+++
title = "Submit form: author optional (default Anonymous), clarify auth code auto-generation"
priority = 5
status = "done"
ticket_type = "bug"
dependencies = []
+++
## Bug

Two related UX issues on the submit form (`src/bin/ui/pages/submit.rs`):

### 1. Author field should be optional

Currently, `author` is required — the validation at line 53 returns early with `"Text and author are required."` if it is empty, and the field has `required=true` at line 177. Not all quotes have a known author, so it should be optional. When left blank, the API should receive `"Anonymous"` as the author.

### 2. Auth code label should clarify auto-generation

The label currently reads `"Custom auth code (optional)"`. The label itself does not explain what happens if left blank. The placeholder does say `"word-word-word-word (auto-generated if empty)"`, but users may not notice placeholders. The label should make it explicit.

## Expected behaviour

- Author field: leaving it blank submits the quote with author = `"Anonymous"`. The field should not block form submission.
- Auth code label: reads something like `"Custom auth code (optional — one will be generated if left blank)"`.

## How to fix

In `src/bin/ui/pages/submit.rs`:

**Author optional:**

1. Change the validation at line 53:
   ```rust
   // Before
   if text_val.is_empty() || author_val.is_empty() {
       error.set(Some("Text and author are required.".to_string()));
       return;
   }
   // After
   if text_val.is_empty() {
       error.set(Some("Quote text is required.".to_string()));
       return;
   }
   ```
2. When building `CreateQuoteInput`, default the author to `"Anonymous"` if empty:
   ```rust
   author: if author_val.is_empty() {
       "Anonymous".to_string()
   } else {
       author_val
   },
   ```
3. Remove `required=true` from the author `<input>` (~line 177).
4. Update the label from `"Author *"` to `"Author (optional, defaults to Anonymous)"` or similar.
5. Update the placeholder from `"e.g. Mark Twain"` to `"e.g. Mark Twain (leave blank for Anonymous)"`.

**Auth code label:**

6. Change the label at line 236 from:
   ```
   "Custom auth code (optional)"
   ```
   to:
   ```
   "Auth code (optional — one will be generated if left blank)"
   ```

## File

- `src/bin/ui/pages/submit.rs` (lines 53–56, 64–66, 163–178, 235–237)

## Validation

```sh
# From quotesdb/ root
cargo fmt && cargo check && cargo clippy && cargo test
trunk build
```

Manually test: submit a quote with author left blank — it should succeed and display `Anonymous` as the author.

## Commit scope

`fix(quotesdb): submit form author optional and auth code label`