Contributors: A-Z Index
A
Name | Photograph | Title / Role | Contributions / Notes | |
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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 |
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C
Name | Photograph | Title / Role | Contributions / Notes | |
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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. |
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Chris Warburton | developer for ocProducts |
Made some key contributions to ocPortal |
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H
Name | Photograph | Title / Role | Contributions / Notes | |
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Haydn Maidment | project manager for ocProducts |
None available |
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J
Name | Photograph | Title / Role | Contributions / Notes | |
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Jim Davidson | contributor |
written many tutorials via Arvixe |
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P
Name | Photograph | Title / Role | Contributions / Notes | |
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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. |
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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 |
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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 |
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S
Name | Photograph | Title / Role | Contributions / Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Steve Jarvis | project manager for ocProducts |
Wrote many tutorials via Arvixe |
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Newest 10 Entries
Question | What is Tempcode, and how is it used in website themeing? |
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Answer | Tempcode is a templating language used within Composr. It offers a powerful way to control the output of dynamic content and design elements on a website. It works by using:
Tempcode empowers theme designers to create highly customizable and dynamic websites, allowing for logic, conditional rendering, and manipulation of various website elements. |
Question | What are some alternatives to Photoshop for web design? |
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Answer | While Photoshop is a popular choice, there are other excellent options available, including:
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Question | How can design elements like dominance and attention to detail improve a website? |
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Answer | Dominance and attention to detail are key to a balanced and engaging website. Important elements can be emphasized using techniques like larger text, unique colors, and increased spacing. Conversely, less crucial elements should receive less emphasis. This interplay helps guide the visitor's eye and ensures a visually harmonious layout. Attention to detail involves eliminating inconsistencies and distractions, such as typos, misaligned elements, and low-quality images, that can detract from the overall aesthetics and message of the website. |
Question | What is the importance of color schemes in website design? |
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Answer | Color schemes are crucial as they convey emotions and brand identity. Choosing colors that align with your website's purpose can evoke desired feelings in visitors. For example, a website selling chocolates might use shades of brown to subconsciously trigger associations with chocolate. However, an environmental website would be better suited using green, aligning with pre-existing perceptions of environmentalism. It is also important to maintain consistency with your color scheme, limiting the number of colors used to avoid a conflicting and cluttered appearance. |
Question | Can I use Comcode / resource IDs directly when working with the repository? |
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Answer | Using Comcode / resource IDs directly is not recommended as they may not match between different sites. Use GUIDs instead, which Composr automatically substitutes for IDs before parsing Comcode. You can use Commandr commands like find_guid_via_id to find the GUID for specific resources. |
Question | What precautions should I take when using the Composr Repository? |
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Answer | Exercise caution when working with the repository:
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Question | What are the limitations of the Composr Repository? |
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Answer | While powerful, the repository has limitations:
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Question | How can I access the Composr Repository? |
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Answer | You can access the repository using WebDAV (non-bundled addon), which allows you to view it as a folder on your computer. Composr uses the SabreDAV PHP library for WebDAV functionality. However, please be aware that SabreDAV is deprecated and may not function correctly on newer PHP versions. |
Question | How is the Composr Repository structured? |
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Answer | The repository is structured as a filesystem with various meta-filesystems mounted under a root directory. These meta-filesystems include:
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Question | What are the benefits of using the Composr Repository? |
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Answer | The repository offers several benefits:
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Top 10 Entries
Question | Where are download galleries located, and can I move them? |
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Answer | By default, download galleries (to contain screenshots of a download) are placed under the root gallery. You can move them to a different gallery for better organization. Here's how:
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Question | Can I sell downloads on my Composr site? |
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Answer | Yes, the download system integrates with the points system, allowing you to charge for downloads. This is particularly useful for communities where members create and share content, like game modifications. You can set prices for downloads and creators earn points when users purchase them. Additionally, you can create a subscription-based system by requiring points for downloads, which users can purchase via methods like PayPal. |
Question | What does it mean to "outmode" a download? |
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Answer | Outmoding means marking a download as superseded or replaced by a newer version. When editing the older download, you link it to the new one in the "outmode" field. This makes it clear to users that there is a newer version available. This is handy especially if you provide software. |
Question | What are the different ways to add downloads to my Composr site? |
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Answer | Composr offers several methods for adding files to the download system:
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Question | What is the Composr Setup Wizard and what does it do? |
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Answer | The Setup Wizard is a guided process to help you configure essential settings for your Composr website after installation. It can:
While convenient, be aware that re-running the Setup Wizard may overwrite existing settings and customizations if you already configured your site. |
Question | How can I change the structure of my Composr website's pages? |
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Answer | You can delete and move pages using the Admin Zone > Structure > Sitemap editor. However, moving pages between zones might invalidate existing page-links unless specified using the _SEARCH zone in the link. To avoid issues with existing links and search engine indexing, consider setting up redirects when moving pages. This can be done through Admin Zone > Structure > Redirects. It is recommended not to move default Composr pages as it can complicate future upgrades. |
Question | What are Installation Options and how can I change them? |
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Answer | Installation Options are low-level settings for Composr, such as database details and default language. You can access the Installation Options editor through:
Remember that you'll need your maintenance password, specified during installation, to access and modify these options. |
Question | How do I open or close my Composr website to the public? |
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Answer | By default, your Composr site is closed after installation. To open it to the public (or to close an opened site), go to Admin Zone > Setup > Configuration > Site options > Closed site and adjust the setting accordingly. You can also configure a closed site message. While a closed site prevents public access, it's worth noting that users can still join a closed Conversr-powered site if they have access to the join module URL. However, they won't be able to log in unless they're assigned to a usergroup with "Access closed site" permissions. You can modify the join module's permissions to restrict access further. |
Question | What is the .htaccess file and how does it relate to Composr? |
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Answer | The .htaccess file is a configuration file for the Apache web server. It allows you to define settings that apply to the directory where it's located and its subdirectories. Composr can leverage .htaccess to enhance security and enable features like "URL Schemes." You can try renaming the provided recommended.htaccess file to .htaccess. This file includes recommended options that tighten security and ensure Composr has necessary PHP and Apache features activated. Note that some web hosts might restrict the use of .htaccess files. You should regularly review recommended.htaccess for changes between Composr updates. |
Question | How do Composr permissions work? |
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Answer | Composr employs a multi-layered permission system with two main types: privileges and access permissions. The system grants users the best possible access based on the combination of their usergroups. Privileges define broad permissions, such as accessing a closed site or content manipulation abilities based on impact level (low, medium, high). You can set privileges for usergroups via checkboxes, with the option to override them for specific pages or categories. Go to Admin Zone > Security > Global privileges. Access permissions control what content users can view. These permissions are layered:
To configure access permissions, you can edit the specific resource or utilize the Permissions Tree Editor under Admin Zone > Security > Permissions Tree Editor. |