Multiple tooltips on same target are confusing

ux
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Unsurprisingly, I’m not much given to trying to access tooltips. However, after our recent upgrade to latest, I was trying to check what information was being displayed in the redesigned message pages - which have no column headings - and attempted to use the tooltips. After some considerable time of carefully aiming my mouse at the number and seeing a tooltip which displays only that same number, I eventually discovered by accident that I needed to aim away from the number to get the actual information I wanted.

Some further research here indicates this is a problem in the “replies” column site-wide. The number is wrapped in a span which has title="number", and that sits inside a td which has title="this topic has X replies etc". So to access the more detailed information, you need to hover away from the number. Confusing and unhelpful, IMHO.

I can see no reason for the title on the <span>, which merely duplicates the information, so perhaps this could be removed?

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There sure is a lot behind a Replies number

The 4 - 4 does seem rather pointless.
I’m also thinking the “this topic has 4 replies”, though descriptive, might be better if it somehow indicated that a click would provide navigation options. Though I guess the cursor is already a big clue to that.

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Well, it makes sense if there are more than 1000 replies.

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But I would still argue that if you want to know the exact number of posts, it’s better to have the longer version displayed for clarity. Which is more useful? This:

or this?

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Another thing. I think the number tooltip came out of someone wanting to do a customization and needed the full number, with that said, it could be added as a data attribute instead so it doesn’t create this odd tooltip scenario.

4 Likes