GtkNamingSpecInvestigation
As of today Gtk is the only component that blocks us from GNOME having compatibility with freedesktop compliant icon themes without a huge workaround (read icon-naming-utilities). This is because Gtk doesn't look for the spec names first before falling back to its own names. It seems that Gtk can use a rethink of its icons as well.
This page is a result of a brief discussion with Mathias Clasen about potentially making this happen for Gtk3.
The freedesktop icon naming spec covers 82% of the icons found in gtk-2.20
Not yet covered
GTK_YES and GTK_NO
These should be deprecated for several reasons. The icons are red and green orbs and are hard to differentiate for people that are colourblind. Even more so because the have no distinct shapes. They are also often being abused as status icons. The most important reason to deprecate these is that they encourage developers to label buttons in the UI "Yes" and "No", which is very bad from a UI design perspective. Buttons should be named according to the actions they perform and the icons should match that description. Gtk should encourage good UI design by its own design.
GTK_OK
Should be deprecated. Same reasons as GTK_YES and NO.
GTK_INDEX
Should be deprecated because it represents a UI control. It's like having an icon for a button. It also has a hand in it which can make it problematic in some cultures.
GTK_SELECT_COLOR
Should be deprecated because it represents a UI control. See GTK_INDEX. Also, GTK_COLOR_PICKER seems almost the same.
GTK_APPLY
GTK_CANCEL
GTK_CONVERT
GTK_CONNECT
GTK_DISCONNECT
GTK_DND
GTK_DND_MULTIPLE
Shouldn't these be handled by the cursor theme? The icon doesn't necessarily represent the content that is being dragged.
GTK_EDIT
GTK_PRINT_PAUSED
GTK_PRINT_WARNING
GTK_UNDELETE
Things that can be picked up by the naming spec
Potentially GTK_ORIENTATION_* and GTK_CAPS_LOCK_WARNING. ...
Compatibility list
help-about |
GTK_STOCK_ABOUT |
list-add |
GTK_STOCK_ADD |
*deprecate* |
GTK_STOCK_APPLY |
format-text-bold |
GTK_STOCK_BOLD |
|
GTK_STOCK_CANCEL |
|
GTK_CAPS_LOCK_WARNING |
media-optical |
GTK_STOCK_CDROM |
edit-clear |
GTK_STOCK_CLEAR |
window-close |
GTK_STOCK_CLOSE |
|
GTK_STOCK_COLOR_PICKER |
|
GTK_STOCK_CONVERT |
|
GTK_STOCK_CONNECT |
edit-copy |
GTK_STOCK_COPY |
edit-cut |
GTK_STOCK_CUT |
edit-delete |
GTK_STOCK_DELETE |
dialog-password |
GTK_STOCK_DIALOG_AUTHENTICATION |
dialog-error |
GTK_STOCK_DIALOG_ERROR |
dialog-info |
GTK_STOCK_DIALOG_INFO |
dialog-question |
GTK_STOCK_DIALOG_QUESTION |
dialog-warning |
GTK_STOCK_DIALOG_WARNING |
folder |
GTK_STOCK_DIRECTORY |
|
GTK_STOCK_DISCONNECT |
|
GTK_STOCK_DND |
|
GTK_STOCK_DND_MULTIPLE |
|
GTK_STOCK_EDIT |
system-run |
GTK_STOCK_EXECUTE |
document-x-generic |
GTK_STOCK_FILE |
edit-find |
GTK_STOCK_FIND |
edit-find-replace |
GTK_STOCK_FIND_AND_REPLACE |
media-floppy |
GTK_STOCK_FLOPPY |
view-fullscreen |
GTK_STOCK_FULLSCREEN |
go-bottom |
GTK_STOCK_GOTO_BOTTOM |
go-first |
GTK_STOCK_GOTO_FIRST |
go-last |
GTK_STOCK_GOTO_LAST |
go-top |
GTK_STOCK_GOTO_TOP |
go-previous |
GTK_STOCK_GO_BACK |
go-down |
GTK_STOCK_GO_DOWN |
go-next |
GTK_STOCK_GO_FORWARD |
go-up |
GTK_STOCK_GO_UP |
drive-harddisk |
GTK_STOCK_HARDDISK |
help-contents |
GTK_STOCK_HELP |
go-home |
GTK_STOCK_HOME |
format-indent-more |
GTK_STOCK_INDENT |
|
GTK_STOCK_INDEX |
dialog-info |
GTK_STOCK_INFO |
format-text-italic |
GTK_STOCK_ITALIC |
go-jump |
GTK_STOCK_JUMP_TO |
format-justify-center |
GTK_STOCK_JUSTIFY_CENTER |
format-justify-fill |
GTK_STOCK_JUSTIFY_FILL |
format-justify-left |
GTK_STOCK_JUSTIFY_LEFT |
format-justify-right |
GTK_STOCK_JUSTIFY_RIGHT |
view-restore |
GTK_STOCK_LEAVE_FULLSCREEN |
media-seek-forward |
GTK_STOCK_MEDIA_FORWARD |
media-skip-forward |
GTK_STOCK_MEDIA_NEXT |
media-playback-pause |
GTK_STOCK_MEDIA_PAUSE |
media-playback-start |
GTK_STOCK_MEDIA_PLAY |
media-skip-backward |
GTK_STOCK_MEDIA_PREVIOUS |
media-record |
GTK_STOCK_MEDIA_RECORD |
media-seek-backward |
GTK_STOCK_MEDIA_REWIND |
