# Require category selection before writing topic
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236
**Category:** UX
**Created:** [7월 15, 2017, 1:41오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236 "2017-07-15T01:41:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [7월 15, 2017, 1:41오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/1 "2017-07-15T01:41:20Z")
When `allow uncategorized topics` is disabled, I’d like to propose requiring the user to select a category before they are allowed to start writing the body of the post.
The use case for this is a site that makes significant use of topic templates. As users are not required to select a category, many go right to writing their post, and only select a category after they’ve written their post. As there is content in the composer, the topic template is not added, thus negating the usefulness of the template.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [7월 15, 2017, 2:16오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/2 "2017-07-15T02:16:54Z")
Seems reasonable to me, what do you think @neil?
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### Author:  [@neil](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neil)
#### Post date: [7월 18, 2017, 8:24오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/3 "2017-07-18T20:24:21Z")
Sounds useful to me. So disabling the body input field until the category is chosen like so?
What about if they paste a link, which should auto-populate the body?
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [7월 18, 2017, 8:25오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/4 "2017-07-18T20:25:18Z")
> [@neil](#):
>
> Sounds useful to me. So disabling the body input field until the category is chosen like so?
That works! I really don’t care too much about the UI of the disabled area, as long as it is disabled and clear how to enable it.
> [@neil](#):
>
> What about if they paste a link, which should auto-populate the body?
Ooh…interesting edge case. For my site, I’d prefer the template over the Onebox, but that’s site specific. Maybe do both - onebox/link first, template second.
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### Author:  [@neil](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neil)
#### Post date: [7월 18, 2017, 8:32오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/5 "2017-07-18T20:32:18Z")
No, I don’t mean onebox vs template. I think that has already been solved.
I guess it should ignore this new logic. If a link is pasted in the title, enable the body input field and do what we currently do today.
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### Author:  [@MakaryGo](https://meta.discourse.org/u/MakaryGo)
#### Post date: [8월 5, 2017, 8:40오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/6 "2017-08-05T08:40:01Z")
Wouldn’t it be better to disable ‘Create Topic’ button instead of whole body input?
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### Author:  [@tophee](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tophee)
#### Post date: [8월 5, 2017, 9:27오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/7 "2017-08-05T09:27:18Z")
> [@MakaryGo](#):
>
> Wouldn’t it be better to disable ‘Create Topic’ button instead of whole body input?
Definititely! Not only because this is the common UX in such cases (e.g. when a custom user field is required upon sign-up) but also because you often know better what category your topic belongs to _after_ you’ve written it 😉
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [8월 5, 2017, 2:28오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/8 "2017-08-05T14:28:43Z")
Disabling the Create Topic button would not be better, it is essentially what exists now. Users are prompted to select a category before they can submit their topic.
The point of disabling the body is to require the user to select a category _before_ they start the body so if the category has a topic template it is added first.
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### Author:  [@tophee](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tophee)
#### Post date: [8월 5, 2017, 2:47오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/9 "2017-08-05T14:47:10Z")
> [@jomaxro](#):
>
> The point of disabling the body is to require the user to select a category before they start the body so if the category has a topic template it is added first.
Yes, sorry, I had read that three weeks ago and forgot this specific use case. 🙄 So since the disabled body also works fine for required categories without a template, it’s obviously the better solution.
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [3월 30, 2018, 4:17오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/10 "2018-03-30T16:17:12Z")
Curious @neil, is this still on your list? The forum that I’d love to see this on is seasonal and will be starting back up again shortly - it’d be nice to have this 😃.
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### Author:  [@neil](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neil)
#### Post date: [3월 30, 2018, 7:01오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/11 "2018-03-30T19:01:14Z")
Yeah I can try to do this soon for 2.0.
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### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [4월 2, 2018, 2:42오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/12 "2018-04-02T02:42:00Z")
Perhaps this is also the best solution to [Users mistake top-level categories for lack of permissions](https://meta.discourse.org/t/users-mistake-top-level-categories-for-lack-of-permissions/72227)
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### Author:  [@neil](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neil)
#### Post date: [4월 11, 2018, 5:42오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/13 "2018-04-11T17:42:20Z")
@jomaxro I made this change yesterday. Give it a try.
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [4월 12, 2018, 3:02오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/14 "2018-04-12T03:02:55Z")
Thanks @neil. I went to take a look, first thought it wasn’t working then realized I was logged in as admin. My only “complaint” is that the placement of “Please select a category.” seems odd. I’m guessing it’s placed in the composer area and looks off due to the hidden toolbar? Is it possible to move it up to the top of the box (where the toolbar is) instead of in the “middle” where it is now?
Edit: Another piece of feedback. if you try to click in the composer area you see the `cursor: not-allowed`, but if you mouse over the top of the composer (where the toolbar usually is) you get the default cursor.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [4월 12, 2018, 3:25오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/15 "2018-04-12T03:25:17Z")
The copy is bad, changing it to
> You must select a category before typing here.
It’s normally
> Type here. Use Markdown, BBCode, or HTML to format. Drag or paste images.
I think the placement is fine, since we’re trying to indicate “here” which is the body.
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [4월 12, 2018, 3:33오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/16 "2018-04-12T03:33:24Z")
> [@codinghorror](#):
>
> I think the placement is fine
Fair enough. If it’s not too complicated I do think the cursor CSS should be fixed. Video below in case description above is unclear.
[https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/1/5/1553fe47002d3af8aacebe3eff87ff437e95a72c.mp4](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/1/5/1553fe47002d3af8aacebe3eff87ff437e95a72c.mp4)
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [4월 12, 2018, 3:35오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/17 "2018-04-12T03:35:41Z")
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [6월 16, 2018, 2:33오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/18 "2018-06-16T14:33:21Z")
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### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [6월 25, 2018, 4:00오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/require-category-selection-before-writing-topic/66236/19 "2018-06-25T16:00:06Z")
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