Contributors: A-Z Index

A

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Allen Ellis		Founder	Original designer for ocPortal Also conceived and coded the Theme Wizard and Point Store Son of one of the early inventors of Internet protocols (Usenet, aka Internet newsgroups) Token non-brit	View

C

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Chris Graham		Founder	Original developer of ocPortal, former lead developer of Composr CMS Masters degree in Computer Science from The University Of Sheffield Undertaken work for over 15 FTSE-100 companies, as well as many small and mid-sized organisations. Includes a number of banks and major brands.	View
Chris Warburton		developer for ocProducts	Made some key contributions to ocPortal	View

H

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Haydn Maidment		project manager for ocProducts	None available	View

J

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Jim Davidson		contributor	written many tutorials via Arvixe	View

P

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Patrick Schmalstig		Lead Developer	Joined Chris Graham behind the scenes in the development of Composr CMS in 2016. Took on the lead developer role in 2023 when Chris Graham stepped back to attend to his new lifestyle changes. Spearheaded the development of Composr CMS v11 and the new website, Composr.app. Formed the company PDStig, LLC to take on professional support and development for Composr CMS users especially after the discontinuation of ocProducts, Ltd.	View
Philip Withnall		Early Developer	Coded the chatroom, blogging support, the analytics system, and OcCLE (now Commandr) Masters Degree in Computer Science degree from The University Of Cambridge Other work has included helping out with Firefox, and ongoing work on GNOME	View

R

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Robert Goacher		Founder	Ran some of the early websites where ocPortal came from Technically the original developer of ocPortal, in that he wrote the first few lines of code Heavily involved in the feature design process Hosted some of our early meet-ups	View

S

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Steve Jarvis		project manager for ocProducts	Wrote many tutorials via Arvixe	View

Newest 10 Entries

Question	What other methods exist for featuring content in Composr?
Answer	Random Quotes: The quotes feature allows you to display a rotating selection of quotes on your site. Community Billboard (Requires Addon): The Community Billboard addon provides a dedicated space for displaying important announcements or community messages.

Question	How can I create countdowns or display hit counters on my Composr website?
Answer	Composr offers blocks for both functionalities: Countdowns: Use the main_countdown block to add countdowns to specific dates and times. Hit Counters: While generally considered outdated, you can use the main_count block to display hit counters for specific content.

Question	Can I display forum content in a prominent way on my Composr site?
Answer	Absolutely! Composr provides several blocks designed for featuring forum content: News-Style Blocks: side_forum_news, main_forum_news, and bottom_forum_news display forum topics in a news format, ideal for forums used for news posting. Topic-Focused Block: main_forum_topics showcases recent topics from specific forums, allowing you to highlight active discussions or important announcements.

Question	What is the difference between using the main_awards block and directly selecting content with the main_content block?
Answer	Both blocks can feature content, but they offer different approaches: main_awards: Provides a structured system for managing featured content through award assignment, archives, and optional point rewards. Requires active management to update award holders. main_content: Offers direct control over specific content or allows random selection from chosen categories. May require manual updates or adjustments.

Question	What is the Composr Award system, and how do I use it?
Answer	The Award system is a powerful tool for highlighting and promoting specific content. Here's how it works: Award Types: Define awards associated with specific content types (e.g., "Download of the Week" for downloads). Award Assignment: When editing content, designate it as the current holder of a relevant award. Display: Use the main_awards block to showcase current award holders on your site. Archive: Awarded content is automatically archived for easy access and historical reference. Points: If you use points, recipients of awards can also receive points as a reward.

Question	How do I feature specific content items on my Composr site?
Answer	You can feature content using various methods: Blocks: The main_content block allows you to display specific items by content type and ID or randomize content from selected categories. Awards: Create awards for different content types and assign them to specific items. You can then use the main_awards block to display current award holders. Awards also integrate with points to credit points to award holders. And you can be reminded on the staff checklist to assign a new award every configurable amount of time. Advanced Embedding: For greater control, use the main_include_module block to embed entire module screens within other content.

Question	What are the benefits of featuring content on my Composr website?
Answer	Featuring content provides several advantages: Freshness and Activity: It gives your site a dynamic feel, showcasing updates and encouraging return visits. Effortless Variety: Featuring content introduces diversity without extensive effort. User Engagement: It draws users in and motivates them to check back for new featured items. Prominent Placement: Featured content receives prime visibility, highlighting its importance or rewarding its creator.

