# With the new right gutter, where should "Reply as Linked Topic" go?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815
**Category:** UX
**Created:** [May 12, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815 "2016-05-12T13:02:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@anon82356247](https://meta.discourse.org/u/anon82356247)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 2:07am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/23 "2016-06-07T02:07:35Z")
I’m missing the reply as new topic button, plus the display of the new topics that were previously created from a post.
---
### Author:  [@Mittineague](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Mittineague)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 6:22am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/24 "2016-06-07T06:22:26Z")
> [@Barry\_Chertov](#):
>
> I’m missing the reply as new topic button, plus the display of the new topics that were previously created from a post.
I’d be interested in seeing your statistics if you have [Data Explorer](https://meta.discourse.org/t/32566?silent=true) and you don’t mind posting them.
```plaintext
WITH first_posts AS (
SELECT COUNT(posts.id)
FROM posts
WHERE posts.post_number = 1
AND posts.deleted_at IS NULL
AND posts.post_type = 1
AND posts.raw LIKE '%Continuing the discussion from%'
),
mod_splits AS (
SELECT COUNT(posts.id)
FROM posts
WHERE posts.action_code
LIKE 'split_topic'
AND posts.raw LIKE '%posts were split to a new topic%'
),
links_in_topics AS (
SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT(posts.id))
FROM posts
JOIN topic_links
ON topic_links.link_post_id = posts.id
WHERE posts.post_number = 1
AND posts.deleted_at IS NULL
AND posts.post_type = 1
AND topic_links.reflection
AND topic_links.internal
)
SELECT first_posts.count AS replied_as_count
, (links_in_topics.count - first_posts.count) AS cited_count
, mod_splits.count AS off_topic_splits_count
FROM first_posts, links_in_topics, mod_splits
```
---
### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 11:40am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/25 "2016-06-07T11:40:41Z")
> [@Barry\_Chertov](#):
>
> I’m missing the reply as new topic button, plus the display of the new topics that were previously created from a post.
Me too. A client who needs reply-as-linked-topic just upgraded and now can’t find how to do reply-as-linked-topic. I don’t see it either.
Is it somewhere that I’m just not seeing it?
---
### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 11:43am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/26 "2016-06-07T11:43:53Z")
> [@mcwumbly](#):
>
> No, probably not. Let’s just live without it for a while.
Oh. No. This might be OK if topics that were closed or permissions didn’t allow replies, but on my site the bulk of messages are reply-as-linked-topic messages. I suppose that I can re-train people to just start new messages and then not have the link back to the assignment that they are completing, but that’ll be a real drag.
---
### Author:  [@Tom\_Newsom](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Tom_Newsom)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 12:02pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/27 "2016-06-07T12:02:43Z")
Total topics on our site: 1192
replied\_as\_count: 17
cited\_count: 54
off\_topic\_splits\_count: 34
This feels like enough use to keep the feature. Its absence is certainly holding me off updating for now, at any rate.
---
### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 12:48pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/28 "2016-06-07T12:48:52Z")
On my site:
total topics: 1197 (eerily close to @Tom_Newsom’s number!)
replied\_as\_count: 23
cited\_count: 120
off\_topic\_splits\_count: 3
---
### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 12:52pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/29 "2016-06-07T12:52:57Z")
> [@pfaffman](#):
>
> Is it somewhere that I’m just not seeing it?
Just start a new topic and then return to the topic to quote reply. Or use the keyboard shortcut:
Edit: the `t` keyboard shortcut doesn’t actually work anymore?
Personally, my favorite solution is the one proposed by @codinghorror above. The reply buttons below each post could also have the pulldown to reply as new topic.
> [@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/44815/18):
>
> Interesting, so maybe “Quote Reply” should have the little drop down to select start a new topic, like this: [image] But then again as @cpradio pointed out the keyboard shortcuts also work for this kind of power user scenario…
I’m ok with having the linked posts below each post.
---
### Author:  [@cpradio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/cpradio)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 1:13pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/30 "2016-06-07T13:13:28Z")
> [@tobiaseigen](#):
>
> Edit: the t keyboard shortcut doesn’t actually work anymore?
Yes it does… but you have to use j or k first so it knows which post you are continuing from
---
### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 1:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/31 "2016-06-07T13:16:12Z")
ah - got it. thx. also see you explained this above. trying to keep up. 😊
seems a bit weird that selecting a post via the vertical nav doesn’t work the same way.
