How do I set the correct file permissions for Composr?
Answer
If you're using the quick installer, it will handle file permissions automatically. On a suEXEC-style server, default permissions (744 for directories and 644 for files) are usually sufficient. However, _config.php should have 600 permissions for security.
Without suEXEC, specific directories (e.g., caches, uploads) and files (e.g., _config.php) require 777 (full access) or 666 (read/write) permissions. The fixperms.php script can automate this process on Linux and Windows.
What are the prerequisites for installing Composr?
Answer
Before installing Composr, ensure your web host meets the minimum requirements. Familiarize yourself with your web host's control panel (e.g., Plesk, cPanel), which you'll use to manage databases, subdomains, and other settings. Gather your SFTP/FTP credentials (hostname, username, password), usually emailed upon signup. Set up a MySQL database and note its details: hostname (often 'localhost'), username, password, and database name. Ensure the database user has full read/write/administer access to the database.
What tools are available for debugging Composr code?
Answer
Composr offers a code quality checker addon that helps identify various types of errors, including parser errors, run-time errors, and logical errors. This tool can significantly reduce debugging time and enhance code reliability. It is available through the testing_platform addon.
Composr emphasizes clean, well-structured code with a focus on readability and maintainability. Key standards include proper indentation, consistent use of comments, and clear function headers with type definitions. Remember: beautiful code leads to better functionality and collaboration!
The Code Editor is a web-based tool for editing Composr code files directly on the server. It requires password authentication and automatically manages overrides within _custom directories.
Composr allows exporting addons as TAR files, containing all necessary files and an addon.inf file for metadata. You can import these addons to share and reuse them across different Composr installations.
To do this, make your necessary files for the addon in the Composr installation, and then go under Admin Zone > Structure > Addons > Export addon. You can select the relevant files for the addon, provide information about the addon, and then download the TAR file (which can then be imported on other Composr sites).
The system scheduler is crucial for scheduled tasks like sending notifications, running backups, and processing reports. To set it up, you need to schedule a system-level task to run the data/cron_bridge.php file at least every 10 minutes. This links Composr's scheduler with your server's scheduler (like Cron on Linux).
Composr can often detect the correct command to use for your setup. You can check by visiting http://yourbaseurl/data/cron_bridge.php?query_mode=1, which should display the suggested Cron command. Note that you may need to replace the php command with the absolute path to PHP if you cannot use the php command directly.
If your hosting doesn't support Cron or scheduled tasks, you can enable scheduled tasks to run when visitors access your site. Navigate to Admin Zone > Setup > Configuration > Performance options and check "Web requests run scheduled tasks". Keep in mind that this method relies on visitor traffic and isn't as reliable as a dedicated scheduler.
Alternatively, consider using external services like EasyCron, setcronjob.com, or onlinecronjobs.com. These services allow you to schedule calls to the data/cron_bridge.php script by URL at specified intervals.
What are the different security levels in Composr's Setup Wizard and what do they affect?
Answer
Composr offers five security levels in the Setup Wizard: Minimum, Low, Medium, High, and Ultra High. Each level sets various security configurations that you can later customize under Admin Zone > Setup > Configuration.
The security levels influence settings such as:
Content Security Policy
Session expiry time
Password reset process
Password expiry days
Minimum password length and strength
Login error secrecy
IP strictness for sessions
Cryptographic ratchet
CAPTCHA usage
Brute force threshold
Audio CAPTCHA
URL Monikers
.htaccess restrictions on maintenance scripts
Enquiry on new IP addresses
The higher the security level, the more stringent the security measures, with Ultra High offering the most robust protection but the most potential inconvenience to users.
Generally, you should use these settings depending on your site:
Minimum: Very bare-bones informational-only sites
Low: Sites which do not allow public registrations and do not use eCommerce but have content managed by different staff, and are not concerned with privacy or data
Medium: Sites with social features / public accounts but do not use eCommerce.
High: Sites which use eCommerce.
