Idea: Remove the alarm-state icons in the Alarm Tree application

[abrahamwolk]

In the Alarm Tree application in Phoebus, icons as well as colors are used to indicate the alarm state of PVs:

The icons convey the same information as the colored PV names, duplicating the information. (This is under the assumption that the alarm colors have been configured in a sensible way in phoebus.ini.) At the same time, I think that the icons make it more difficult to clearly see the tree structure of the alarms, since the labels of nodes and leaves with icons are indented while those without icons are not indented.

Removing the icons indicating the alarm-state of PVs result in an alarm tree like this:

I think that it is easier to see and understand the structure of an alarm tree without the icons, and I would like to discuss the idea of removing the icons from the Alarm Tree application in Phoebus.

[georgweiss]

I support removal of the icons.

[shroffk]

Removing the icons will mean that our applications will not comply with laws intended to prevent discrimination of people with disabilities.

Just like the different borders in Display Builder, the icons were introduced to ensure the alarm applications are accessible to people who might be colour blind.

[abrahamwolk]

Ah, I see, I was not aware of this!

Do you think a re-design of the icons that increases their legibility and the introduction of an icon for the "OK" state would be a good idea? If all nodes and leaves in the tree have icons, then I think it is easier to see the tree structure of the alarm tree.

[kasemir]

Icons were added by ITER (ControlSystemStudio/cs-studio#803 or search for "alarm icons" in original cs-studio repo PRs) and should remain available as an option because they nicely support people with reduced color vision.
With the alarm table, you can already configure which columns you get, and that allows you to skip the icon column. So adding a similar preference to hide the icons in the alarm tree, if that's operationally permitted at your site, would be a technical option.
As for a re-design, you'll never find two people who can agree on any single design ...

[abrahamwolk]

Thanks for the information on the background of the icons!

I fully agree with that the icons serve an important function and that they should remain.

I think, however, that there is room for improvement, both regarding the icons and regarding the presentation of the alarm tree in the Alarm Tree application:

1. The icons themselves are color-coded. E.g., if the color information is removed by transforming the icons for major and minor alarm states into grey-scale, then one obtains the icons and . Comparing these with the (unmodified) icons for acknowledged major and minor alarm states, and , I think the visual distinction is not that high and probably can be improved upon.

2. The nested structure of the alarm tree is difficult to see, since some nodes in the alarm tree have icons and some nodes don't have icons, with the consequence that the indentation of the labels is not uniform.