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What does [Text] refer to in the no-alt-text warning message?

enter image description here

Screenshot taken on https://ell.stackexchange.com/

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    It looks like it's saying the text "[Text]". That seems obvious, given that it also says "or [enter image description here]", particularly given that the "enter image description here" is highlighted in the edit textarea. I'm struggling how you would not think it means that, what else you might think it means, or what confusion there is here. I'd agree that it should be reworded to something like 'Try replacing the "enter description here" text with text that briefly explains what the image shows', but I'm not seeing the confusion about the "[Text]" that you're asking about. Commented Jul 4, 2024 at 2:27
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    @Makyen no it is not obvious at all, and is confusing. I can't replace something that does not exist, and it makes the warning just wrong. Commented Jul 4, 2024 at 8:15
  • @ShadowWizard Then you didn't follow the directions in the error. If you followed the directions and replaced the text in all the locations those directions identified (the screenshot shows three needed replacements, but there might be more), but then still got that error, then it would be confusing (and a bug). Note: I do agree that things should be changed, ideally to clearly A) indicate that what you should change is the text inside the "[]", not the "[]", and B) both remove the "[Text] or" and change the Markdown help where the "[Text]" came from to "[enter image description here]". Commented Jul 4, 2024 at 17:28
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    @Makyen well, personally after seeing something wrong in a sentence that should be short and to the point, I just stop reading. The "[Text]" just jumps ahead, and since I see no such thing in my post, I assume it's just some odd quirk of SE and ignore it. I do hope others read more carefully, but still consider such error message to be confusing, and hope it will be changed one way or another. Commented Jul 4, 2024 at 18:39
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    @ShadowWizard As I've said, twice, I think it should be changed, but a support question isn't a request for change or a notification to the company that something is wrong. Commented Jul 4, 2024 at 21:26
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    @Makyen ok, feature request: meta.stackexchange.com/q/401157/178179 Commented Jul 4, 2024 at 21:30

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Note that cart's answer indicates this warning is due to a recently made change, with [Text] being "one of the defaults from the insert image flow or markdown help suggestion" that the message is warning about leaving unspecified.

Nonetheless, I can certainly see how it can be confusing with a generic message where just the other default, i.e., [enter image description here], is actually used in the post. As such, they should perhaps customize the message accordingly.

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