What is ‘toggle unlisted’ for in the compose window? What is an unlisted topic actually?
AI-generated summary
Unlisted Topics: What They Are and How They Work
An unlisted topic is a type of topic that does not show up in the /latest list or in search results, but can still be accessed if someone knows the topic URL or has permission to see it. Jagster explains that unlisted topics are useful for drafts that need extra care or are in a waiting list, and for preventing most users from seeing them.
According to EricGT, unlisted topics will not show up in a Discourse search, even for category moderators, making them hard to find. However, if a topic was indexed by a search engine like Google before becoming unlisted, it may still be found through a Google search.
Ondrej shares a more in-depth explanation and notes that using unlisted topics can be problematic, as they can still send notifications to users who are not supposed to see them. As a workaround, ondrej suggests using shared drafts or the schedule publish topic timer from a private category.
Anon36555649 points out that embedded topics are default set to post as unlisted, but this can be changed in settings. Additionally, unlisted topics can be a helpful feature for drafts that need to be reviewed or edited before being made public.
Finally, JammyDodger shares a tip for filtering topic lists to show only unlisted topics by adding ?status=unlisted to the topic list URL. EricGT emphasizes the importance of using a topic list URL for this qualifier to work.
Hided, kind of. It doesn’t show up in /latest etc but is there. But if someone knows topic that user can see it. Plus staff of course.
I’m using unlisting in two cases:
- unmature sending (quite easy mistake on iPad anyway)
- topic needs some extra care taking or it is in waiting list, and I want to be sure most of users don’t see it.
Points of note:
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An unlisted topic will not show up in a search using the Discourse search, even as a category moderator they do not show up in a search which makes them hard to find at times.
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A topic that is listed then converted to unlisted may have been indexed by a search engine such as Google before becoming unlisted. As such while these topics are hard to find with a Discourse search they are easier to find with a Google search even though one of the points of unlisting them is to keep them from being found with a search engine.
In addition to what Jagster said, here is a more indepth explanation
Understanding closed, unlisted, and archived topics Eric beat me to it haha
Mmh yeah that was an issue for me and others so I tend to use shared drafts now or the schedule publish topic timer from a private category.
This is the default for embedded topics to post as unlisted but that can be changed in settings:
Can be a helpful feature for draft of topic to be posted as unlisted first to review/edit before making public.
The public can still see unlisted topics if they have a link to url.
As a small tip, you can add ?status=unlisted to a topic list URL and filter to just those ones (as long as you have permission to see them, so TL4+)
That should be emphasized. Until a topic list was used, was not having success with the qualifier, e.g.
https://community.openai.com/latest?status=unlisted
Topic list: https://community.openai.com/latest
Qualifier: ?status=unlisted