Technical Writing - Could this be called an icon?
In a web application, I have a field in a table that contains the following (scrubbed):
You can mouse over STATUS to display a popup that shows "Approved", "Deferred" etc.
But, what do you call STATUS. It's not a link, and not sure if it should be called an icon. But, if "Icon" is appropriate, I'll run with it. Thanks.
You can mouse over STATUS to display a popup that shows "Approved", "Deferred" etc.
But, what do you call STATUS. It's not a link, and not sure if it should be called an icon. But, if "Icon" is appropriate, I'll run with it. Thanks.
ASKER
OK, looks like I oversimplified this example. The "element" is not always "status". It can also be "info" or "reason".
So, maybe
#1 "The RESULT column contains an element you can mouse over to obtain additional info", with sample screenshots thereafter.:
Or maybe just be loose with terminology and say:
#2 "The RESULT column contains an icon you can mouse over to obtain additional info", with sample screenshots thereafter.:"
I'm sure our audience - which is pretty technical - would understand #2.
Thanks.
So, maybe
#1 "The RESULT column contains an element you can mouse over to obtain additional info", with sample screenshots thereafter.:
Or maybe just be loose with terminology and say:
#2 "The RESULT column contains an icon you can mouse over to obtain additional info", with sample screenshots thereafter.:"
I'm sure our audience - which is pretty technical - would understand #2.
Thanks.
No. An icon is an icon, or a picture / image. If it text, it is not an image, not an icon.
From your second post where you mention RESULT i presume this is a column in a table you are writing for some doc.
I guess that this doc is aimed at developers, you will make both their and your life easier if you use the right word. Which icon is definitely not.
English is not my native language so I am not sure of the best words you coud use.
My favorite here, from what I understand from your posts, would be "anchor text" and the popup would be "popup" or, more appopriately as suggested "tooltip" (the tooltip vanishes when your mouse goes away, while the "popup" stays visible)
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchor_text
B-) If the text is in fact an image of the text, then again this is not an icon (which suggest some graphic creation). In that case I would suggest "button" for the image and "button text" for the text in the image
From your second post where you mention RESULT i presume this is a column in a table you are writing for some doc.
I guess that this doc is aimed at developers, you will make both their and your life easier if you use the right word. Which icon is definitely not.
English is not my native language so I am not sure of the best words you coud use.
My favorite here, from what I understand from your posts, would be "anchor text" and the popup would be "popup" or, more appopriately as suggested "tooltip" (the tooltip vanishes when your mouse goes away, while the "popup" stays visible)
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchor_text
B-) If the text is in fact an image of the text, then again this is not an icon (which suggest some graphic creation). In that case I would suggest "button" for the image and "button text" for the text in the image
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Hmm, it is an image with a tooltip
> I'm sure our audience - which is pretty technical - would understand #2.Hmm... things are different
- if you are reading (then you more or less understand) or
- making some sort of development (then you will be more precisely litteral)
ASKER
>>And a "pretty technical" audience would understand "link" in that context.
Joe - you mean "link" instead of "element"?
Joe - you mean "link" instead of "element"?
> Joe - you mean "link" instead of "element"?
Yes. Mind you, I prefer the correct term, which is "element" (imo), but if you are opposed to "element", I would go with "link", which I think is better than "icon" or "button", even though it is technically not a "link". You could even go low-tech and call it a "word or phrase", as in:
The RESULT column contains a word or phrase that you can mouse over to obtain additional info
Of course, if it's always a single word and not a multi-word phrase, use this:
The RESULT column contains a word that you can mouse over to obtain additional info
Regards, Joe
Yes. Mind you, I prefer the correct term, which is "element" (imo), but if you are opposed to "element", I would go with "link", which I think is better than "icon" or "button", even though it is technically not a "link". You could even go low-tech and call it a "word or phrase", as in:
The RESULT column contains a word or phrase that you can mouse over to obtain additional info
Of course, if it's always a single word and not a multi-word phrase, use this:
The RESULT column contains a word that you can mouse over to obtain additional info
Regards, Joe
ASKER
Thank you everyone!
You're welcome, as always!
"Status" is known as an "element" or "inline element". The text that appears when you "mouse over" it (using your term, although the more common term is "hover") is called a "tooltip". Regards, Joe