Use "Attachment Post URL" instead of "Post URL" in image uploader button to avoid confusion

[jeremyclarke]

I'm not sure why it is the way it is but the button in the image uploader that inserts the 'Post URL' into the 'Link URL' field is very confusing. I have been confused by it at regular intervals since it was introduced and users of my sites are clearly confused by it based on the way that they use it (always in insane and useless ways).

This is what people see now:

In the context of editing a post and adding/inserting images I think it is very reasonable for a user to expect that the "Post URL" button would insert a link to the post they are editing, and very few users would conclude that it will link to a special post-like view showing only the image they are currently inserting. Why such a button would exist must seem pretty mysterious as no one would want to link the image to the post in which it lives, but that just means most people probably ignore the button (and use it by accident).

I believe many users are not aware of the existence of the file attachement 'post view', and I really don't think that those who have figured out what they are would think of them as 'post url'. They are 'posts' only in the most technical of senses (wp_posts table). The urls inserted by the 'post url' button could be much more effectively described as Attachment URL (based on their post_type), which explains what the url is while simultaneously informing the user that such a view exists

Maybe I'm missing some important fact but I think this would help a lot of people understand the uploader better:

[greenshady]

Agreed. I have a hard enough time trying to explain to users what an attachment is. It wouldn't hurt for WordPress to make this process easier.

[wojtek.szkutnik]

"Attachment" is certainly better than "Post", but I still feel it may be a bit unclear for some users...

[jane]

Attachment URL has the same meaning as Post URL. Not a clear enough distinction.

[jeremyclarke]

I think distinction is definitely clear enough to be worth distinguishing. Calling it the "Post url" is very confusing because in WP the word 'Post' refers to post_type=post (blog posts).

In the code 'post' could refer to any post object living in wp_posts, but in terms of the UI people have no reason to think that way yet. When the UI presents all other non-core post_type's it uses their post_type name, not the word 'post', and I think the media/attachments UIs should follow this pattern and refer to the 'post' for the attachment as the attachment itself.

The only risk here is that people are confused and think that the 'attachment url' will be a link to the file itself. IMHO this is not something that is worth worrying about because the 'attachment url' is right next to 'file url'. The juxtaposition of these two choices makes it easier to understand their relationship, and I can't think of any other conclusions someone could draw from these two buttons together than what they will actually do.

If attachment is wrong then it should be changed to something else that isn't just 'post'. When someone is working with edit.php on a post_type=post the word 'Post' should be reserved for the primary post they are currently editing.

[jane]

Attachment URL sounds like File URL. The fact that they are right next to each other only makes it even more confusing. Post URL does imply the post being written, not a post that is created in the secret background to contain the image and only the image.

Jeremy said "If attachment is wrong then it should be changed to something else that isn't just 'post'." I agree with this. It won't be in 3.1, but it can be in 3.2. Punting discussion to UI group. Can come up with a number of possibilities, then toss up an online exercise or something to see what users interpret different labels to mean, then pick the one that performs best.

[mmuro]

Attachment seems like the right word for the context of that button. Perhaps "Attachment Page" is more descriptive of what it means?

[jane]

Yes, "Attachment Page" is definitely more correct, but unfortunately we already use 'Page' to mean multiple things, and if it's really a post, we don't want to confuse the issue for less savvy users.

[jeremyclarke]

"Attachment post" is the more accurate form of that, as they are indeed 'posts' but they are 'pages' only in the most general "web page" sense of the word.

The most informative label would be "Attachment post URL" which IMHO should actually be enough for people who didn't know about Attachment URLs to figure out that they exist. Unfortunately it is really verbose to have as text on that particular button (right?).

This leads me back to "Attachment" as a somewhat-vague but still accurate and useful label.

Maybe "Attachment post URL" is the right way to go. It takes up space but it could be worth it in the name of educating people. In terms of horizontal space there is lots available.

I'll be sure to follow the UI discussion on the topic :)

[saracannon]

I agree that Attachment URL sounds like File URL. ...think about a common user who adds an "attachment" to an email (a file) - "Attachment URL" will most likely end up confusing people. At first glance, the suggested "Attachment Post URL" does sounds the most accurate/informative label to me.

[jeremyclarke]

Updated to make the old "Post URL" button say "Attachment Post URL"

[jeremyclarke]

Screenshot of the "Attachment Post URL" button from 17326.diff

[jeremyclarke]

I updated the patch to say "Attachment Post URL" instead and added a screenshot of how it looks.

[chexee]

saracannon, TECannon, and I discussed this briefly in last week's UI meeting.

We liked "Attachment Post URL" / "Attachment File URL" for buttons, but this would make both buttons really long. We can either sacrifice short buttons for descriptive purposes if no one can think of shorter language for this.

Personally, I agree that its important to add the descriptive "Attachment" to Post URL and File URL, as a lot of new/casual users have trouble distinguishing Posts from Pages, none the less Attachments.

We also talked about changing the 'URL' to 'Link', but thought there might be problems in translations because URL is a universal reference, whereas 'Link' doesn't universally translate. However, 'Link' (in English) is more user friendly and makes more sense for casual users.

[jeremyclarke]

AFAIK "Link" refers to a whole reference from one part of the web to another, whereas URL/URI more accurately describes specifically the address of a resource.

In this case I think URL is definitely the right way to label the button. "Link" should only be used when the result will be an <a> tag. This button is part of a system to define what the uploaded image will 'link' to, but the attachment-post choice isn't a link, it's a url.

[jane]

Jeremy is correct re URL vs Link.

[scribu]

How about we fix the real problem: make the button always insert the current post URL, as expected.

[scribu]

Nevermind, the "Attachment Post URL" is not the same as the post in which the image will be inserted.

I was under the impression that it inserted the url to $attachment->post_parent.

[nacin]

Still no consensus here, and lots of ambiguity. Ultimately, checking the link (or clicking the button) will make it somewhat obvious to the user. Need to punt at this point. "Attachment Post URL" is the best here, but it still kind of sucks.

[nacin]

Per IRC and Jane, "Attachment Post URL" is better than what we have. It's apparently used elsewhere already, though I can't find it.

[jane]

Replying to nacin:

It's apparently used elsewhere already, though I can't find it.

Technically it's Attachment Page, not Attachment Post URL that is used elsewhere (Gallery Settings in Gallery tab when you have uploaded images). Fine to make change for 3.3. Hoping to re-jigger the uploader settings stuff in 3.4 anyway.

[nacin]

In [19232]:

Rename attachment link button from 'Post URL' to 'Attachment Post URL.' props jeremyclarke, fixes #13544.