# Existing Tags don't appear the "optional tags" list and cannot be used **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Tags:** tags\ **Created:** [28 Diciembre, 2017 11:00 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/existing-tags-dont-appear-the-optional-tags-list-and-cannot-be-used/76871 "2017-12-28T11:00:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalerka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/dalerka/32/120265_2.png) [@dalerka](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dalerka)\ **Post date:** [28 Diciembre, 2017 11:00 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/existing-tags-dont-appear-the-optional-tags-list-and-cannot-be-used/76871/1 "2017-12-28T11:00:20Z")
I have a list of about 100 tags added in _Tag-Group-A_, some of them have been used to tag posts (active), some of them never used. For unknown reason _some_ of the existing tags (used and never used) **stop appearing** in the _optional tags_ list when trying to add them to a topic (either new or when editing old topic). Any ideas how to fix the weird things described below? #### Observation 1: As an admin I can create a copy of such a broken tag and add it to a topic, i.e.: - Suppose I have a broken “tagX”, when I type the “tagX” into the _tag-chooser_, I get the **No matches found** note (although it is in “Tag-Group-A” and category has no tag restrictions). - But if I add a " " (space), then the “tagX” gets added to the list of tags (in the input box). - However, when I hit _save_ button the _tagX_ appears in the tags list under the title of the topic, but **immediately disappears**. 🤪 (looks like optimistic updates) #### Observation 2: - I removed the broken tags from _“Tag-Group-A”_ and added them to a new _“Tag-Group-B”_. - Now I can successfully add those tags to new and old topics, as expected. - The **reverse doesn’t work** , i.e. if I move those tags back to “Tag-Group-A” - same problem. ☹ #### Observation 3: I’ve looked at number of topics about tags (including [Tag gets broken if the first topic to use it is deleted](https://meta.discourse.org/t/tag-gets-broken-if-the-first-topic-to-use-it-is-deleted/51701)) and: - going to `my.site/latest?status=deleted` for the **first** time, I saw the list of previously deleted topics. - I opened one _deleted_ topic and removed some tags (although those tags weren’t among _broken ones_) and saved the post (and deleted it again). - **after that** going to the same `my.site/latest?status=deleted`, I repeatedly get the **404 page** (Page doesn’t exist or not public) although I’m _the Admin_🙃 EDIT: This is single-container Discourse-only VPS, at ([5ad1709](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/compare/5ad1709...tests-passed)) ---
**Author:** ![neil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/neil/32/102150_2.png) [@neil](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neil)\ **Post date:** [28 Diciembre, 2017 20:45 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/existing-tags-dont-appear-the-optional-tags-list-and-cannot-be-used/76871/2 "2017-12-28T20:45:59Z")
Do you know how to reproduce the problem? I can’t tell from your observations how you setup your tags. Have you added any tag restrictions to your categories? Have you set a parent tag on the group? Did you check “Limit one tag per topic from this group”? Do the broken tags appear on the /tags page? ---
**Author:** ![dalerka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/dalerka/32/120265_2.png) [@dalerka](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dalerka)\ **Post date:** [29 Diciembre, 2017 06:09 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/existing-tags-dont-appear-the-optional-tags-list-and-cannot-be-used/76871/3 "2017-12-29T06:09:08Z")
I could only reproduce those observations. I wish I could help more. No, category has no _restrictions_ on tags. No, there’s no _parent_ tag set for any tag group. No, _“Limit one tag per topic from this group”_ is not checked. Yes, the broken tags do appear on /tags page. Some of the _broken tags_ have been working before and do have active topics associated with them, and those topics appear listed as expected when clicking on that tag. However I can no longer add those tags to other topics. (the workaround is to put those tags in a new group as described in _Observation 2_) BTW I did try to rebuild the app, but the problem persists. ---
**Author:** ![neil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/neil/32/102150_2.png) [@neil](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neil)\ **Post date:** [29 Diciembre, 2017 15:46 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/existing-tags-dont-appear-the-optional-tags-list-and-cannot-be-used/76871/4 "2017-12-29T15:46:26Z")
If you aren’t adding category restrictions, then what are you using the tag groups for? This sounds like tag group A has been assigned to another category for exclusive use… ---
**Author:** ![dalerka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/dalerka/32/120265_2.png) [@dalerka](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dalerka)\ **Post date:** [29 Diciembre, 2017 17:18 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/existing-tags-dont-appear-the-optional-tags-list-and-cannot-be-used/76871/5 "2017-12-29T17:18:59Z")
For organizational purpose I keep tags in separate groups like “cities”, " organ systems", “drug groups” etc. (health forum). In future I may restrict some categories to make use of only certain tag groups, but currently removed all such restrictions. > [@neil](#): > > sounds like tag group A has been assigned to another category for exclusive use… I thought it isn’t possible yet to assign a _tag-group_ to be used with only one category. Anyway, I didn’t set it on purpose where could I check for such setting? (couldn’t find such setting in _Edit Category_ dialog or on tag groups management page.) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/system/32/443519_2.png) [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [7 Marzo, 2020 10:29 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/existing-tags-dont-appear-the-optional-tags-list-and-cannot-be-used/76871/6 "2020-03-07T10:29:49Z")
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**Author:** ![JammyDodger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/jammydodger/32/254611_2.png) [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)\ **Post date:** [14 Octubre, 2023 19:10 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/existing-tags-dont-appear-the-optional-tags-list-and-cannot-be-used/76871/7 "2023-10-14T19:10:16Z")