# Emoncms top menu bar icons + name or just icons?

**URL:** <https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/emoncms-top-menu-bar-icons-name-or-just-icons/11670>\
**Category:** Emoncms\
**Created:** [14 August 2019 20:22 UTC](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/emoncms-top-menu-bar-icons-name-or-just-icons/11670 "2019-08-14T20:22:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TrystanLea](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/user_avatar/community.openenergymonitor.org/trystanlea/32/31_2.png) [@TrystanLea](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/u/TrystanLea)\
**Post date:** [14 August 2019 20:22 UTC](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/emoncms-top-menu-bar-icons-name-or-just-icons/11670/1 "2019-08-14T20:22:59Z")

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Are there any preferences for and against including the menu item name in the top bar menu by default?

There is now a new settings for selecting the desired behavior (available in v10.1.4 in stable and master branch now), the default is to hide the text but I think it should be visible as otherwise its not clear for new users what the icons are…

**With text (+ responsive behaviour that hides text on small screens):**

```
$show_menu_titles = true;

```

 ![image](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/uploads/default/original/2X/8/8436044a09b50e8f15df8039136dbc70d6c01303.png)

**Without text:**

```
$show_menu_titles = false;

```

 ![image](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e15990bbbd1d69e72a6da67675f8c5bd4b521e4a.png)

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**Author:** ![nchaveiro](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/user_avatar/community.openenergymonitor.org/nchaveiro/32/12392_2.png) [@nchaveiro](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/u/nchaveiro)\
**Post date:** [14 August 2019 21:33 UTC](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/emoncms-top-menu-bar-icons-name-or-just-icons/11670/2 "2019-08-14T21:33:52Z")

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In the past showing just icons or icons+text on the menus was automatic depending on the screen width and available space.  
I would keep the same behavior.  
Show text if there is space.

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**Author:** ![Neil](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@Neil](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/u/Neil)\
**Post date:** [15 August 2019 11:33 UTC](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/emoncms-top-menu-bar-icons-name-or-just-icons/11670/3 "2019-08-15T11:33:13Z")

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Greetings,

The menu bar is unlikely to become crowded even showing text, but the ‘real-estate’ issue might pop up elsewhere. It seems to me that almost all software interfaces I use have unknowingly ‘standardized’ on icons with ‘tool-tips’ (text), thus saving space while maintaining clarity. The user is informed and never has to make the choice. Just the way you have it now.

Best wishes

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**Author:** ![nchaveiro](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/user_avatar/community.openenergymonitor.org/nchaveiro/32/12392_2.png) [@nchaveiro](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/u/nchaveiro)\
**Post date:** [15 August 2019 12:18 UTC](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/emoncms-top-menu-bar-icons-name-or-just-icons/11670/4 "2019-08-15T12:18:26Z")

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Tool tips were used with a mouse interface on mouse over events.  
Today with touch devices (that are the majority) you dont have the on over event anymore and tool tips are not showing.

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**Author:** ![borpin](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/user_avatar/community.openenergymonitor.org/borpin/32/193_2.png) [@borpin](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/u/borpin)\
**Post date:** [15 August 2019 12:38 UTC](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/emoncms-top-menu-bar-icons-name-or-just-icons/11670/5 "2019-08-15T12:38:28Z")

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Defo include names - the icons are not intuitive (except for the menu) and I never click the right one first time.

‘Setup’ isn’t right though. I’d suggest ‘Manage’.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TrystanLea](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/user_avatar/community.openenergymonitor.org/trystanlea/32/31_2.png) [@TrystanLea](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/u/TrystanLea)\
**Post date:** [15 August 2019 17:01 UTC](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/emoncms-top-menu-bar-icons-name-or-just-icons/11670/6 "2019-08-15T17:01:33Z")

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I’ve changed it to show the names as default. The option is there for anyone to change it to hide by default if needed 🙂

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**Author:** ![Neil](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@Neil](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/u/Neil)\
**Post date:** [16 August 2019 11:23 UTC](https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/emoncms-top-menu-bar-icons-name-or-just-icons/11670/7 "2019-08-16T11:23:48Z")

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Hello @nchaveiro, the ‘tool tips’ are currently in in use in emncms, they seem to be working for me. However, I am using a laptop that does not have a touch screen.

Best wishes