Question	How can I handle bounced emails?
Answer	Composr includes a bounce filter tool that helps you remove bounced email addresses from your subscriber list. To use this tool, you'll need: The PHP IMAP extension enabled on your server. A dedicated folder on your email server to collect bounced emails. The bounce filter tool scans the specified folder for bounce messages and lets you remove the corresponding addresses from your newsletter list. Composr will also halt attempts sending e-mails to those addresses to help prevent you from getting listed on spam blocklists.

Question	How can I customize the appearance of my newsletters?
Answer	You can customize the look of your newsletters by editing the following templates: NEWSLETTER_DEFAULT_FCOMCODE.txt: This template defines the default content and layout for newsletters. MAIL.tpl: This template controls the overall appearance of emails sent from Composr. Custom mail templates: You can create custom HTML templates for specific newsletters.

Question	How can I ensure my newsletters comply with data privacy regulations?
Answer	Composr provides built-in mechanisms for compliance: Unsubscribe links: Newsletters include an unsubscribe link, allowing recipients to opt out of the newsletters. Global unsubscribe: All Composr emails include a link to a global unsubscribe page (data/unsubscribe.php), letting users unsubscribe from all site emails.

Top 10 Entries

Question	Can I leave notes for myself or other staff members?
Answer	Yes, the Admin Zone includes a dedicated "Notes" block for you and your staff to leave messages and reminders. This space serves as a shared communication hub for your team.

Question	How can I stay informed about the latest Composr version?
Answer	The Admin Zone dashboard displays information about your current Composr version and alerts you if it's not the most recent one. A link will be provided to guide you through the upgrade process if necessary.

Question	What is the action log, and how can I use it?
Answer	The action log keeps track of administrative and content-related actions on your website. It allows you to see who did what and when, providing valuable insights into site activity and accountability. You can filter the log to focus on specific actions, users, or timeframes. It's also helpful for revisiting previous tasks by providing links to the relevant content or settings. Go to the Admin Zone > Audit > Action logs. A quick action log block is also available on the dashboard.

Question	What is the staff checklist in the Admin Zone?
Answer	The staff checklist is an automatically generated list of tasks that need attention on your website. It includes routine updates like assigning new awards or adding news, as well as less frequent but important tasks like backups, software updates, newsletters, content validation, and periodic content reviews. You can customize the frequency of these tasks in the 'Configuration' section under 'Administrative options'. You can also add your own custom tasks. Anyone with Admin Zone access can see the checklist. So you can collaborate with your highest level staff on it.

Question	I'm lost! How can I find a specific feature or setting?
Answer	The Admin Zone has a powerful search feature that you can access under the Help icon. It searches through various categories, including configuration options, privileges, templates, language strings, administrative modules, and more. You can even refine your search by adding "@sectionname" to the end of your search term to limit results to a specific section.

Question	How do I access the Admin Zone?
Answer	You can access the Admin Zone by clicking the "Admin Zone" link located at the bottom of every page on your website, assuming you are using the default theme. If you are logged in as a staff member, your user menu will also have a link to the Admin Zone or the Content Management Zone. You might be asked to log in again / confirm your session for security reasons.

Question	What is the Admin Zone?
Answer	The Admin Zone is a special section of your Composr website that allows authorized staff members to perform various administrative tasks. It serves as the central hub for managing content, configuring settings, monitoring activity, and maintaining the overall health of your website.

Question	What should I avoid doing in Composr to maintain accessibility?
Answer	Avoid using Comcode tags or other HTML elements that create dynamic effects in the user's browser, such as ticker and jumping. These can have a negative impact on navigation and scrolling. Provide alternate information for multimedia you upload so those with auditory impairments can still understand the content. Avoid creating multiple content items with the same title, as this can lead to accessibility issues and general user confusion.

Question	How does Composr handle forms for accessibility?
Answer	The web standards checker ensures that form labels are properly positioned and explicitly associated with their controls. It also checks that form elements have a logical tab order and are keyboard operable.

Question	How does Composr ensure accessible data tables?
Answer	The web standards checker enforces proper markup for data tables, including identifying row and column headers, and associating data cells with header cells. It ensures that tables are not used for layout (flex boxes and HTML grids are preferred for mobile responsiveness) unless they make sense when linearized. Composr provides summaries for tables to aid non-visual user agents in understanding their structure and content.

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