# Reply box: make reply options more visible
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547
**Category:** UX
**Created:** [November 23, 2022, 2:07pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547 "2022-11-23T14:07:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@rrit](https://meta.discourse.org/u/rrit)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2022, 2:07pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/1 "2022-11-23T14:07:49Z")
The reply box has the important feature “Reply as linked topic”. This makes it possible for users to declutter discussions by posting off-topic replies into a new topic.
Right now this option is hidden behind an unrecognizable button and users not knowing about it will never use it.
**Design A:**
**Design B:**
### At first glance which of these looks more natural to you?
_Poll ([view on site](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/1))_
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### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2022, 2:28pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/2 "2022-11-23T14:28:16Z")
First one because of that option is rarely used nor needed. The second one would be the best if we would have something nearly everyday in use.
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2022, 2:33pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/3 "2022-11-23T14:33:16Z")
I was thinking about this the other day when wondering if Toggle Unlisted should live in there. I think it is often one of the last menus that people find.
What else lives in there:
- Toggle Whisper (group-enabled)
- Toggle Bump Date (TL4+)
- Toggle Post Voting (Post Voting plugin)
I think all of those would still make sense in a differently positioned button. 👍
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### Author:  [@rrit](https://meta.discourse.org/u/rrit)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2022, 3:24pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/4 "2022-11-23T15:24:44Z")
> [@Jagster](#):
>
> First one [Design A] because of that option is rarely used nor needed. […]
Now I recognized what is bothering me with the current UI.
The “button” is styled like an input field:
vs.
* * *
**Design A:**
**Design C: select box**
**Design D: button with select option**
Maybe one of these designs works better – which one do you prefer:
_Poll ([view on site](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/4))_
* * *
### Design D: CSS
Add this quick and dirty CSS code to your theme to see the impact of “Design D”:
```css
/* reply box: make reply-mode-selector more visible */
.select-kit.dropdown-select-box.composer-actions .select-kit-header {
background: var(--primary-low);
color: var(--primary);
border: none;
}
.select-kit.dropdown-select-box.composer-actions .select-kit-header .d-icon {
padding: .5em .65em;
}
#reply-control .reply-to .composer-action-title .select-kit-header-wrapper:after {
/* add symbol caret-down */
display: block;
content: "";
width: 0;
height: 0;
margin-top: 2px;
margin-right: .65em;
border-left: 6px solid transparent;
border-right: 6px solid transparent;
border-top: 6px solid var(--primary);
}
```
---
### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/5 "2022-11-23T16:34:49Z")
C is too wide, so it has to be D because it tells there is something to choose from.
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### Author:  [@awesomerobot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/awesomerobot)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2022, 4:53pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/6 "2022-11-23T16:53:19Z")
This discussion is very similar to the discussion where the feature was originally added: [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)
Can we talk about the problem a little more? the assumption is that making the button more obvious would result in more people deciding to start a new topic instead of replying to the existing one… but I’m not sure that’s true. Do most users even understand what a linked topic is to begin with?
Is there a better way to explain the benefits of a linked topic? Is there a certain threshold of activity where it might make sense to recommend a linked topic and explain why a little bit? I feel like education could have a greater impact than making the button stand out more. Making it a more obvious toggle might be a good idea, but I don’t think it’s going to change much unless we can confidently explain why anyone would use it to begin with.
---
### Author:  [@rrit](https://meta.discourse.org/u/rrit)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2022, 5:43pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/7 "2022-11-23T17:43:50Z")
My opinion on UX:
Any object of the same element-class should always follow the same working principle and look identical, so that the functioning of it is recognizable by users.
And here the “Reply-mode-selector” is actually a select-button, which looks like an input field and does not look like the select buttons in other places of the UI e.g.
- 
- 
These points where already mentioned but went lost in the long run of implementation. Thanks to pointing me to the earlier discussions.
> [@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/44815/82):
>
> Oh, that’s a really nifty idea. beers A bit of a power user hidden thing, but we could make that more obviously a button / selector as well.
> [@Menu toggle for different reply modes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/36):
>
> [Menu toggle for different reply modes - #36 by awesomerobot](https://meta.discourse.org/t/menu-toggle-for-different-reply-modes/58133/36)
> 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
* * *
On the general discussion of the feature “Reply as Linked Topic”:
> [@awesomerobot](#):
>
> Is there a better way to explain the benefits of a linked topic? Is there a certain threshold of activity where it might make sense to recommend a linked topic and explain why a little bit?
### Use cases for “Reply as Linked Topic”
Actually it’s all about not getting an otherwise healthy discussion stopped by 2-3 users starting their off-topic discussions in it.
**User picking multiple quotes of older posts in the topic:**
User tries to make a point on specifically selected statements which might get the discussion off-topic.
**New reply on cold topic with long time of no replies:**
This often results in slightly off-topic content which is better placed in a new topic.
---
### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2022, 6:19pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/8 "2022-11-23T18:19:20Z")
> [@awesomerobot](#):
>
> Do most users even understand what a linked topic is to begin with?
No. But education is perhaps slightly easier when there is a remainder of such option.
Anyway, linked topic is something that is very rarely used — anywhere. Quite often a moderator just start a new conversation splitting a topic.
But:
> [@JammyDodger](#):
>
> What else lives in there:
---
### Author:  [@rrit](https://meta.discourse.org/u/rrit)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2022, 7:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reply-box-make-reply-options-more-visible/246547/9 "2022-11-23T19:16:40Z")
> [@awesomerobot](#):
>
> Do most users even understand what a linked topic is to begin with?
Maybe rename “Reply as linked topic” to:
> **Reply in new topic**
> Create a new topic linked to this topic.