Terminology: link to "Page" vs "Object"

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WHAT IS THE BUG

Anytype is built around Objects, but throughout the app I see references to “Pages”.

Navigation menu:

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Keyboard shortcuts:

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Here in the keyboard shortcuts, in the list of shortcuts for Objects, it is mentioned we can create a “Page” using the /slash menu “/page”.

Additionally, /“link” creates a “Link to a page” while the menu (see below) mentions “Link to object”

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When I create a “Link to object” I am presented with multiple references to pages and Objects

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  1. Object Type = “Page” (makes sense so far)
  2. Menu section for “Objects” (makes sense so far)
  3. Menu item “Link to object” (makes sense so far)
  4. Subtext of menu item “Link to existing page”. Are we linking to a page or an Object?

HOW TO REPRODUCE IT

Maybe not really applicable here, but:

  1. Open Anytype
  2. Open an Object that has no Relations to any other Object
  3. Open the Navigation pane
  4. See that there are references to Pages instead of Objects

THE EXPECTED BEHAVIOR

Page vs Object is always clear.

I think the Settings show a clear explanation: A “Page” is an “Object Type” (and an Object is an Object)

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SYSTEM INFORMATIONS

  • OS:
    Windows 11
  • Device:
    Dell XPS 15
  • Anytype Version:
    0.27.0

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT

See my topic on terminology here:

My take:

  • Go with Objects if you mean the container that holds Blocks.
  • Go with Page if you want to refer to an Object with the Object Type “Page”
  • Go with Canvas if you want to refer to the space in an Object where the user can place Blocks using the editor.
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2

The issue has just been opened on GitHub!

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This report has been added to our issue tracker and received by the Development Team.

6

Most of these discrepancies are still present. Some examples:

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  • “Create new object”: clear!
  • “Create a new object in new window”: clear!
  • "Opens object […]: clear!
  • “Find on page”: should be “find in object”?
  • “Show page edit history”: should definitely be “Show object edit history”
  • “On page link will open it in modal view”: apart from the strange sentence, I think it should be “Link in object will open in modal view”
  • Similar for “On page link will open it in new window”: should be “Link in object will open in new window”

Core of the issue is still: decide on the correct terminology for:

  • The container that holds Blocks (Object)
  • An Object with the Object Type “Page” (Object of type Page, or short: “Page”)
  • The space in an Object where the user can place Blocks using the editor (Canvas?)
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9

Page is the place to edit object, so these are different terms. Referencing everything as an object is not correct. Like for example when you search with CMD + F you search word on a page, object has nothing to do with it.

I’ve canceled the issue in the tracker as this is not a bug.

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Isn’t that supposed to be the canvas?

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@Razor thanks! I agree this is not necessary a bug. A Page is not just the place to add blocks, as it is also the name of an object type, which can cause confusion. As the Anytype terminology has quite a steep learning curve for some, I think these kinds of inconsistencies should be resolved.

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12

I think I’ve heard canvas mentioned sometimes, but I don’t think it’s an official Anytype term like object or relation.

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@sambouwer @isle9 Glossary - “Canvas — the place or area where Blocks live together to form the content of an Object.”

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And crucially, page is nowhere to be found in the glossary.

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15

Thanks @jannis, I didn’t know that documentation existed! I’ll put a link to it in the Terminology and Concepts topic.

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16

Thanks @sambouwer for this robust overview of inconsistencies. We will try to streamline it :pray:

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@sambouwer Check it out in the next release! eta next week

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