[#46434] - Custom Field Data and Visibility Lost Upon Category Duplication (Save & Copy)
- Closed
- 15 Jun 2026
- Medium
- Build: 5.4-dev
- # 46434
Hi all,
Steps to reproduce the issue
Backend Administration
Navigate: Content > Categories
Create new category “Source category”
Save & Close
Navigate: Content > Fields
Change dropdown from “Articles” to “Category”
Create New text field “Test text field”
Assign the field category to our new category “Source category”
Save & Close
Navigate: Content > Categories
Open category “Source category”
Open Fields and put some text in the text field
Save & Close
Now we want to duplicate our category
Open category "Source category"
Save and Copy
Bug
When using the "Save & Copy" feature on an existing Category that contains custom fields and values, the duplicated category loses both the custom field visibility (until published) and the copied field values. This behavior is inconsistent with the duplication of Articles, where custom field values are retained.
Expected result
- The duplicated category should retain the same custom field visibility as the source (e.g., the "Fields" tab should be visible regardless of the status, or at least visible with the option to edit).
- The duplicated category should copy all Custom Field values from the "Source Category," mirroring the behavior observed when duplicating an Article.
Actual result
- The "Fields" tab (containing custom fields) is hidden while the category status is Unpublished.
- Changing the status to Published makes the "Fields" tab visible.
- Once visible, the custom fields are empty, not retaining the values from the "Source Category".
Additional Context
The duplication process for Articles successfully copies both the custom field structure and the data values, indicating that the capability exists within the system but is not correctly implemented for Categories.
System information
Joomla!: 5.4.0
PHP: 8.2
Votes
joomla-cms-bot
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@petrovicivan Hello, I can confirm that fields tab is not loaded. But when publishing the Article, the fields tab still not loaded.
This is different from what you have descripted. Actually worse :(
This comment was created with the J!Tracker Application at issues.joomla.org/tracker/joomla-cms/46434.
@petrovicivan Hello, I can confirm that fields tab is not loaded. But when publishing the Article, the fields tab still not loaded.
This is different from what you have descripted. Actually worse :(
This comment was created with the J!Tracker Application at issues.joomla.org/tracker/joomla-cms/46434.
@petrovicivan Hello, I can confirm that fields tab is not loaded. But when publishing the Article, the fields tab still not loaded.
This is different from what you have descripted. Actually worse :(
This comment was created with the J!Tracker Application at issues.joomla.org/tracker/joomla-cms/46434.
Hello @petrovicivan, when you make a field then set it to a specific category then the copied category won't gain that field as it has another category id that's it.
If you want the copied category to gain that field, then edit the field to accept that new category too.
Also, if the field is set to all categories, it's loaded successfully.
It's not a bug, it's expected behavior.
When using the "Save & Copy" feature on an existing Category that contains custom fields and values, the duplicated category loses both the custom field visibility (until published) and the copied field values. This behavior is inconsistent with the duplication of Articles, where custom field values are retained.
When using the "Save & Copy" feature on an existing Category that contains custom fields and values, the duplicated category loses both the custom field visibility (until published) and the copied field values. This behavior is inconsistent with the duplication of Articles, where custom field values are retained.
@petrovicivan I failed to replicate the (untill published) part. When i published the copies, the fields are still missing. Could you please confirm if that still happening with you?
Why this works for articles but not for categories? Because the copied article has the same category as the original one.
Meanwhile, when dealing with categories this is different. The copied category is not the same category as the original. This is the category component itself that's used to load fields.
If you want the copied category to have the same fields as the original one (even if the fields are explicitly set to have only the original category) then this is a suggestion we should discuss.
I suggest you make a discussion referring to this issue so the maintainers can decide.
When using the "Save & Copy" feature on an existing Category that contains custom fields and values, the duplicated category loses both the custom field visibility (until published) and the copied field values. This behavior is inconsistent with the duplication of Articles, where custom field values are retained.
@petrovicivan I failed to replicate the (untill published) part. When i published the copies, the fields are still missing. Could you please confirm if that still happening with you?
Why this works for articles but not for categories? Because the copied article has the same category as the original one.
Meanwhile, when dealing with categories this is different. The copied category is not the same category as the original. This is the category component itself that's used to load fields.
If you want the copied category to have the same fields as the original one automatically (even if the fields are explicitly set to have only the original category) then this is a suggestion we should discuss.
You can do it manually by updating the target field to load on the copied category too not just the original one.
I suggest you make a discussion referring to this issue so the maintainers can decide.
By the way, if they choose to do it then i will be happy to implement it specially for you. I don't know yet if this is even applicable, but i can try when they decide.
MacJoom
- | Status | New | ⇒ | Closed |
| Closed_Date | 0000-00-00 00:00:00 | ⇒ | 2026-06-15 15:41:52 |
| Closed_By | ⇒ | MacJoom |
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