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Suggestion
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Resolution: Unresolved
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None
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9
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Per https://confluence.atlassian.com/confcloud/we-re-cleaning-up-the-macro-browser-946028471.html, the HTML Comment macro is going to be removed, with the following proposed alternate approach:
"If you want to leave a comment on a page that isn't visible to your readers, you can do this by making the text white. Alternatively, add a change comment when you publish your page."
We routinely use the HTML Comment macro to add usage instructions and variable defaults to our page templates; this allows us to insert more complex directions than what your current template editor allows. The proposed alternate would not meet our needs and would impact multiple teams and how they interact with Confluence.
We need one of the following:
- Keep the HTML Comment macro
- Some kind of alternate option for presenting complex content (including macros that can be copy/pasted) to a user when they're editing a page but that is not visible when viewing the published page
- A broad expansion in the ability to use variables and input fields when creating a new page so that I don't have to rely on the HTML Comment macro to present users with a list of stock options when creating a new page
![[Atlassian Documentation] Page](https://confluence.atlassian.com/images/icons/favicon.png "[Atlassian Documentation] Page"){kind=icon}
[CONFCLOUD-65854] Keep the HTML Comment Macro
@adan
If you make a page in the Legacy editor, add the HTML Comment macro, and then convert it to the modern editor, you'll get a modern editor page with a HTML Comment macro inside of it. You can then copy-paste that HTML Comment macro to any of your pages. I just tried it again using this process and it functions as I expected. You can insert formatting to the HTML Comment and it doesn't display in the published view.
Unfortunately, it looks like you cannot change the content of the HTML Comment macro once the page has been converted to the modern editor. Unfortunately, I can't add screenshots 
I am worried that, in recent days, Confluence Cloud editor roadmap has been changed and the HTML Comment macro removed from that page and, instead, added to Learn which macros are being removed ... that doesn't bode well and doesn't suggest that Atlassian is paying any attention to this issue
@Jen - If you don't have access to making new legacy pages, I suggest sending a support ticket to Atlassian. We dislike the new editor so we use the Legacy editor for our more comprehensive pages and templates.
If you make a page in the Legacy editor, add the HTML Comment macro, and then convert it to the modern editor, you'll get a modern editor page with a HTML Comment macro inside of it. You can then copy-paste that HTML Comment macro to any of your pages. I just tried it again using this process and it functions as I expected. You can insert formatting to the HTML Comment and it doesn't display in the published view.
@adan - That's a great workaround but the issue is many of our templates and pages have already been converted to the new editor - so there is no way to access it from the Legacy editor.
Additionally, we have added the HTML macro into our new editor pages and added the code, but the code doesn't do anything and is visible from the published view.
It seems you can still generate a HTML Comment macro by adding it to a Legacy editor page, then converting it to the new editor. Copy and paste that to any sections as needed. So really, they didn't actually remove the macro, they removed the ability to access it from the macro browser.
+1 for keeping the HTML Comment macro.
There is a need to have inline information visible to the editors of the page but not visible to users who are viewing the page.
The HTML Comment macro is brilliant for its high level of formatting control, so you can embed equally useful documentation guides. It is inexcusable to remove the macro without replacing it with something of similar or greater usefulness.
An Example of how we use the HTML Macro: DISABLE PAGE COMMENTS ON SPECIFIC PAGES
The “HTML Macro for Confluence Cloud” is probably what I’m looking for but it’s pretty disappointing that Atlassian had that functionality free in the old editor and now we are forced to purchase it from Artemis within the new editor for an additional $500+ a month.
If we would have just kept using the old template pages and didn't start the conversion of our existing pages - we wouldn't be in this mess.
Why it’s important to us:
We are trying to break habits of using Page Comments for specific functions like:
1. Leave a page comment to let us know you read the page (this was a procedure before we had Confluence analytics and before we understood how powerful the ‘share’ button could be).
2. Leave a page comment to collaborate (this was a procedure before we had the ability to leave comments inline).
With the release of inline comments, and the ability to access resolved comments – we are desperately trying to disable functions like “Page Comments” to force users to leave comments inline.
Probably should be a separate suggestion: we do need a style or macro to let us HIDE content, to embed portions of content that is only visible in edit mode, or visible only to an authorized group.
I have found what may be an appropriate workaround for some customers and it is free.
[MacroSuite - Button, Decision, HTML & More | Atlassian Marketplace|https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1222649/macrosuite-button-decision-html-more?hosting=cloud&tab=overview]
The HTML macro can be used to insert HTML comments, i.e. with <!-
and ->. I've tested this and it doesn't cause any blank space on the page.It isn't ideal (primarily because of the need to get the comment formatting correct) but it may help some of the people watching this issue.