# Visual form entry topic templates?

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/visual-form-entry-topic-templates/47677>\
**Category:** Feature\
**Tags:** completed\
**Created:** [23 Julio, 2016 09:16 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/visual-form-entry-topic-templates/47677 "2016-07-23T09:16:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![Tom\_Newsom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/tom_newsom/32/115981_2.png) [@Tom\_Newsom](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Tom_Newsom)\
**Post date:** [26 Julio, 2016 06:57 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/visual-form-entry-topic-templates/47677/6 "2016-07-26T06:57:18Z")

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Custom topic fields are a thing in the database already IIRC. Its always struck me as a useful thng to have for more structured topic types. I think I’d prefer to have each field as a separate DB entry, rather than having a UI for populating a regular post. It would ensure consistency and allow for easier integration with other features and plugins.

And you’d definitely want to define the available fields on a per-category basis, with cross-category linking for identically named fields (eg. “Director” field in the “animation” and “comedy” subcategories of “movie reviews”)

EDIT: You’d probably want data types too. Text, Yes/No, Bounded and Unbounded numbers. Maybe URL.

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