The single icon used in Flow to switch between wikitext-editing and visualeditor-editing is still very confusing, and also hard to notice, for many users.
We need a good standard design, **before** the design gets replicated in {T49779}.
=Main problems=
//(Specific to the usage in Flow)//
* Using the same icon, (with a "pressed" and "unpressed" state) does not make it clear which editor-mode the user is currently in.
* Placing just the icon in the bottom-corner, makes the overlap with the ULS keyboard-icon, more of a problem. (See image below).
//(Relevant to usage in both Flow and non-Flow (articles, etc))//
* The icon itself is not representative of "visual editor", and hence is a bad icon to use for **switching to** the visual editor.
* The icon is hard to notice, because it's such a simple grey, and made of basic geometric shapes, and tucked into the opposite side from all other toolbar buttons.
* The icon is just an icon. It would be a lot clearer with a text-label, and is important enough to deserve it, just like "Cite" does in the current [[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Edit_toolbar | wikitext toolbar ]]. (However, it would take up more room, and the exact wording is very difficult to decide - it would need to use a verb, and not use acronyms or codenames (i.e. "visual editor")). https://www.goodui.org/#47 ("Try Icon Labels instead of opening for interpretation.") is a good pattern for usability here.
=Prior discussion=
There is extensive discussion in {T101316}
There are still-applicable quotes from users about the previous icon (</>) at {T110259} and a few related comments in {T97451}
-----
=Images==Current status=
Current Flow design (VisualEditor-mode):
{F2603930}:
---|Visual editing| Wikitext|
Current Flow design (wikitext-mode)|---|---|
|{F2603930}|{F2603985}|
---
Current VisualEditor dropdown menu option to switch:
{F2363887} button, like Flow uses, at the right-side (in LTR languages) of the [[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Edit_toolbar | wikitext toolbar ]]):
---{F5361331}
= Proposed solution=
A drop-down at the toolbar that exposes explicitly both options, similar to the "style" option or the "list" one (more details in T116417#2955333):
Proposed design for the switch button in the Wikitext Editor:|Visual Editor | Flow|
|---|---|
|{F5361290}|{F5361354}|
Additional considerations:
* A label can be used in the drop-own when space allows (using icon-only version on more compact contexts).
{?}
(currently proposed to be a button like Flow uses, at the right-side (in LTR languages) of the [[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Edit_toolbar | wikitext toolbar ]])