Just run a query like this to deprecate all items in category #88

$DB->query('UPDATE T_items__item SET post_status = "deprecated" WHERE post_main_cat_ID = 88');

Thanks for the sql snippet - a pointer at least.

However that does not resolve the problem - the category remains exposed to the client and could therefore continue to be used to assign posts to and get listed by all the standard widgets/plugins.

Although the reverse sql could be used to turn the category's posts back to published. as this would be an admin controlled event.

I was hoping for something already built in (something I had missed) Although I am happy to add a new field I am concerned that any future upgrades would knock that data out of the db.

There's no such option for categories/blogs.
All I can do is move this thread to the "Feature requests" forum :(

sam2kb wrote:

There's no such option for categories/blogs.
All I can do is move this thread to the "Feature requests" forum :(

Thanks.

and while it is there can I put in a request for similar ability to depreciate or make private files )add the usual enum() field - and while we are about it, make life simpler by identifying the file type in the table - this would eliminate the need for the $File->is_image() function and resolve a few outstanding TODO's inc/widgets/widgets/_coll_media_index.widget.php in particular the cleaner SQL

You should create different threats for those requests, otherwise they will get lost here.

and while we are about it, make life simpler by identifying the file type in the table - this would eliminate the need for the $File->is_image() function and resolve a few outstanding TODO's inc/widgets/widgets/_coll_media_index.widget.php in particular the cleaner SQL

It won't be hard at all, we can get this value from $_FILE at upload time. Or use mime_content_type() if upload remote file by URL