To create navigation from Topic to Topic (and auto insert Back/Prev and Forward/Next buttons on each Topic in the sequence), I’m doing it this way…
I’m repurposing the “Reply as Linked Topic” and then CSS styling the links like so …
And adding some CSS in the Theme Settings …
MINIMAL CSS JUST FOR THE BUTTONS
.post-links-container {
margin-left: var(--topic-body-width-padding);
position: absolute;
top: 37px;
right: 30px;
}
.post-links-container ul li .d-icon {
display: none;
}
.post-links-container .post-links {
margin-top: 0;
padding-top: 0;
border-top: 0;
}
.post-links-container .post-links li:last-of-type {
margin-bottom: 0;
}
.post-links-container ul li a[href] {
align-items: center;
border: 1px solid var(--primary-low-mid);
background: var(--primary-very-low);
border-bottom-width: 2px;
border-radius: 3px;
box-sizing: border-box;
color: #009a49;
display: inline-flex;
font-family: monospace, monospace;
font-size: var(--font-down-1);
justify-content: center;
line-height: var(--line-height-large);
margin: 0 0.15em;
min-width: 24px;
padding: 0.15em 0.6em;
}
.post-links-container ul li a::after {
content: " ->>";
padding-left: 0.15em;
}
kbd {
align-items: center;
border: 1px solid var(--primary-low-mid);
background: var(--primary-very-low);
border-bottom-width: 2px;
border-radius: 3px;
box-sizing: border-box;
color: var(--primary);
display: inline-flex;
font-family: monospace, monospace;
font-size: var(--font-down-1);
justify-content: center;
line-height: var(--line-height-large);
margin: 0 0.15em;
min-width: 24px;
padding: 0.15em 0.6em;
}
kbd a {
padding: 0;
}
kbd a::before {
content: "<<-";
padding-right: 0.15em;
}
INSTRUCTIONS AND THE FULL CSS I'M USING
/** Prev and Next Buttons for Books or other Topic Sequencing - this feature is built by repurposing **/
/** the native Discourse feature "Reply As A Linked Topic" selector in the composer (top left). **/
/** TO SET THIS UP ON YOUR DISCOURSE **/
/** Paste <kbd>%{postLink}</kbd> in /admin/customize/site_texts/js.post.continue_discussion. **/
/** Then create 2 categories: BOOKS (for Blog Style topic sequences) and STORIES (for Regular Topic Style topic sequences). **/
/** Install the https://meta.discourse.org/t/blog-post-styling/110841 theme component **/
/** In the Blog Post Styling Theme Component Settings, assign the BOOKS Category (but not STORIES) as a Blog Category. **/
/** Then create a tag: BOOK and assign that as a Blog Tag in the Blog Post Styling Theme Component Settings **/
/** Then don't forget to paste in the below CSS! It goes in your Theme Header. **/
/** Of course the CSS here will need tweaking to work right in other themes. **/
/** Now you can create sequences of Topics in the STORIES Category which will have the nav buttons, **/
/** but those Topics will otherwise appear in the Regular Topic Style). **/
/** If you can add the Blog Styling to these STORIES Category Topics by simply adding the BOOK tag. **/
/** A new Topic you compose in the BOOKS CATEGORY using "Reply as a Linked Topic" will already have both the nav buttons **/
/** as well as the Blog Styling. **/
/** See a Demo at https://meta.discourse.org/t/is-pagination-impossible-or-just-hard/231838/16 **/
.tag-book,
.category-books {
aside.sidebar,
.topic-meta-data,
.tag-book .topic-category .badge-wrapper,
.category-books .topic-category .badge-wrapper {
display:none !important;
}
}
.tag-book .container.posts,
.category-books .container.posts {
justify-content: unset;
justify-items: unset;
padding-left: 0;
display: block;
}
.tag-book .container.posts .topic-post .row,
.category-books .container.posts .topic-post .row {
display: block;
justify-content: center;
}
.tag-book #topic-title .title-wrapper,
.category-books #topic-title .title-wrapper {
display: block;