---
### Author:  [@cpradio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/cpradio)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 1:30pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/32 "2016-06-07T13:30:33Z")
I could easily see a feature request asking t to work without any selection and when it does it uses the last post? Or should it use the first? (food for thought)
---
### Author:  [@Mittineague](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Mittineague)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/33 "2016-06-07T14:49:06Z")
> [@Tom\_Newsom](#):
>
> feels like enough use to keep the feature
> replied\_as\_count: 17
> cited\_count: 54
> off\_topic\_splits\_count: 34
> replied\_as\_count: 23
> cited\_count: 120
> off\_topic\_splits\_count: 3
Two members isn’t a large dataset, but
it is interesting to see that a majority start new topics either quoting or posting a link to the “source” post.
Yet, I agree, the number of new topics started by using the Reply As is a considerable percentage.
I’m thinking making the work-around easier might be a good idea.
> [@mcwumbly](#):
>
> Quote reply a few sections.
> Select all, cut
> Discard draft
> Go to front page
> Create new topic
> Paste
> Write topic and save it.
Similar to @erlend_sh 's mock-up
---
### Author:  [@mcwumbly](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mcwumbly)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/34 "2016-06-07T15:04:30Z")
The idea with trying to live without it for a while it to further validate that the feature is really necessary / valuable. The data above is another way to attempt to do the same thing.
I think what we’ve learned from that so far is that a favored way of replying as a linked topic is via quoting the source post, not just using the now-missing feature.
_If_ we think the feature is valuable, then I agree with my former self, @erlend_sh, and now @Mittineague that we should explore being able to change a reply that is already being composed to a new-topic reply.
But this might be #pr-welcome material if it seems like an edge case and the core team has higher priorities.
---
### Author:  [@auryn\_macmillan](https://meta.discourse.org/u/auryn_macmillan)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2016, 12:03am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/35 "2016-06-09T00:03:34Z")
Perhaps a little OT, but the one shortcoming I feel the “reply as linked topic” feature has is that linked topics are not represented in the flow of conversation. I think the feature would be more useful if linked topics generated something akin “closed” dialogue. This could still be displayed even after a topic has been closed.
---
### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2016, 12:06am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/36 "2016-06-09T00:06:37Z")
Er.. what? The outgoing links are already in the post, so how are they not in the “flow of conversation”? The latest change was to expand _incoming_ links, and that’s already deployed, so have a look at that here in existing topics.
---
### Author:  [@auryn\_macmillan](https://meta.discourse.org/u/auryn_macmillan)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2016, 12:55am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/37 "2016-06-09T00:55:36Z")
OK, either I’ve missed a feature, or haven’t explained what I mean properly.
I see that there is a collection of links under the initial post, and obviously normal links are included with their comment. But I don’t see anywhere that indicates a linked topic was created, nor at what point in the conversation it was created. Sorry if I’ve missed something, still getting familiar with ask if discourses features.
---
### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2016, 6:36am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/38 "2016-06-09T06:36:27Z")
Well, the incoming links are presented below the post they linked to, not in chronology of the time the link was created. The day the link was created is a mighty weak thing to tie the link to, versus the actual _post_ it links to..
---
### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2016, 9:22am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/39 "2016-06-09T09:22:32Z")
7 posts were merged into an existing topic: [Make post links more visible with new right gutter timeline](https://meta.discourse.org/t/make-post-links-more-visible-with-new-right-gutter-timeline/44920)
---
### Author:  [@mholt](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mholt)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2016, 9:20pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/40 "2016-06-12T21:20:51Z")
I also have a question about this, regarding the beta 8 update. I have users asking how to reply with linked topic now. What should I tell them?
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### Author:  [@mcwumbly](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mcwumbly)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/41 "2016-06-12T21:39:37Z")
Tell them to add a link or quote of the post they want to continue the discussion from.
Hand-crafted, artisanal reply-as-new-topic’ing.
---
### Author:  [@Tom\_Newsom](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Tom_Newsom)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2016, 9:44pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/with-the-new-right-gutter-where-should-reply-as-linked-topic-go/44815/42 "2016-06-12T21:44:32Z")
> [@mcwumbly](#):
>
> If we think the feature is valuable, then I agree with my former self, @erlend_sh, and now @Mittineague that we should explore being able to change a reply that is already being composed to a new-topic reply.
All well and good if the source topic is open to replies. You can’t start a reply to a closed topic, and I imagine that closed topics attract more than their fair share of replies-as-new-topics.
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