[Feature Request]: Hover tooltip for label attribute in DT columns

[parmsam-pfizer]

Feature description

Please consider adding a tooltip that shows the label attribute for a column in the data table viewer module: https://github.com/insightsengineering/teal.modules.general/blob/HEAD/R/tm_data_table.R

I love the variable selection dropdown menu which is searchable on the label and the column name. It would be nice to have a toggle to enable folks to see the label on column name hover in the interactive table.

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[parmsam-pfizer]

Here's an example of an update that can be added into the module to provide hover tooltips (see commented new code sections). Maybe it could be turned into a condition users could toggle on if needed.

      teal.code::eval_code(
        qenv,
        substitute(
          expr = {
            variables <- vars
            dataframe_selected <- if (if_distinct) {
              dplyr::count(dataname, dplyr::across(dplyr::all_of(variables)))
            } else {
              dataname[variables]
            }
            dt_args <- args
            dt_args$options <- dt_options
            if (!is.null(dt_rows)) {
              dt_args$options$pageLength <- dt_rows
            }
            dt_args$data <- dataframe_selected
            # --- NEW CODE
            column_labels <- vapply(
              dataframe_selected,
              function(x) ifelse(is.null(attr(x, "label")), "", attr(x, "label")),
              character(1)
            )
            dt_args$callback <- DT::JS(paste0("
              var tips = ['", paste0(column_labels, collapse = "','"), "'],
                  header = table.columns().header();
              for (var i = 0; i < tips.length; i++) {
                $(header[i]).attr('title', tips[i]);
              }
              "))
            # END NEW CODE ---
            table <- do.call(DT::datatable, dt_args)
          },
          env = list(
            dataname = as.name(dataname),
            if_distinct = if_distinct(),
            vars = input$variables,
            args = dt_args,
            dt_options = dt_options,
            dt_rows = input$dt_rows
          )
        )
      )

[llrs-roche]

Hi! Thanks for this feature request and the code provided.

I agree that having more readable names can be helpful, but at the same time it could be confusing for new R developers to be able to see something that they cannot easily use to subset, filter or even see.

However, after ggplot2 is adding support for labels on plots I wonder if this could be added on DT itself instead of here. Have you check with them if they would be interested on this feature?

[parmsam-pfizer]

Yes, that's a good idea about getting a feature request in DT. It looks like there's been an issue open for it since 2018: rstudio/DT#589 I don't know how likely it is for them to address it, considering the release frequency and current issues. Alot of folks in the clinical reporting space rely on those variable labels for greater readability.

I do love how this module allows for the variable labels to also be searchable/selectable in addition to the column name. I'm hoping that this tooltip label would help new app users quickly check what column name they should be filtering by, without needing to use the search/select feature.