Creating hidden topics that are later revealed

Product Support

AI-generated summary

Rob_Nicholson is seeking a way for normal users to create hidden topics in a Discourse forum, with the goal of allowing discussion of a topic after a related email has been sent. codinghorror suggests creating the topic in a secure category and later recategorizing it. Alternatively, codinghorror mentions the topic timer functionality added in version 1.8, which could be used for this purpose. tgxworld confirms this functionality, noting that topics can be created in a secured category, unlisted, or listed at a later time.

1

Is there a way for normal users to create hidden topics? CAMRA has recently set-up a Discourse forum to improve two-way communication between the members and the central organisation. In the past, they lobbed out one-way email memos with no easy way to follow-up and discuss further. My suggestion was to include a link to a Discourse topic to discuss further. We’d need to get the link first but don’t want to let the cat out of the bag by allowing the topic to be visible before the email was sent - so being able to flag the topic as hidden when first posting and then reveal it would work okay.

I specifically said “Normal users” as we don’t want to especially give people who use this facility special rights on Discourse.

2

Why not create it in a secure category and then recategorize it later? It will not strictly show up as anew topic though.

3

I believe the topic timer functionality @tgxworld added to 1.8 will also work for this, won’t it?

4

Yup you can either create it in a secured category and publish it to another category later or simply unlist it and then list it at a later timing.