New Discussion: A way to NOT select a category by default?

charliepratt

I want to teach my community of users that they need to select a Category. Can I modify Vanilla so that it doesn't automatically select a default Category? (So that if they didn't choose a Category and tried to post, it would remind them that they need to choose a Category.)

hgtonight

The proper way would be to add a validation rule to the discussion model. Something like this:

public function DiscussionModel_BeforeSaveDiscussion_Handler($Sender) {
  $Sender->Validation->ApplyRule('CategoryID', 'regex:/^\d+$/', 'You must select a category to post into!');    
}

That said, I couldn't get it to work for me on 2.0.18.8.

I would just check for the root category in the form values and kill the execution if -1 was the categoryID, ala:

public function DiscussionModel_BeforeSaveDiscussion_Handler($Sender) {
  if($Sender->EventArguments['FormPostValues']['CategoryID'] == '-1') {
    echo 'You must select a category to post into!';
    die();
  }
}

Maybe style it up a little better. It is definitely hack-y.

whu606

@charliepratt

See this discussion:

http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/16672/can-i-force-users-to-choose-a-category-in-vanilla-2#latest

Lincoln's fix worked for me then. I'm not sure if it works in 2.0.18.8, but it's worth a go.

peregrine

Another option that works.... (but the warning message is not intuitive)

   $('#Form_CategoryID').prepend("<option value='999'>Select A Category").prop('selectedIndex', 0);


it won't let you post  unless you select.

I like lincoln's solution though.

hgtonight

Did this javascript not work for you?

$('#Form_CategoryID').prop('selectedIndex', -1);

charliepratt

Yes, the JS worked for the dropdown, but it still lets me post without choosing a Category. How do I make that a required field?

hgtonight

The proper way would be to add a validation rule to the discussion model. Something like this:

public function DiscussionModel_BeforeSaveDiscussion_Handler($Sender) {
  $Sender->Validation->ApplyRule('CategoryID', 'regex:/^\d+$/', 'You must select a category to post into!');    
}

That said, I couldn't get it to work for me on 2.0.18.8.

I would just check for the root category in the form values and kill the execution if -1 was the categoryID, ala:

public function DiscussionModel_BeforeSaveDiscussion_Handler($Sender) {
  if($Sender->EventArguments['FormPostValues']['CategoryID'] == '-1') {
    echo 'You must select a category to post into!';
    die();
  }
}

Maybe style it up a little better. It is definitely hack-y.

whu606

@charliepratt

See this discussion:

http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/16672/can-i-force-users-to-choose-a-category-in-vanilla-2#latest

Lincoln's fix worked for me then. I'm not sure if it works in 2.0.18.8, but it's worth a go.

peregrine

Another option that works.... (but the warning message is not intuitive)

   $('#Form_CategoryID').prepend("<option value='999'>Select A Category").prop('selectedIndex', 0);


it won't let you post  unless you select.

I like lincoln's solution though.