Toggle is a word that means to switch between two positions, such as from on to off, as in the toggle on your computer that turns the screen on and off when you hit the caps lock button. Toggle is also used to describe a switch that has a fixed position, like the toggle that holds back your computer screen when you’re using it to write or work. You can also toggle between two screens during a video chat to see both your friend and their picture at the same time.
The Toggle feature allows owners of worlds to hide content from viewers based on the preferences set in their account. Toggleable content includes article sections, containers, images, maps, key/value items, prompt linked articles, quotes, aloud boxes, character relations and diplomacy relations. This content can be toggled on and off by clicking the icon. Please note that this feature is subject to change without notice.
When used as an interface control, a toggle must be designed to clearly communicate its function and deliver immediate results. This is particularly important for web forms where toggles are often mixed with other types of form fields, such as a Save or Submit button that requires a user to click to apply a new state. If your toggle cannot be switched immediately, consider replacing it with a checkbox to avoid confusion and reduce the number of clicks required for users to make a change.
Toggles are useful for allowing users to update their preferences, settings and other information. When you do use them, make sure they have direct labels, follow standard visual design conventions and are consistent across platforms. Toggles are not appropriate for long forms where users need to complete multiple steps to save a new state. In this case, a submit button or other confirmation is more appropriate.
In addition, it’s important to keep the inventory of feature toggles low and only deploy them for their intended purpose. Otherwise, you risk having unused toggles lingering in the code and adding to management overhead. If you do decide to use them, establish a process for vetting and pruning old toggles once they have run their course.
The word toggle is from the Middle English toggle, which meant a pin passed transversely through the eye or loop of a rope or chain, and so binding it temporarily. A toggle is also a fastener used to support the ends of a ladder in use over an obstacle such as a tree or wall. The word has since evolved to mean a sliding, up-and-down fastener or switch, as well as to refer to the act of switching between settings or programs. The name of the toggle in Windows is an homage to this historical origin. Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary notes that toggle was also once a verb, meaning to pass a fastener through a loop or eye. This usage has been largely phased out of the dictionary, however, with most uses of the word now referring to the act of switching.
