The forum base URL should be a URL prefix to your forums without a script name. For example, http://forums.example.com is correct, while http://forums.example.com/index.php is incorrect. You can fix this using the config_editor.php script and then clear the Comcode page cache.
Most Composr resources with commenting enabled create comment topics in the configured comment forum. If the forum uses BBCode, Comcode features not supported by BBCode may not display correctly. Moderate comments from the forum as you would any other topic.
It's not easy to switch forums after installing Composr. The member and usergroup IDs referenced by Composr would lose their association. Check the "Importing data into Composr" tutorial for more information on this.
Conversr is Composr's built-in forum system. It offers seamless integration, allowing you to use Comcode for forum posts, a unified Admin Zone, shared themes and templates, and innovative features like Private Topics and in-post whispers. Using a third-party forum can be clunky and may lead to maintenance headaches.
Composr supports several forum drivers, including Invision Board, phpBB, myBB, vBulletin, Burning Board, and Simple Machine Forum. If your forum is not listed, professional developers can add support. Composr also provides converters for migrating from these forums to its own forum system, Conversr.
What are the PHP requirements for running Composr?
Answer
Composr requires PHP 7.2 or higher, but versions not officially supported by PHP developers are discouraged. The maximum tested version is PHP 8.3.
Required PHP extensions:
GD2 (gd) with PNG and JPEG support
MySQL extension (mysqli or pdo_mysql)
XML extension (xml)
Multibyte String (mbstring)
cURL extension (curl)
JSON support (usually available by default)
Sodium (libsodium)
ZIP extension (zip) if ZIP file support is needed
Additional recommendations:
posix extension for permission checks
zlib extension for faster upgrades, compressed backups, and page compression
ctype extension for slightly faster performance
IMAP extension (imap) for managing newsletter bounces
OpenSSL extension (openssl) for encrypted CPFs, DKIM, and SSL certificate expiry checks
Pspell (pspell) or Enchant (enchant) extensions for spell checking
Ensure the following PHP settings are configured:
File upload size limit of at least 5MB (or higher as needed)
Maximum execution time of at least 30 seconds
Memory limit of at least 128MB
The installer will warn you if any critical functions have been disabled via disable_functions or other PHP modifications. Avoid web hosts that heavily restrict standard PHP functionality.
To uninstall Composr, access the uninstall.php file in your web browser, enter your administrator password, and follow the prompts to remove the database data. Afterward, you can safely delete the Composr installation directory.
What are the recommended web hosting options for Composr?
Answer
Choosing a web host is crucial. Avoid the cheapest options and look for hosts with recent positive reviews and minimal credible complaints. Ensure they meet Composr's requirements, including adequate disk space, no restrictive file size limits, and support for required PHP extensions.
Composr is compatible with various hosting control panels like Plesk and cPanel, and works on Windows, Linux, or Mac OS servers.
Yes, you can install Composr on a Windows desktop using software packages like WampServer, XAMPP, EasyPHP, or ampps for simplified setup. Alternatively, you can manually install Apache, PHP, and MySQL, following the instructions provided in the respective documentation. Remember to configure file permissions appropriately and ensure the webserver isn't accessible from outside your network.
Are there any limitations to importing forum data?
Answer
Yes, some limitations exist, particularly with specific forum platforms.
General: Private messages are often combined into private topics.
phpBB: Usergroup configuration and HTML entities may require manual adjustments after import.
vBulletin: Calendar recurrences, ratings (karma), and 'goes to coventry' are not imported perfectly. Attachments may need to be extracted directly from the live database due to potential corruption in SQL dumps.
Simple Machine Forum: Banning features may not import perfectly due to differences in how Composr handles bans.
Composr primarily uses database connections for importing. However, it also supports neutral data formats like CSV spreadsheet files and importing downloads from a directory.
Moving a Composr site involves transferring both the files and the database.
Files:
On the old server, ZIP the entire Composr directory.
Download the ZIP file to your computer.
Upload the ZIP file to the new server using SFTP/FTP.
On the new server, unzip the file.
Database:
On the old server, create an SQL dump of your database using the mysqldump command or phpMyAdmin.
Download the SQL dump file.
If your URL is changing, search and replace the old URL with the new one in the SQL dump file.
Upload the SQL dump file to the new server.
Restore the database on the new server using the mysql command or phpMyAdmin.
Important Steps:
File Permissions: After transferring files, ensure correct file permissions are set on the new server. You can use the fixperms.php script, the upgrader script, or manually adjust them.
Configuration: If database settings are different on the new server, update the _config.php file or use the config_editor.php script to change the settings for both the site and forum databases.
Base URL: If your URL has changed, update the base URL setting in the Installation Options editor (config_editor.php).
Caches: Clear the block cache using the upgrader.php script.
How does Composr handle user authentication with external systems like LDAP or HTTP authentication?
Answer
Composr can integrate with LDAP and HTTP authentication, but these features are considered complex and may require programming experience to set up correctly. Both methods allow users to log in to Composr using their existing credentials from the external system, streamlining access and management.
What are the limitations of using a third-party forum driver?
Answer
Using a third-party forum driver can lead to limitations. Custom profile fields of type LONG_TEXT are limited to TEXT length, cookie integration is not officially supported and can be complex, and some forum drivers have specific quirks detailed in the nuances tutorial.
What are the implications of using the "none-forum" driver?
Answer
Using the "none-forum" driver disables or limits many Composr features, including commenting, points, and user interactions. Consider using Conversr instead and restricting access to the forum zone, join module, and personal zone.
How can I integrate my forum visually into my website?
Answer
Composr allows you to integrate your forum visually into your website. Enable "Show forum within website" in the Admin Zone configuration module and update the forum link in your menu to pass through the "forums" embedding module. You may need to adjust CSS to achieve a seamless look.
