Comments and threads
Path: AdminCP > [MC] Downloads Manager > Categories > (edit a category) > Comments and threads.
Each download supports two independent discussion surfaces: native comments and an auto-created forum thread. Both can be active on the same download. Toggling either off later preserves existing data: old comments and old thread links remain readable, but new content uses whichever surface is on. There is no migration tooling between them.
The two surfaces
| Surface | Where it lives | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| Native comments | Inline on the download view | Reactions, edits, soft-delete, attachments. |
| Thread | A standard forum thread | Lives in a chosen forum. Auto-created on download publish. Linked to the download. |
A category may have both on, both off, or only one.
Native comments
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Native comments enabled | On | When off, no comment box appears on downloads in this category. |
Native comments inherit the global comment settings: maximum length, attachment size, edit grace period, soft-delete retention, comments per page, and "latest comments" preview count. See comments options.
Threads
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Thread mode | Disabled | One of "Disabled", "Optional", "Required". Required means a thread is created on every publish. Optional means the author chooses at publish time. Disabled means no thread is created. |
| Thread forum | (none) | The forum where threads land. Required when Thread mode is not "Disabled". |
| Lock thread on creation | Off | Whether the thread is locked the moment it is created. |
| Thread author | Download author | Who posts the thread. Either the download's primary author or a specific user. |
| Specific user | (none) | Used when Thread author is "Specific user". |
| Title format | empty | Per-category title template. Falls back to the global Default title format. |
| First-post template | empty | Per-category BBCode for the first post. Falls back to the global Default message template. |
| Allowed thread prefixes | empty | Forum thread prefixes that may be applied. |
Thread mode values
| Mode | Behavior on publish |
|---|---|
| Disabled | No thread is created. The author has no thread option in the publish UI. |
| Optional | The publish UI shows a "Create discussion thread" checkbox. Default unchecked. |
| Required | A thread is always created. The checkbox is hidden. |
If you set Thread mode to "Required" but no Thread forum is picked, the publish call fails with a validation error. AdminCP enforces this on save.
Title and post tokens
Use these tokens in the title format and first-post template:
| Token | What it inserts |
|---|---|
{title} | The download's title. |
{tag_line} | Single-line summary. |
{category} | Category title. |
{author} | Username (linked in BBCode). |
{url} | Full URL to the download. |
{version} | Latest version string. |
{description} | Full description BBCode (first-post template only). |
{download_link} | BBCode [URL=...]Download[/URL] (first-post template only). |
Thread sync
When the download is updated, the linked thread syncs lazily:
- Title changes propagate to the thread title (subject to the format string).
- Soft-deletes propagate per the When a download is deleted setting. See comments options.
- Hard-deletes are not propagated by default; the thread is left intact.
- Restoring a soft-deleted download does not auto-restore a closed thread.
Disconnecting and reconnecting
A moderator with Manage discussion can disconnect a download from its thread. The thread itself stays intact. Re-publishing a download can attach a fresh thread.
Choosing comments vs threads vs both
| Need | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Quick feedback near the download | Native comments only. |
| Long support or Q&A threads | Threads only, in a "Help" forum. |
| Both | Both on. Comments fill the on-page chatter; threads handle deep discussion. |
Migration
There is no migration command between comments and threads. Switching modes preserves existing rows on both sides; new content goes to whichever surfaces are active.