# Menu toggle for different reply modes
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133
**Category:** UX
**Created:** [February 28, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133 "2017-02-28T21:45:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/1 "2017-02-28T21:45:19Z")
Continuing the discussion from [With the new right gutter, where should "Reply as Linked Topic" go?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/81):
> [@With the new right gutter, where should "Reply as Linked Topic" go?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/81):
>
> Whilst not 100% on this idea, it might be reasonable include a menu option.
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> 
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> 
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> Perhaps the options here aren’t quite correct - but hopefully this shows the idea.
>
> You could also perhaps slip “Official Warning” and “Whisper” in there as options too.This would also open up a place to indicate a “call” type as required by Start a new conversation with a customer not yet in Discourse feature request.
>
> The idea is to change the type of reply whilst editing.
>
> In the same way as now clicking the reply button on a topic / post would continue to change the type / or update the “linked topic”.
This would also be useful for selecting a whisper type reply per the earlier mock-up in the original topic.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/2 "2017-02-28T21:51:39Z")
It is a good idea and I like the mockup a lot, but:
- definiitely super-mega-power-user feature
- not discoverable (nor should it be, really, since it is a power user feature to begin with)
So the applicable audience that would benefit from this work is pretty small.
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### Author:  [@watchmanmonitor](https://meta.discourse.org/u/watchmanmonitor)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2017, 5:44am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/3 "2017-04-02T05:44:12Z")
The current solution (clicking the 🔗 icon) has some limits I’d like to bring up, as I don’t know that this proposal addresses.
- I can’t see how to select some text and use it to start a new thread.
- If a topic is closed, there’s no way to select text and use it in a reply.
If @erlend_sh’s suggestion would be allowed to work on both open & closed topics (forcing any reply to a New Topic or Message, that would help a lot.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2017, 5:52am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/4 "2017-04-02T05:52:08Z")
The quote button (that shows on selection) could have a similar “expandability” to cover advanced cases.
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### Author:  [@watchmanmonitor](https://meta.discourse.org/u/watchmanmonitor)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/5 "2017-04-02T20:11:03Z")
Once a person has selected some text from an existing posts, what choices do we have for button placement that don’t involve clicking elsewhere, and losing the current selection?
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### Author:  [@watchmanmonitor](https://meta.discourse.org/u/watchmanmonitor)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/6 "2017-12-16T19:53:47Z")
An update re:
> [@watchmanmonitor](#):
>
> If a topic is closed, there’s no way to select text and use it in a reply.
This is no long an issue.. selecting text on a closed topic allows a reply button which automatically starts as a linked post ❤
So now it’s just a matter of: how important is it to the team (or other dev) to bring back reply-as-linked topic option.. maybe with a second button?
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### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2017, 12:07pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/7 "2017-12-19T12:07:57Z")
> [@watchmanmonitor](#):
>
> So now it’s just a matter of: how important is it to the team (or other dev) to bring back reply-as-linked topic option
Not very 😅
At the end of the day the button itself is a bit of a super-user feature. I’m uneasy about showing it so prominently next to Quote when Quote is what you want 99% of the time.
Most topic-linking happens incidentally by users linking manually to other topics.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/8 "2017-12-19T23:33:09Z")
This is pure gold though I _do_ want to get to this:
Literally no downside to that (and whisper could be there as well for staff)
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### Author:  [@tophee](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tophee)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/9 "2017-12-19T23:41:34Z")
Minor suggestions: make the top item “Reply to post” instead of “Reply to post in topic”
Also: “Reply as new topic” might be more intuitive than “Reply as linked topic” (though, admittedly, the help text kinda takes care of that).
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2017, 12:11pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/12 "2017-12-21T12:11:41Z")
I should probably take it, it will be using select-kit
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/13 "2017-12-22T01:18:53Z")
I will add to the 2.0 list in #releases because this is a really good one.
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2018, 10:05am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/14 "2018-01-26T10:05:18Z")
I started work on this one, quite excited about it:
[https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/2/b/2b80bc4f0621171a213eb9600cbdbd092ef3438e.mp4](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/2/b/2b80bc4f0621171a213eb9600cbdbd092ef3438e.mp4)
As it’s using select-kit, it will also be very easy for plugins to add options in this menu.
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2018, 12:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/15 "2018-01-31T12:04:38Z")
Getting almost there, I have to tweak a little bit some actions but it’s working:
[https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/c/e/ce090268b0b03a6b3962544055b45a7542ff7e71.mp4](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/c/e/ce090268b0b03a6b3962544055b45a7542ff7e71.mp4)
(link to a not flickering source: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YhWuxcgdtybPyRkpopp9J9u9hheUX\_JO/view](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YhWuxcgdtybPyRkpopp9J9u9hheUX_JO/view))
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2018, 4:55pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/16 "2018-02-01T16:55:59Z")
This is now deployed as of:
[https://github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/9923829402997c7af3e25121d6d3a345536f3884](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/9923829402997c7af3e25121d6d3a345536f3884)
Please let me know what you think.
@erlend_sh I didnt implement the “reply to selected post” feature as it’s not clear to me how it works/and what it brings. Could you elaborate please ?
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### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2018, 1:38pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/31 "2018-02-07T13:38:58Z")
Going to put this out as public feedback as well cause we have a lot of whispers here that are discussing it and I wanted to have something public.
The menu here needs to change from being “mixed toggle / mixed action” to 100% toggles.
It is mega surprising to have this post directly from that menu, my expectation is that a “blue” button will cause a post and having a context menu sub item post stuff is mega surprising.
All the thing there should do is toggle modes.
“Reply as new topic” toggles you current response into “new topic” mode.
And so on…
It also needs to remember previous context so you have “easy undo”
For example:
Reply to post #10
Click: reply as new topic
Click: reply to topic
Click: reply to post by @sam
We are back to replying to post #10
If the “blue” reply button had a downward triangle on it, I would expect it to post right away after you click the little triangle and select something, but I don’t feel we want that kind of UI.
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2018, 1:51pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/32 "2018-02-07T13:51:24Z")
Was talking of this with @erlend I get your point and will do it this way. Just explaining my initial position: this was a power feature mode so I wanted everything to be the fastest and not perfectly intuitive. Doing this it will be a mix of intuitive and fast which is fine to me.
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### Author:  [@featheredtoast](https://meta.discourse.org/u/featheredtoast)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2018, 3:07pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/33 "2018-02-07T15:07:49Z")
Agree with all the feedback so far – one way you could make it faster (on keyboard at least) would be to have some shortcut to open the menu, or tab index after the compose text area. Then if you want fast:
Compose reply,
shortcut to open and focus reply type
downenter (select reply type)
ctrlenter (post)
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### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2018, 3:10pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/34 "2018-02-07T15:10:16Z")
One big pain though with keyboard shortcuts in the composer is that they require a lot of keyboard mushing eg `ctrl` `alt` `f`, it just ends up being so much work that I usually just reach for the mouse 😰
If you choose something easy odds are super high it clashes.
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### Author:  [@featheredtoast](https://meta.discourse.org/u/featheredtoast)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/35 "2018-02-07T15:18:02Z")
Fair point. That’s why the alternative suggestion was tab indexing. Similar workflow as before but:
Compose,
Tab to focus reply type
Arrows + enter to select reply type
Ctrl enter to post.
Not sure if that would complicate screen readers, but it’s a way around the hand cramping shortcuts.
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### Author:  [@awesomerobot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/awesomerobot)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/36 "2018-02-07T17:11:22Z")
One small thing: would anyone be opposed to making this stand out _slightly_ more as a button?
This (closer to our default button style)
instead of
😻 love this feature, btw
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