Display status information in the notification area icon label for BlindRSS #38

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opened 2026-07-01 05:26:10 -07:00 by serrebi · 3 comments

serrebi commented

2026-07-01 05:26:10 -07:00

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This static label provides no insight into the application’s current state. Users must open the main window to check how many unread articles exist or what operation the app is performing (e.g., checking feeds).

It is proposed to enhance the text label of the notification icon to include real‑time status information. This will allow users to quickly assess the app’s state without opening the window.

Proposed Behavior

The icon’s text label should dynamically display:

The total number of unread articles.
The current operation being performed (if any), such as checking a specific feed.

Example of the updated label:

BlindRSS (Unread: 103, Checked: Supernews)

If no operation is in progress, the label could show only the unread count:

BlindRSS (Unread: 103)

If there are no unread articles and no active operation, the label might revert to the basic form:

BlindRSS

Benefits

Users can instantly see how many unread articles have accumulated.
They can monitor ongoing operations (e.g., feed checks) without interacting with the main UI.
Improves overall user experience by providing key status information directly in the system tray.

Acceptance Criteria

The notification area icon label updates in real time as the unread article count changes.
When a feed check or other operation is in progress, the label reflects the current operation (e.g., which feed is being checked).
The label reverts appropriately when no operation is active or when there are no unread articles.
Behavior is consistent across supported platforms (Windows, macOS, and compatible Unix/Linux environments).
The updated label does not exceed reasonable length limits for the target platform’s notification area.

Currently, when BlindRSS is running, it displays a static icon in the Windows notification area (system tray) with the label "BlindRSS". macOS and some Unix/Linux desktop environments have equivalent notification areas where BlindRSS also shows its icon. This static label provides no insight into the application’s current state. Users must open the main window to check how many unread articles exist or what operation the app is performing (e.g., checking feeds). It is proposed to enhance the text label of the notification icon to include real‑time status information. This will allow users to quickly assess the app’s state without opening the window. #### Proposed Behavior The icon’s text label should dynamically display: - The total number of unread articles. - The current operation being performed (if any), such as checking a specific feed. Example of the updated label: > BlindRSS (Unread: 103, Checked: Supernews) If no operation is in progress, the label could show only the unread count: > BlindRSS (Unread: 103) If there are no unread articles and no active operation, the label might revert to the basic form: > BlindRSS #### Benefits - Users can instantly see how many unread articles have accumulated. - They can monitor ongoing operations (e.g., feed checks) without interacting with the main UI. - Improves overall user experience by providing key status information directly in the system tray. #### Acceptance Criteria - [ ] The notification area icon label updates in real time as the unread article count changes. - [ ] When a feed check or other operation is in progress, the label reflects the current operation (e.g., which feed is being checked). - [ ] The label reverts appropriately when no operation is active or when there are no unread articles. - [ ] Behavior is consistent across supported platforms (Windows, macOS, and compatible Unix/Linux environments). - [ ] The updated label does not exceed reasonable length limits for the target platform’s notification area.

serrebi commented

2026-07-01 09:47:01 -07:00

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Owner

Implemented and released in v1.73.0.

The notification area icon label now updates through the shared tray status path:

shows the unread count when there are unread articles;
includes the active refresh/status message while a feed check is running, for example BlindRSS (Unread: 103, Checking Supernews);
returns to BlindRSS when there is no unread count or active operation;
caps the tooltip text length so it stays within a reasonable notification-area label size.

I also added test coverage for the label formatter and main-frame tray activity updates. Verified with the focused tests, compile check, full pytest run, local Windows release build, and the v1.73.0 release workflows.

Implemented and released in v1.73.0. The notification area icon label now updates through the shared tray status path: - shows the unread count when there are unread articles; - includes the active refresh/status message while a feed check is running, for example BlindRSS (Unread: 103, Checking Supernews); - returns to BlindRSS when there is no unread count or active operation; - caps the tooltip text length so it stays within a reasonable notification-area label size. I also added test coverage for the label formatter and main-frame tray activity updates. Verified with the focused tests, compile check, full pytest run, local Windows release build, and the v1.73.0 release workflows.

serrebi commented

2026-07-03 07:46:59 -07:00

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Owner

BlindRSS BlindRSS (Unread: 200)

This duplicate program name should be eliminated.

Overall, the implementation matches expectations, but there's a small issue: when additional information is displayed on the icon, the program name is duplicated. For example, the text label on the icon for a program with unread articles is: > BlindRSS BlindRSS (Unread: 200) This duplicate program name should be eliminated.

serrebi closed this issue

2026-07-03 08:37:08 -07:00

serrebi commented

2026-07-03 08:37:09 -07:00

Author

Owner

Fixed in v1.77.4.

You were right — the tooltip BlindRSS set already began with "BlindRSS", and Windows/NVDA announces the application name for the tray icon on top of that, which produced the doubled name. The status label is now just Unread: N (or Unread: N, <activity> during a refresh), so it reads as "BlindRSS Unread: 200". When there's nothing to report, the label stays "BlindRSS".

Thanks for the report!

Fixed in [v1.77.4](https://github.com/serrebidev/BlindRSS/releases/tag/v1.77.4). You were right — the tooltip BlindRSS set already began with "BlindRSS", and Windows/NVDA announces the application name for the tray icon on top of that, which produced the doubled name. The status label is now just `Unread: N` (or `Unread: N, <activity>` during a refresh), so it reads as "BlindRSS Unread: 200". When there's nothing to report, the label stays "BlindRSS". Thanks for the report!