Media upload section unclear

[jhodgdon]

In [6713], the buttons/links in the media upload section were unclear to me until I clicked on them to see what they meant. I am not using Flash, by the way -- I have it installed on my computer, but blocked using the FlashBlock plugin in Firefox 2.0.

First, the link that says "Mutimedia" is actually apparently a link to upload multiple files. The word "multimedia" actually means having multiple types of media, like sound and visuals, not multiple files of a single media type. It would be clearer if it said "multiple files".

Second, the row of little pictures (with no alt tags, title, or textual explanation) is apparently a link to upload a single file. I figured out the musical notes, but the other icons were not clear to me, and they all led me to the same "Upload Images" screen.

Third, when you click on either the "multimedia" link or the row of little images, the header on the screen says it is only for uploading images. Where do you go to upload other types of files, such as sound? On my browser, the window is also too small, so I had to scroll down to see the bottom -- rather annoying on a pop-up window.

Some title/alt tags and clarification of the text on the screen would help greatly.

[ryan]

I'm hoping once all the work is done, usage will be more apparent. However, the Multimedia link for multiple uploads followed by the media images for single uploads is a bit strange. The multimedia link was not part of the original redesign.

[jhodgdon]

Update for [6874] -- again, testing without Flash, on Firefox 2.0 for Windows.

• I like the fact that the words "Add Media" tell me what this section is for.
• Still needs alt tags ("tool tips") on the icons, to tell me what clicking on each individual icon would do. My suggestions (if this is actually what they are meant to do, I wasn't sure):
  • Upload and insert image
  • Upload Management (?)
  • Upload and insert video
  • Upload and insert sound
  • Upload and insert other files (?)
• When I click on anything but the Gallery button, an "Add Image" window pops up, which says I can upload only JPG, GIF, or PNG images (and when I do so, it puts them into the post with an IMG tag). Shouldn't the other buttons allow for uploading other types of files, and maybe insert them with different tags? Actually, the window seems to allow different files, but the text on the screen implies that only images will work.
• If almost all the buttons are doing the same thing, a streamlined interface with just two buttons (Upload/Insert and Manage) would be sufficient.
• The Add Image window is a bit too small, so I have to scroll down to see the bottom. Really annoying, it just needs to be about 20 or 30 pixels bigger.
• If I click "Add Image" at the bottom, before I have put in an alt tag on, it tells me in red that I need an alt tag, but the other fields are cleared, so I have to browse to the file I am uploading again, and enter any other information I might have put there.
• How come there are two browse buttons on the Upload Image box? I have no idea what the first one is for. Clicking it doesn't seem to do anything.
• It needs to be made clearer that if I want to just upload a file, without inserting a link to it in the post, I can use the Manage/Gallery button. Also, that if I click "Cancel" on that window, the uploads I have already done are there, it just means that I didn't want to insert them into the post. A different button name, or another button saying "Done Uploading" would be useful.
• When I use one of the Add Image windows, to upload and add an image to the post, it doesn't show up later when I use the Gallery window. I think it should.

[jhodgdon]

Someone also pointed out on the Hackers mailing list today that in WordPress 2.3 and earlier versions, you could use the "Uploads" section to browse and insert media files you had uploaded and attached to other posts. Has this functionality been lost in the new system? If so, it should be restored.

[jhodgdon]

By the way, is someone working on fixing the problems with this, or should I consider writing a patch myself?

[andy]

Mostly fixed or rendered invalid by [6974]

[jhodgdon]

I am going to reopen this one, having just tested in [6994], again without Flash running.

The situation is MUCH improved! I like the fact there is one button that says "Add Media", and all the functionality of the other screens that used to exist is combined into one place. It is a LOT clearer what is going on.

However, I think the screen that opens when you click this link is still has a bit of confusion in it, which can be solved by some little text changes.

At the top, it now says "Add Media". That's good, and accurate.

Then, above the file box it says "Choose Image", and below the box it says only image file types are allowed, but that is wrong. I suggest changing the text there to "Choose Media File".

Then the next button you would click says "Add Image", when I think it should say "Upload Media File", because that is what it does -- uploads the file, not add it to the post.

I think the button at the bottom saying Insert Gallery is clear enough, and I also see that there is a way to insert a single image inside the "Show" section (if it is showing), so that's good.

I'll attach a quick patch for this with my suggestions for these minor changes.

[jhodgdon]

There are also a couple of bugs that go beyond text changes, too.

1) If you upload a different type of a file, such as a Word doc, and click "Send to editor", it is still put into an IMG tag if you insert it from the details section with the "send to editor" button. Probably a Word doc should be put in as a plain hyperlink to the file name. I'm not sure what the right tag would be for other types of media, such as videos, but I doubt that an IMG tag is correct.

2) What about being able to browse images from other posts -- losing this functionality in 2.5 seems like a bad idea.

[jhodgdon]

One other bug: When I open the details section for a file, make some edits, and click Save, I get a red message saying "No file uploaded". The changes appear to have been saved, though.

[jhodgdon]

Suggested text fixes for Add Media window

[jhodgdon]

I've added a quick patch for the text suggestions, but I am not sure how to fix the other bugs, so I'll leave that to Andy...

[andy]

Many fixes in #5911 changes. Please report remaining issues as new, individual tickets.