Difference between revisions of "Title text"
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| − | + | <noinclude>{{xkcd.com}}[[File:xkcd_comic.png|thumb|right|250px|The [[Design of xkcd.com#Comic section|Comic section]] is one of the [[Design of xkcd.com|four main sections]] of the [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com] website.]]{{TOC}}[[File:tt.png|right|thumb|The title text for [[2760: Paleontology Museum]]]] | |
| + | {{incomplete| | ||
| + | *Explain that Randall previously ''erroneously'' called it "alt text" (like in [[45]]) and mouseover text, but he more recently calls it "title text", like in [[442]]. (Give a bit of history.) Add more comics/examples of Randall calling it "alt text", "mouseover text", and "title" text. | ||
| − | + | * Explain that in the book [[xkcd: volume 0]], comics sometimes include a different title text. | |
| + | * Better explain '''[[:Category:No title text]]''' and especially '''[[:Category:Multiple title texts]]'''. | ||
| + | * Explain the use of title texts in the images of his ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' articles (explained [[what if? (blog)|here]]) and how the use changed from describing the image to adding jokes.}} | ||
| + | The '''title text''', also known as {{w|mouseover|mouseover text}} or {{w|tooltip}}, is an {{w|HTML attribute}} [[Randall Munroe|Randall]] puts on [[:Category:No title text|almost every xkcd comic]] to add something tangentially relevant to the topic of the comic. In some of the early comics, the title text was also used to comment on how they were drawn (see [[24: Godel, Escher, Kurt Halsey]]) and explain the joke (see [[5: Blown apart]]). In [[:Category:No title text|a few comics]], the title text is missing. The comic with the longest title text is [[1363: xkcd Phone]] (816 characters), while [[1311: 2014]] has the title text with the highest word count (134 words). | ||
| − | [[ | + | ==How to access== |
| + | {{Quote|[T]o my knowledge none of the comics were ever missing a tooltip. It's all in a database (overbuilt, I know) and I think I would have noticed an empty field. More likely someone was just confused by their browser's erratic tooltip display behavior. Sometimes you have to do little incantations (or mouse over a link and then back onto the picture) to get them to appear.|[[Randall Munroe]]|{{w|Talk:Xkcd/Archive_1#All but one...|Source}}}} | ||
| + | Then title text can be accessed in many ways: | ||
| + | * By hovering the mouse pointer over the image on the main site; | ||
| + | * By clicking or tapping the "<sup>(alt-text)</sup>" button next to the comic title on the [https://m.xkcd.com mobile site]; | ||
| + | * By viewing the [[Transcript|official transcript]] of the comics; | ||
| + | * By installing a [[Browser helpers|browser helper]]; | ||
| + | * By opening the info.0.json file, for example [http://xkcd.com/info.0.json http://xkcd.com/info.0.json], [http://xkcd.com/485/info.0.json http://xkcd.com/485/info.0.json] or [http://xkcd.com/412/info.0.json http://xkcd.com/412/info.0.json] | ||
| − | + | ==History== | |
| + | Randall didn't add title texts to his comics before [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com], but most of the comics posted on [[LiveJournal]] had an original caption beneath the image, and many had comments by LiveJournal users. All the comics transferred to the new site had a title text, which was often along the same lines, but was almost never the same as the caption on LiveJournal. Learn more at [[LiveJournal]]. | ||
| + | Randall uses the "title" attribute rather than the {{w|Alternative text for images|"alt" attribute}} in the HTML sources. In the [https://xkcd.com/rss.xml comics feed] and [https://xkcd.com/info.0.json API data] the "alt text" is labelled "alt". Randall has, at times, refer to "alt text", with one early comic example being the title text of [[45: Schrodinger]], though that can equally be read as refering to the accompanying "alt=" parameter given to the image, "Schrodinger", as far as the implied joke goes. | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | ===Firefox bug=== |