Ultra High: Sites containing very sensitive data, such as but not limited to cybersecurity sites, government departments, banks, healthcare, etc.
You can change your site's logo manually or by using the Logo Wizard. To change it manually, go to Admin Zone > Style > Themes. Choose "logo/-logo" from the dropdown list, which represents the logo for the Welcome Zone and any zone without a specific logo. Replace the current image by uploading a new .jpeg, .gif, or .png file. Ensure that the 'Name' field remains unchanged.
Composr is built using a series of addons that provide different functionalities. All "bundled" addons are installed by default. Once you are familiar with Composr, it's recommended to remove any bundled addons you don't need to simplify your site and prevent accidental exposure of unconfigured features to visitors (the Setup Wizard can also uninstall these addons based on your preferences). You can manage addons by navigating to Admin Zone > Structure > Addons. Uninstalled addons are archived and can be restored later, but any associated data will be permanently lost.
Composr also offers non-bundled addons. These addons are not bundled because they are not considered mainstream, rely on third-party services, haven't been vetted to Composr standards, or don't fully conform to those standards.
You can install non-bundled addons by going to Admin Zone > Structure > Addons, scrolling to the bottom and clicking "Import non-bundled addon(s)". You will need to browse to the addon file and click the import button. Once imported, review the warnings and proceed to install the addon.
You can also download and import addons from this website under the Downloads section.
What are some of the default Comcode pages in Composr?
Answer
Composr includes several default Comcode pages, each serving a specific purpose:
home (Welcome and Site zones): The default front pages for the respective zones.
sitemap (Welcome zone): Displays the sitemap, typically generated automatically.
_rules (Welcome zone): Outlines the site rules, also displayed during registration. The "rules" page (no underscore) is a wrapper for this page.
privacy (Welcome zone): Provides privacy policy information. By default, this is generated automatically with Composr's privacy policy generator block.
404 (Welcome zone): The page shown for 404 errors (page not found) and includes a sitemap.
help (Site zone): Contains general help information.
userguide_comcode (Site zone): A basic guide to Comcode for users.
Remember that you can edit these default pages or create entirely new ones to tailor your site's content to your specific needs.
If you want to prevent a Comcode page from appearing in your sitemap, you can simply prefix its name with an underscore (_). For example, pages named "_test" or "_example" would be excluded from the sitemap. Note that this generally does not hide the page from your site itself (to do that, use the validation addon to turn validated to "OFF" for the pages); it only hides them from the sitemap / search engines.
Can I organize Comcode pages in a hierarchical structure?
Answer
Yes, Composr allows you to simulate a hierarchical structure for your Comcode pages using multi-part paths in the page monikers. By editing the page monikers to include slashes (e.g., "about/team"), you can create a virtual directory structure within a single zone, enhancing your site's organization and navigation.
How do I embed content from other modules into a Comcode page?
Answer
You can use various blocks to embed content from different modules:
main_content block: Allows you to feature individual entries from modules/content like news or articles.
main_multi_content, main_cc_embed, main_gallery_embed, main_news blocks: Enable you to pull in and display multiple entries based on categories or other criteria.
main_include_module block: Provides a powerful way to integrate any module screen directly into a Comcode page.
What is the difference between blocks and boxes in Composr?
Answer
While both terms may seem similar, they have distinct meanings in Composr:
Blocks are functional units that generate dynamic content or provide specific features. They don't inherently have a visual form and their output can vary widely.
Boxes are a visual design element in Composr, essentially containers that visually group content on a page and often with a title at the top.
In practice, blocks often place their content within a box, but this isn't a requirement / standard.
Yes, you can customize the appearance of blocks by editing the associated templates and CSS. Each block typically has a corresponding template file (e.g., BLOCK_MAIN_NEWS.tpl for the main_news block) that controls its HTML structure. You can modify this template to change the layout and styling of the block's output.
An easy way to do this is through the template editor in Admin Zone > Style > Themes, and click edit templates for the relevant theme.