margin: 0 auto;
}
.tag-book #topic-title,
.category-books #topic-title {
display: block;
margin: 0 auto;
}
.tag-book #topic-title h1,
.category-books #topic-title h1 {
font-size: 2em;
padding-right: 20px;
}
.tag-book #post_1 .topic-body,
.category-books #post_1 .topic-body {
padding-top: 1em;
border-top: none;
max-width: 100%;
}
.tag-book #post_1 .topic-body .contents,
.category-books #post_1 .topic-body .contents {
border-top: none;
margin-left: 0;
padding: 0;
}
.tag-book p,
.category-books p {
/* put styles here for the main text in the Book pages */
}
/* Position the Forward button at the top right of the page */
.tag-book .post-links-container,
.category-books .post-links-container {
margin-left: var(--topic-body-width-padding);
position: absolute;
top: 1em;
right: 30px;
}
/* Position the Back button at the top left of the page */
.category-stories .post-links-container {
margin-left: var(--topic-body-width-padding);
position: absolute;
top: 2.5em;
right: 30px;
}
/* Remove the link symbol from the Forward button */
.tag-book .post-links-container ul li .d-icon,
.category-books .post-links-container ul li .d-icon,
.category-stories .post-links-container ul li .d-icon {
display: none;
}
.tag-book .post-links-container .post-links,
.category-books .post-links-container .post-links,
.category-stories .post-links-container .post-links {
margin-top: 0;
padding-top: 0;
border-top: 0;
}
.tag-book .post-links-container .post-links li:last-of-type,
.category-books .post-links-container .post-links li:last-of-type,
.category-stories .post-links-container .post-links li:last-of-type {
margin-bottom: 0;
}
/* Style the Next/Forward button */
.tag-book .post-links-container ul li a[href],
.category-books .post-links-container ul li a[href],
.category-stories .post-links-container ul li a[href] {
align-items: center;
border: 1px solid var(--primary-low-mid);
background: var(--primary-very-low);
border-bottom-width: 2px;
border-radius: 3px;
box-sizing: border-box;
color: #009a49;
display: inline-flex;
font-family: monospace, monospace;
font-size: var(--font-down-1);
justify-content: center;
line-height: var(--line-height-large);
margin: 0 0.15em;
min-width: 24px;
padding: 0.15em 0.6em;
}
/* Add arrows pointing right to the Forward button */
.tag-book .post-links-container ul li a::after,
.category-books .post-links-container ul li a::after,
.category-stories .post-links-container ul li a::after {
content: " ->>";
padding-left: 0.15em;
}
/* Alternatively Use an Image for the Right Arrow */
/*
.tag-book .post-links-container::after,
.category-books .post-links-container::after,
.category-stories .post-links-container::after {
content: url('../../media/arrow-right.svg');
display: inline-block;
width: 12px;
height: 12px;
}
*/
/* Style the Back/Previous button*/
.tag-book kbd,
.category-books kbd,
.category-stories kbd {
align-items: center;
border: 1px solid var(--primary-low-mid);
background: var(--primary-very-low);
border-bottom-width: 2px;
border-radius: 3px;
box-sizing: border-box;
color: var(--primary);
display: inline-flex;
font-size: var(--font-down-1);
justify-content: center;
line-height: var(--line-height-large);
margin: 0;
min-width: 24px;
padding: 0.15em 0.6em;
}
.tag-book kbd a,
.category-books kbd a,
.category-stories kbd a {
padding: 0;
}
/* Add arrows to the back button */
.tag-book kbd a::before,
.category-books kbd a::before,
.category-stories kbd a::before {
content: "<<-";
padding-right: 0.15em;
}
/* Alternatively Use an Image for the Left Arrow */
/*
.tag-book kbd a::before,
.category-books kbd a::before,
.category-stories kbd a::before {
content: url('../../media/arrow-left.svg');
display: inline-block;
width: 12px;
height: 12px;
}
*/
Here’s the result …
You can test it live here …