| + | {{w|Firefox 2}} used to have a long-standing bug where only the initial part of the title text was shown as a tooltip. Firefox didn't show you the rest of the text unless you right-clicked show-property, and you would be able to see a sideways scrollable field of the title-text in the properties for the image. This bug was referenced in the title text of [[491: Twitter]] ("If long tooltips / cut off for you / then upgrade from / Firefox 2 / Burma Shave") and is still mentioned in [https://xkcd.com/about xkcd.com's About page]: | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{Quote|<big>'''Why can't I read the whole comic mouseover text in Firefox?'''</big> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''They can be read with extensions like [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1715/ Long Titles], or by right-clicking on the images and going to 'properties', then clicking and dragging to read the whole thing. This is a bug in [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id{{=}}45375 Firefox, Mozilla Bug #45375]. It has been outstanding for many years now. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''Note: It looks like it's been fixed in Firefox 3.0. Now, as an added tweak, to keep the tooltips from expiring while you're reading, you can use [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11233 this].|[[Randall Munroe]]|[https://xkcd.com/about About xkcd]}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Design of xkcd.com]]{{xkcdmeta}} | ||
Latest revision as of 02:19, 30 September 2025
| Design of xkcd.com | Links • Tagline • Header text • Comic • Title text • Footer comics • Feeds • Comics I enjoy • Other things • Warning • Bitcoin address • Footnote • License and copyright |
Contents
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This is one of 52 incomplete explanations:
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The title text, also known as mouseover text or tooltip, is an HTML attribute Randall puts on almost every xkcd comic to add something tangentially relevant to the topic of the comic. In some of the early comics, the title text was also used to comment on how they were drawn (see 24: Godel, Escher, Kurt Halsey) and explain the joke (see 5: Blown apart). In a few comics, the title text is missing. The comic with the longest title text is 1363: xkcd Phone (816 characters), while 1311: 2014 has the title text with the highest word count (134 words).
How to access[edit]
[T]o my knowledge none of the comics were ever missing a tooltip. It's all in a database (overbuilt, I know) and I think I would have noticed an empty field. More likely someone was just confused by their browser's erratic tooltip display behavior. Sometimes you have to do little incantations (or mouse over a link and then back onto the picture) to get them to appear.
Then title text can be accessed in many ways:
- By hovering the mouse pointer over the image on the main site;
- By clicking or tapping the "(alt-text)" button next to the comic title on the mobile site;
- By viewing the official transcript of the comics;
- By installing a browser helper;
- By opening the info.0.json file, for example http://xkcd.com/info.0.json, http://xkcd.com/485/info.0.json or http://xkcd.com/412/info.0.json
History[edit]
Randall didn't add title texts to his comics before xkcd.com, but most of the comics posted on LiveJournal had an original caption beneath the image, and many had comments by LiveJournal users. All the comics transferred to the new site had a title text, which was often along the same lines, but was almost never the same as the caption on LiveJournal. Learn more at LiveJournal.
Randall uses the "title" attribute rather than the "alt" attribute in the HTML sources. In the comics feed and API data the "alt text" is labelled "alt". Randall has, at times, refer to "alt text", with one early comic example being the title text of 45: Schrodinger, though that can equally be read as refering to the accompanying "alt=" parameter given to the image, "Schrodinger", as far as the implied joke goes.
Firefox bug[edit]
Firefox 2 used to have a long-standing bug where only the initial part of the title text was shown as a tooltip. Firefox didn't show you the rest of the text unless you right-clicked show-property, and you would be able to see a sideways scrollable field of the title-text in the properties for the image. This bug was referenced in the title text of 491: Twitter ("If long tooltips / cut off for you / then upgrade from / Firefox 2 / Burma Shave") and is still mentioned in xkcd.com's About page:
Why can't I read the whole comic mouseover text in Firefox?They can be read with extensions like Long Titles, or by right-clicking on the images and going to 'properties', then clicking and dragging to read the whole thing. This is a bug in Firefox, Mozilla Bug #45375. It has been outstanding for many years now.
Note: It looks like it's been fixed in Firefox 3.0. Now, as an added tweak, to keep the tooltips from expiring while you're reading, you can use this.
