Create a Traditional Discussion Topic

A Traditional Discussion is the standard permanent QCLF Topic type. It uses the Category’s Discussion capability and create-discussion permission, stores a title and sanitized rich opening Message, and can optionally include a poll or attachments when those Category features/actions are also allowed.

Signed-in members and optional CAPTCHA-validated guests follow different creation rules, so test the exact audience you intend to support.

Open the Composer

  1. Browse to a Category you can view.
  2. Select New Topic.
  3. Choose Traditional Topic / Discussion.
  4. Enter a Topic title and opening Message. Both are required.
  5. Add an optional poll or attachments only if the Category allows them.
  6. Submit and verify the new Topic URL.

Server-Side Permission Checks

The server requires the Category to be available and the Discussion feature/action to permit creation. Posting sanctions are checked before creation. A visible composer is not the authorization boundary.

The title is cleaned to the current title limit, the rich body is sanitized, and the content-policy service can filter prohibited content, enforce text/link/mention limits, pacing, and duplicate protection.

Guest Traditional Topics

Guests may create only Traditional Topics, and only when guest posting is enabled for the Category. QCLF collects the guest identity fields, requires the configured CAPTCHA to pass, and places the Topic into pending approval when the Category policy requires guest approval. Guests do not create live Topic types.

Optional Polls and Attachments

For signed-in Discussion creation, QCLF creates a poll only when the user can create polls and a non-empty poll question is supplied. Attachments are processed only when the Category/user can upload.

Poll creation and attachments are therefore additional feature/ACL checks; permission to create a Discussion does not automatically grant them.

Automatic Follow and Draft Cleanup

A signed-in approved Discussion defaults to following replies when the submitter leaves the Subscribe to replies choice enabled. After successful signed-in creation, QCLF removes the matching Topic composer draft.

The Topic is created in a database transaction so failures in dependent creation work roll back rather than leaving a partially-created Topic.

Verify the Result

  • The Topic opens under the intended Category and uses the same durable Topic URL for future replies.
  • The title/body display sanitized content.
  • Any requested poll or attachment appears only when authorized.
  • If testing guest approval, confirm the guest sees the submission notice and the Topic remains unavailable publicly until approved.

Community Discussion

Want to compare forum workflows, share practical QCLF tips, or discuss how other Joomla site owners use this feature? Visit the QC Live Forum Community. For private support, bug reports, account-specific entitlement problems, or feature requests, use the QuantaCade support system.