere instead of "Add descriptions... > Really? See bug 155044 about the effort to turn this into a human readable > label. Alt Text => Text Alternative My main point was about using the same label consistently when it's about the same thing, not "Alt Text" in some places and something else elsewhere. Using "Text Alternative" everywhere would be in line with that idea.
Jim Raykowski committed a patch related to this issue. It has been pushed to "master": https://git.libreoffice.org/core/commit/c2be6c15f7ae70081936d11c7e9274d984d18c47 tdf#169151 Allow modifying accessible text alternative in sidebar It will be available in 26.2.0. The patch should be included in the daily builds available at https://dev-builds.libreoffice.org/daily/ in the next 24-48 hours. More information about daily builds can be found at: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Testing_Daily_Builds Affected users are encouraged to test the fix and report feedback.
Thanks!