Categories as private rooms, that are publicly visible?

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The discussion is about creating private discussion rooms within a Discourse instance, where users can see the room names (categories) but not the content unless invited. Wurzelseppi wants to achieve this using private categories with specific access control lists (ACLs), but is struggling with the fact that making categories visible to everyone also makes their content searchable and visible. bryce suggests the Category Previews theme component as a potential solution. The main questions are:

  • Is there a way to make category names visible to everyone without revealing their content?
  • Can a public post be maintained with all available categories using an automation (API) if the “see” flag is removed for everyone?
  • Are there plugins that can help achieve the desired functionality?
1

Hi all,

I have created an discourse instance, which I planned to use as kind of building full of private discussion rooms.

Meaning, somebody, who was invited to the building can wander through it and see lots of doors with signs on it, which discussion room that is, but at first he is not permitted to enter.
He can see on the door though, who is the owner, and can contact him to get invited.

I discourse terms I thought I can accomplish that with private categories, whose acl contains a group specific for this category, where all the members who can talk in that category are registered. Then there is another group for the moderators of that group, who can invite people and do the moderation.

The only bad thing is, that as soon as i switch “see” on for everybody (everybody who wanders through the building should see the doors, right) can also see the discussions in it, and can find these discussions also over the search.

My questions are

  • Is there somewhere a button, where is can say → everyone can see the Category name, but can´t enter and won´t be able to see (or find) anything posted in these categories.
  • If not, would it be possible to just take out the “see” flag for everyone, and maintain a public post with all available categories over an automatisms (API)
  • Are there plugins, who could help me achieving want I have in mind ?

Many thanks for reading and have a great day guys!

Cheers,

WS

3

It sounds like the Category Previews theme component could work for some of what you’re looking to accomplish.