Question How to stop new threads for the parent category

Hi guys,
My second day in Kunena and I am really begining to like it! I have simple problem and found a workaround as well. Just need to know if there could be a better solution.

1. I have a section and then categories. For some categories, I have sub categories. Now for these parent cats that have sub-cats, i need to disable the "new thread" link in order to force the users to use one of the sub-cats. I can achieve this by locking the parent category. but then the lock icon shows and i dont wanna confuse my users.

Further I dont wanto to remove the Lock icon jpeg from the server files since i want it shown for genuine locked forums. Just needed to know if there is any better solution.

2. In this forum, I see that new thread link is replaces by ""New Topic" and the button looks cool. How can I do that. Do I have to get a hack?

Thanks as usual guys for this great component and terrific support

I understand the question: you want to lock [some] parent categories but leave the sub-categories unlocked to allow users to post into those, but you don't want to display the locked icon on the parent category because you feel this would confuse your users.

Unfortunately, I don't have an easy solution for you. It's not possible, at the moment with any version of Kunena, to lock a topic but "selectively" not display the locked icon indicator.

My suggestion/workaround is to lock the parent categories (as have done) and to post a sticky topic in those categories to explain to your users how you want them to use the child categories. This isn't an easy "ask". People just don't look at sticky topics as often as you (or we) would like them to. For example, did you see the sticky topic in this category where you posted your question( K 1.5.x Support: Please read this first. ) that asks people to use the category for "legitimate" support subjects (i.e. dealing with issues when Kunena does not behave the way that it was designed for) instead of posting how-can-I-do-"this" types of questions? We have other categories for those kinds of questions.

When users have several questions, we also ask people to use a separate topic for each.

Good questions but I don't have a good answer for them.

ashishb01 wrote: Further I dont wanto to remove the Lock icon jpeg from the server files since i want it shown for genuine locked forums. Just needed to know if there is any better solution.

sozzled wrote: I understand the question: you want to lock [some] parent categories but leave the sub-categories unlocked to allow users to post into those, but you don't want to display the locked icon on the parent category because you feel this would confuse your users.

Exactly for both, the same here!

Maybe dev team would adopt to show a dashed padlock icon or bright grayed for sub-categories unlocked with a parent locked, and when all is locked the actual icon. ;0)