[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #27727: Active admin menu indicator confusing

[WordPress Trac]

#27727: Active admin menu indicator confusing
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 Reporter:  rolfkleef                            |       Owner:
     Type:  enhancement                          |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal                               |   Milestone:  Future
Component:  General                              |  Release
 Severity:  normal                               |     Version:  3.8
 Keywords:  ui-feedback has-patch 2nd-opinion    |  Resolution:
  close                                          |     Focuses:  ui,
                                                 |  administration
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Changes (by nacin):

 * keywords:  ui-feedback has-patch => ui-feedback has-patch 2nd-opinion
               close
 * milestone:  4.0 => Future Release


Comment:

 Essentially, this means that the arrow will never point to a top-level
 item. Given that it always has, this isn't a trivial change.

 The arrow actually used to point away from the menu, toward the screen,
 which was easier to explain. I understand how pointing it toward a
 particular item can cause confusion.

 Keep in mind that the menu can be collapsed; in this state, the arrows are
 only seen on hover, and it looks weird, almost like someone took a bite
 out of the menu. When collapsed, the arrow can be a helpful visual
 indicator of where you are, beyond just the color change.


 Also, the arrow is significantly smaller when the menu is collapsed. This
 makes sense currently as it is pointing to a smaller area (in terms of the
 top-level item). But the submenus are the same size, which introduces an
 inconsistency. Ideally, the arrow is always smaller if it is pointing to a
 submenu item. The giant arrow pointing at the top-level items is far too
 big for submenu items.

 Additionally, when on the "Add New" user page, you *are* inside the Users
 section, hence both the primary color and the notch. As it is impossible
 to actually be on the Users section (you are actually on the first submenu
 item) then it's weird to not just have both the notch and the color. Why
 don't they go together? Why is the notch confusing but the color not
 confusing? On a site navigation page, we'd expect some kind of "active"
 state (color, notch, etc.) over the "About" screen even if we're on some
 submenu page like /about/team/, and that's even with the ability to browse
 to the /about/ page (in this case, you can't even do that).

 I'm not sure I have a recommendation here, but I'm leaning toward leaving
 it as-is. Leaving it open for feedback from one of the interface
 designers.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/27727#comment:8>
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