media-playback-stop |
GTK_STOCK_MEDIA_STOP |
image-missing |
GTK_STOCK_MISSING_IMAGE |
network-idle |
GTK_STOCK_NETWORK |
document-new |
GTK_STOCK_NEW |
*deprecate* |
GTK_STOCK_NO |
*deprecate* |
GTK_STOCK_OK |
document-open |
GTK_STOCK_OPEN |
|
GTK_STOCK_ORIENTATION_LANDSCAPE |
|
GTK_STOCK_ORIENTATION_PORTRAIT |
|
GTK_STOCK_ORIENTATION_REVERSE_LANDSCAPE |
|
GTK_STOCK_ORIENTATION_REVERSE_PORTRAIT |
document-properties |
GTK_STOCK_PAGE_SETUP |
edit-paste |
GTK_STOCK_PASTE |
edit-preferences |
GTK_STOCK_PREFERENCES |
document-print |
GTK_STOCK_PRINT |
printer-error |
GTK_STOCK_PRINT_ERROR |
|
GTK_STOCK_PRINT_PAUSED |
document-print-preview |
GTK_STOCK_PRINT_PREVIEW |
|
GTK_STOCK_PRINT_REPORT |
|
GTK_STOCK_PRINT_WARNING |
document-properties |
GTK_STOCK_PROPERTIES |
application-exit |
GTK_STOCK_QUIT |
edit-redo |
GTK_STOCK_REDO |
view-refresh |
GTK_STOCK_REFRESH |
list-remove |
GTK_STOCK_REMOVE |
document-revert |
GTK_STOCK_REVERT_TO_SAVED |
document-save |
GTK_STOCK_SAVE |
document-save-as |
GTK_STOCK_SAVE_AS |
edit-select-all |
GTK_STOCK_SELECT_ALL |
|
GTK_STOCK_SELECT_COLOR |
preferences-desktop-font |
GTK_STOCK_SELECT_FONT |
view-sort-ascending |
GTK_STOCK_SORT_ASCENDING |
view-sort-descending |
GTK_STOCK_SORT_DESCENDING |
tools-check-spelling |
GTK_STOCK_SPELL_CHECK |
process-stop |
GTK_STOCK_STOP |
format-text-strikethrough |
GTK_STOCK_STRIKETHROUGH |
|
GTK_STOCK_UNDELETE |
format-text-underline |
GTK_STOCK_UNDERLINE |
edit-undo |
GTK_STOCK_UNDO |
formar-indent-less |
GTK_STOCK_UNINDENT |
*deprecate* |
GTK_STOCK_YES |
zoom-original |
GTK_STOCK_ZOOM_100 |
zoom-fit-best |
GTK_STOCK_ZOOM_FIT |
zoom-in |
GTK_STOCK_ZOOM_IN |
zoom-out |
GTK_STOCK_ZOOM_OUT |
Comments
The GTK_STOCK names are defines in the GTK+ headers, which means that the actual strings are compiled into millions of binaries out in the wild. Therefore, any solution will have to keep the old names working. This could be done in different ways, but any solution will likely involve some form of name mapping table inside GTK+.
The "gtk-stock-..." strings are also used in theme rc files to override stock icons. See e.g. /usr/share/themes/HighContrast/gtk/gtkrc.
Another point to consider is that currently, apps can look up the GTK_STOCK names in the icon theme (e.g. via gtk_icon_theme api) and expect that to work. If the symlinks are removed, that might no longer work (depending on where the mapping table is applied).
Yet another complication is that GTK+'s stock system has a concept of RTL variants (i.e. stock icons may change depending on the text direction). The icon theme spec has nothing comparable. Currently, GTK+ looks for foobar-rtl and foobar-ltr icon names in the theme when dealing with stock icons that have directional variants.
- I'm all for supporting these in gnome-icon-theme and the spec.
Some comments on the uncovered icons:
- GTK_INDEX: I don't think it represents a UI control. It represents a document part (the index). I agree the body part is problematic.
- * Ok, but I've only seen it being used to refer to list widgets or sidebars. Which is of course a fault by the app but they think the stock icon is to be ised for this it's worth reconsidering shipping it. -hbons
- GTK_SELECT_COLOR: This goes together with GTK_SELECT_FONT. Both are meant for toolbar buttons that bring up the corresponding dialog. Again agreed that the body part should go.
- GTK_COLOR_PICKER: Not really similar to GTK_SELECT_COLOR. This is used for the 'color picker' button in the color selection dialog, and should be similar to the color-picker cursor in the cursor theme
- GTK_DISCARD: This is just a stock item without an icon (GTK+ has a few of these)
- GTK_DND, GTK_DND_MULTIPLE: These are the default drag icons used if an app does not provide its own. The drag icons represent the dragged content, and are not the same as the drag cursors. These should be generic 'document' or 'multiple documents' icons, and imo there should be standard icon names for this.