Can I get file type specific Google Drive icons for smart links in the content tree?

[Roman Devengenzo]

I've been using this feature since it came out. When I started making links to Google Drive items (docs, sheets, slides), the smart links in the content tree used the native Google icons for these files. This was a very useful way of telling one type of file from another.

Since then, Google Drive smart links all have the same yellow-green-blue triangle icon, and its impossible to tell the difference between a doc/sheet/slides now. This has slowed me and my team down. Is there any way to show the file-type-specific icons in the content tree? Thanks, 

[Shannon S]

Hi @Roman Devengenzo 

Good morning, and thank you for the suggestion to offer the ability to set a custom icon for Smart Links.

We've been tracking a similar suggestion in the following feature request:

• CONFCLOUD-76023 Customize Smart Link CSS & Display

You can add your vote and watch the ticket so you'll be updated on any future progress.

Thanks again, and let me know if you have any questions about that!

Take care,

Shannon S | Atlassian Cloud Support

[Roman Devengenzo]

Thanks for your response Shannon, and for the link to the similar request. As mentioned in https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/CONFCLOUD-76023, the ability to customize smart link icons would solve my problem.

The initial functionality that Confluence had, where the file-type icon was assigned to the smart link, is still preferable. 

Any idea why that functionality was removed or eliminated? 

Thanks again,

Roman 

[Shannon S]

Hi Roman,

Do you know when it was last working that way? Do you happen to have an example of the Smart Link macro using the file-type icon instead?

Years ago, we released a new editor, which included these Smart Links and Smart Cards. I suspect the feature you're referring to might have been with the legacy editor, but I would need to see an example to be sure. That would explain why the feature isn't included anymore, but as you said, if we implement this feature request, that would solve the issue.

Thanks,

Shannon S | Atlassian Cloud Support

[Roman Devengenzo]

Hi Shannon, 

Here's a screenshot of some smart links in the content tree from last year. They're all Google Docs and thankfully they're dated to show when the icon change happened.

The google doc icon (blue square) was the default for the first 3. Also shown is a Google Sheet icon (green square) at the bottom. 

Then in late June 2024, starting with the June 25, 2024 doc, the icon for all Google Drive items changed to the green-yellow-blue triangle shown below 

[Shannon S]

Hi Roman,

Thanks for providing the screenshot. That is very helpful.

I'm getting in contact with the product team now to see what I can learn about why this behavior changed. I'll keep you updated when I hear back.

Take care,

Shannon S | Atlassian Cloud Support

[Shannon S]

Hi Roman,

Thank you for your patience! I spoke with the produt team and learned they started getting reports for this around late June, and identified that this is likely due to Google Drive's link formatting changing. At one point in time, Slides, Docs, Sheets, used to have unique domains but now everything is converted to a generic drive.google.com URL.

We will share this with the product manager and our linking platform team so there is increased visibility around this issue.

Thanks again for bringing it up!

Take care,

Shannon S | Atlassian Cloud Support

[Roman Devengenzo]

Hi Shannon,

Thanks for the info, and finding root cause of the change. 

Enabling users to modify smart link icons would be an acceptable solution.

Bonus points for a feature where confluence identifies the file type and auto-assigns the icon, but it sounds like that might not be possible with Google's use of a generic domain. 

Thanks,

Roman

[Shannon S]

Hi Roman,

I heard further from the team according to the 3rd party brand guidelines for these providers (in this case, Google) want us to default to their company logo rather than the object icon, so it is unlikely the behavior will change going forward.

I'm sorry about that, and hopefully if we add the customization option you can set this. In the meantime, I've been adding emojis to the titles when I create smart links and folders. It's not ideal, but it should help.

Thank you again, and let me know if there's anything else I can help answer.

Shannon S | Atlassian Cloud Support

[Jehan Bhathena]

Hi @Roman Devengenzo ,

Seems like this isn't available nor did I find this open in the tickets here: https://jira.atlassian.com/issues/?jql=text%20~%20%22icon%22%20AND%20project%20%3D%20%22Confluence%20Cloud%22%20AND%20statusCategory%20!%3D%20%20Done

Would suggest you send a feedback for this via the "Give Feedback" option available on any Smart Link's more options: