# Topic Author
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021
**Category:** Theme component
**Tags:** end-of-life, topic-author
**Created:** [March 8, 2019, 5:08pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021 "2019-03-08T17:08:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Discourse)
#### Post date: [March 8, 2019, 5:08pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/1 "2019-03-08T17:08:00Z")
> #### ⚠ Deprecated in favour of [Topic List Author](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-list-author/269910)
| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| :discourse2: | **Summary** | **Topic Author** will change the layout of the `/latest` and `categories and latest topic` homepage showing in the first column the author of the topic. It works both on desktop and mobile. |
| 👓 | **Preview** | [Preview on Discourse Theme Creator](https://discourse.theme-creator.io/theme/Discourse/topic-author) |
| 🛠 | **Repository Link** | [https://github.com/discourse/discourse-topic-author](https://github.com/discourse/discourse-topic-author) |
| 📖 | **New to Discourse Themes?** | [Beginner’s guide to using Discourse Themes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/beginners-guide-to-using-discourse-themes/91966) |
Install this theme component
> [@](#):
>
> :discourse2: As this is an #official theme component maintained by the Discourse team, #Support, #Contribute > Bug, #Contribute > UX, and #Contribute > Feature requests can be made in the respective categories here on Meta, and tagged with the appropriate theme component tag. Click on a link below to get one started. 👍
>
> [❓ **Support**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=6&tags=topic-author "Ask for support on configuring and using Topic Author") [🐛 **Bug**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=1&tags=topic-author "A bug report means something is broken, preventing normal/typical use of the theme component") [👀 **UX**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=9&tags=topic-author "Discussion about the user interface of Topic Author, and how features are presented (including language and UI elements)") [💡 **Feature**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=2&tags=topic-author "Discussion about how existing Topic Author features can be improved or enhanced, and how proposed new features could work")
### Features
### Settings
| Name | Description |
| --- | --- |
| show author username | Show author username instead profile avatar |
| Translation | Default |
| --- | --- |
| author | Author |
> :discourse2: **Hosted by us?** Theme components are available to use on our Standard, Business, and Enterprise plans.
> Last edited by @david 2025-03-13T12:21:07Z
>
> > **Check document**
> >
> > Perform check on document:
---
### Author:  [@nexo](https://meta.discourse.org/u/nexo)
#### Post date: [March 8, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/4 "2019-03-08T17:24:29Z")
I recommend renaming this to Topic Author or Starter since creator may be confusing to some. Awesome theme, good work 👍
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### Author:  [@dax](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dax)
#### Post date: [March 8, 2019, 5:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/5 "2019-03-08T17:25:36Z")
Correct, I will rename it
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### Author:  [@thegurjyot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/thegurjyot)
#### Post date: [March 8, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/6 "2019-03-08T20:47:58Z")
It was exactly what I was looking for. But why to hide the other user’s images on desktop. Don’t you think there’s enough space to show the other images as well? Or if there’s an option to show those?
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### Author:  [@DigitalStartup](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DigitalStartup)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2019, 4:26pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/7 "2019-03-10T16:26:56Z")
Thanks for working on this. Any chance you can also apply this to the `/categories` page, where the `desktop category page style` setting is “Categories and Latest Topics”?
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### Author:  [@dax](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dax)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/8 "2019-03-11T19:47:03Z")
> [@DigitalStartup](#):
>
> Any chance you can also apply this to the `/categories` page, where the `desktop category page style` setting is “Categories and Latest Topics”?
This is now done, please update the theme component to see it in action.
> [@thegurjyot](#):
>
> But why to hide the other user’s images on desktop
I think that have more than 1 avatar (the author) in the first column can confuse users and dividing users into two columns, one for the author and one for the other users (maybe where it was originally) can be even more confusing.
You can do something similar
using this fork:
[https://github.com/Dax74/users-first-column](https://github.com/Dax74/users-first-column)
---
### Author:  [@thegurjyot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/thegurjyot)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/9 "2019-04-16T20:43:08Z")
I am checking the preview of this component using the link in the first post but, it’s not working.
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### Author:  [@dax](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dax)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2019, 10:53am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/10 "2019-04-17T10:53:02Z")
I can’t repro your issue even if I’m not logged in. The link [https://theme-creator.discourse.org/theme/Dax/author](https://theme-creator.discourse.org/theme/Dax/author) works for me also if I open it in a new private window. Can you open the dev console on your browser and see if there are errors? Also, please try to open the link above using the safe-mode ([https://meta.discourse.org/safe-mode](https://meta.discourse.org/safe-mode)) and disabling your current theme.
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### Author:  [@thegurjyot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/thegurjyot)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2019, 11:10am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/11 "2019-04-17T11:10:00Z")
Now it’s opening correct but previously it wasn’t that’s why I reported it. Between great component, just want to know can be enable this for mobile only? As we already get the first image as author’s image in desktop.
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### Author:  [@dax](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dax)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2019, 11:12am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/12 "2019-04-17T11:12:58Z")
Nope, but you can fork the original component on `https://github.com/discourse/discourse-topic-author` and delete the Desktop folder…
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### Author:  [@thegurjyot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/thegurjyot)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2019, 11:15am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/13 "2019-04-17T11:15:07Z")
Okh, that’s a good workaround. But can’t this be an option in future versions?
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### Author:  [@TimJensen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/TimJensen)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 1:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/14 "2019-05-09T13:01:50Z")
@dax Thanks for your work on this component! It’s a perfect fit for our need.
I’m running into a small issue, though. The markup for the `.author` and `.main-link` elements have an extra `"` before `class`, which means my CSS for those elements isn’t being recognized.
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### Author:  [@dax](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dax)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 1:22pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/15 "2019-05-09T13:22:55Z")
Mmm… are you using other theme components? On my test-site it works without problem. The component probably do not works if you use other theme components as [Avatar Size and Shape](https://meta.discourse.org/t/avatar-size-and-shape/106124) that manipulate the avatars.
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### Author:  [@TimJensen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/TimJensen)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 1:41pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/16 "2019-05-09T13:41:43Z")
Yes, I did have the Discourse Avatar Component active, but am still seeing the markup issue with that component deactivated.
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### Author:  [@dax](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dax)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/17 "2019-05-09T14:32:01Z")
Ok, try to update the theme component now, the issue should be fixed.
PS: while I was working on this component I tested it with the Avatar component and it seems that it works well on topics (it does not work on Latest because it is overwritten by the Topic Author component).
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### Author:  [@TimJensen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/TimJensen)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/18 "2019-05-09T19:09:18Z")
@dax Yep, that looks good! Thanks for the quick turnaround.
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### Author:  [@TimJensen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/TimJensen)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/19 "2019-08-22T16:57:20Z")
I noticed this component also changes the layout on the private messages list. Would it be relatively easy to change the topic list layout everywhere _except_ the private messages list? For the private messages list I would like to use the default layout.
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### Author:  [@TimJensen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/TimJensen)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2019, 2:22pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/20 "2019-09-10T14:22:02Z")
Hi @dax, just circling back here on the private message layout versus topic list layout. Is it possible to have the private message list display with the default layout?
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### Author:  [@thegurjyot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/thegurjyot)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2020, 10:35pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/21 "2020-02-01T22:35:45Z")
Hello @dax, any update on this issue?
> [@TimJensen](#):
>
> I noticed this component also changes the layout on the private messages list. Would it be relatively easy to change the topic list layout everywhere _except_ the private messages list? For the private messages list I would like to use the default layout.
---
### Author:  [@Anatolia](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Anatolia)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2020, 11:51pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021/22 "2020-02-09T23:51:07Z")
Is it possible to add this theme an option to not remove the Users column seen below?
[Next page](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-author/111021.md?page=2)