Can’t set featured topic in profile to restricted categories

Not sure if this is a bug or a feature, but this happened after upgrade to newest discourse version.

Before, users could set their featured topics to any topic, also to restricted categories.

Now, when trying to set a featured topic that’s in a restricted area (Eg members only), it will give the error “not permitted to view the requested resource”), and that topic can’t be saved as featured topic in the profile.

Well, the user setting the featured topic is permitted to view that resource… so they should be allowed to set it? and if anyone clicking in the profile tries to see that topic, I think then it should display that message if they aren’t permitted to view it?

So I wonder whether this is on purpose like this or it’s a bug?

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It is not a bug. Topics in read restricted categories can not be set as featured topics. The error message that users are shown when trying to set a topic from a restricted category as a featured topic isn’t great though. It would be good to let users know why they can’t use that particular topic.

I’m going to re-categorize this topic to our #ux category to see if we can improve the error message. I think that not allowing topics from restricted categories to be used as featured topics has been thought out and is unlikely to be changed.

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Thank you Simon, I was unsure to put it in #bug or #ux

And yes, since it’s a feature, then I would also suggest that that error message be something along the lines of “you can’t set a featured topic to a restricted category” or some sorts. :slight_smile:

Would save a bit of confusion and “why doesn’t it work?”

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Agreed can we improve the error message here @markvanlan

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I just merged a commit which gives the user a readable error message when a topic cannot be featured on their profile. Thanks for bring this up @Queth :+1:

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