Merge QCLF Topics Safely

QCLF Merge moves one durable Topic into another while preserving the destination Topic as the surviving URL. The source Topic becomes a deleted redirect record so its old Topic route can forward visitors to the merge destination.

Merge is deliberately restricted: neither Topic may have any Live Session history, even an already-archived one.

Merge One Topic into Another

  1. Open the source Topic with merge.topic authority.
  2. Choose an eligible destination Topic for which you also have merge.topic authority.
  3. Confirm the merge warning.
  4. Verify the destination contains the moved conversation and that opening the old source Topic ID redirects to the destination.

How the Source Opening Message Is Preserved

The source Topic’s opening Message becomes a new permanent reply in the destination with source_type=merged_topic. Topic-level attachments, reactions, and mentions from the source opening Message are remapped to that new reply, and source replies then move to the destination Topic.

Reply References and Subscriptions

Replies that previously referenced the source Topic opening Message are retargeted to the newly-created opening reply. Topic subscriptions are merged by user; when both source and destination subscriptions exist, QCLF keeps the enabled reply/live/email/on-site channels rather than duplicating the row.

Poll and Live Restrictions

  • If both Topics already contain polls, Merge is refused.
  • If only the source has a poll, that poll can move to the destination.
  • If either Topic has any Live Session history, Merge is refused so archived live history cannot be detached from its original durable Topic.

The Source Becomes a Redirect

QCLF soft-deletes the source Topic and stores the destination Topic ID in its moderation settings. It cannot be restored as a normal Topic because its Messages were moved; the frontend recognizes the merge marker and redirects the old Topic ID to the surviving destination.

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.