Is there any way that Topics can be made as private ? e.g limit topics to the topic authors and administrators/moderators who created them ? We have a scenario where sensitive information is posted which is not meant for other users. Thanks in advance.
2 Likes
Create a private category and add permissions to see-create-reply only for staff (admins-mods) and eventually a group
1 Like
Thank you for your reply, But the problem is - There canāt be other users in that āGroupā and it would be too in-efficient to create a new āgroupā every time a new private topic is created.
Errrm Discourse has private topics.
Theyāre called messages.
Does not messages here meet your need, if not exact already, can you imagineer any ways they might be improved?
Or can you please list any difficulties you had about the UI and feature?
4 Likes
I think @Hammad_Abbasi wants only create-reply permissions so the other members cannot see others topics.
Messages are ok but they are not simple to find for new users until they granted TL1.
4 Likes
Thatās exactly what i need. Thanks @Trash
Messages do not fit well in our scenario.
I did manage to throw some code together that I think works.
Might this plugin do what you need ?
I have looked and am looking at places this touches.
3 Likes
I suggest that the main problem in this case when āprivate topicā become āmessageā is difficult for stuff to manage them.
Maybe you have any idea how to realize this scenario or it is impossible? :
Main category have permissions to create-reply for stuff. They made subcategories with topics where they invite user (which is not stuff members) granted them permission to see/reply in this topics. The best variant that this users (not stuff members) see also there topics in same subcategory. The worse variant - that they see it like private post or private messages, but stuff-members still have opportunity to manage this topics and reply there as usual forum.
The simple solution is for members to start a message sent to @staff
The main problem that is hard to navigate in a huge amounts of private massagesā¦ Of course it is possible to name them properly and then search, but still in search always need to add in:private.
In your professional view - is it possible to make plugin with this functionality and if yes - how hard is it?
Perhaps, but I think it would be much less so looking through messages compared to looking through huge amounts of topics.
A couple of forums I visit use this for support.
ā Support Category
---- Bug Reports
Thread can be viewed and replied to by author and say developer group.
---- Hosting Problems
Thread can be viewed and replied to by author and say sysadmin group.
I am assuming this is what the OP wants?
2 Likes
Discourse does Groups,
And Category permissions can be set to include only certain group members.
A couple of forums I visit use this for support.
ā Support Category
---- Bug Reports
Thread can be viewed and replied to by author and say developer group.
---- Hosting Problems
Thread can be viewed and replied to by author and say sysadmin group.
Can you please share if this can be achieved via some Permissions? I donāt want to use messages as private features which doesnāt fulfill our requirements
No clue. Was just suggesting that as something Iāve seen on āother forumsā. 
Easy to do, perhaps not so easy to find.
First, go to Admin -> Groups and create the group.
Then from the category list page use the Admin menu to create a new category,
Under Security is what youāre looking for
Use the left side drop-down to select the group.
Select the appropriate permissions from the right and āaddā.
Delete the āeveryoneā
finish up and Save
3 Likes
There is no concept of per topic permissions in Discourse outside of personal / group messages.
No clue. Was just suggesting that as something Iāve seen on āother forumsā.
oh, Thanks for sharing, We are already using this functionality in our current forums so we want to make sure it is somehow supported in discourse.
@Mittineague
Is there any possibility of developing a plugin to serve this requirement? Please confirm . Thanks
1 Like
so if i use these permissions- topic authors can only see āTheirā posts ?
There is no concept of per topic permissions in Discourse outside of personal / group messages.
I am sorry i am confused, @Mittineague suggesting otherwise. Is this something that can be done via Plugin? We donāt want to change the core framework and still want to get latest updates.