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	How do I restore my Composr website from a backup?
Answer	Composr backups come as .tar or .tar.gz files. Extract the archive using an extraction program like 7-zip or your web hosting control panel. To restore a full backup: Upload the extracted files to your webserver, overwriting the existing files. Run the included restore.php script in your browser. This script will restore the database from the restore_data.php file. To restore incremental backups: Restore the initial full backup. Sequentially extract and overwrite files from each incremental backup over the restored full backup. The last extracted restore_data.php will contain the latest database state. Run restore.php to restore the final database version.

Question	What alternative backup strategies are available?
Answer	Many web hosting control panels include built-in backup features that operate at the system level, often offering higher reliability than web-based scripts. Ensure you back up both files and the database. For database backups, you can use tools like phpMyAdmin, which allows you to export your database as a .sql file.

Question	How do I create a backup of my Composr website?
Answer	Composr offers a built-in backup addon accessible from Admin Zone > Tools > Backups. You can choose between full, incremental, and database-only backups. Full backup: Backs up all files and folders within the Composr installation directory, including the database. Incremental backup: Backs up only new or changed files since the last backup, resulting in smaller backup files. Database backup only: Backs up only the database. The addon allows scheduled backups or manual backup generation. It is recommended to download backups to a location outside your web server for better security. Note: The Composr backup addon is limited by server-side PHP capabilities and might not always be reliable. Consider using alternative backup strategies offered by your web hosting control panel for increased reliability.

Question	Why are backups necessary for my Composr website?
Answer	Disasters like hard disk failures, data corruption, and unexpected errors can happen at any time. A good backup strategy helps you recover your website and its data in case of such events. Backups can also help you roll back to a previous state if needed, such as after a failed upgrade or accidental changes.

Question	How can I control the privacy of member profile fields?
Answer	You can control the privacy of member profile fields through the "Member privacy controls" configuration option. If you enable the "Extended privacy option control", you can fine-tune visibility settings for each field. Otherwise, you can set simple access levels (e.g., not at all, to members, to friends, to everyone) for each field.

Question	What is the difference between a Composr member and an author?
Answer	A member is someone who has created an account on your Composr website and can log in. They have a unique member ID and username, and can interact with the site's features. An author is someone who creates content for the site. They may or may not be a member. For example, you might have an author who submits articles via email but never actually visits or joins the website.

Question	What advanced techniques are available for dealing with persistent spammers who repeatedly create new accounts?
Answer	Composr's advanced banning features target sophisticated human spammers. Automatic bans can be configured to block users based on specific strings in their posts, while reasoned bans display customized messages to banned users, potentially deterring them. These measures, coupled with the ability to investigate users via IP address analysis, offer robust tools for managing persistent threats. You can configure advanced banning under Admin Zone > Security > Configure advanced banning.

Question	How does Composr handle user banning and what options are available?
Answer	Composr offers various banning mechanisms. You can ban members by editing their accounts (ban member tick box), preventing logins while still allowing guest access. IP address banning blocks access from specific IP addresses or ranges (Admin Zone > Security > Members > Investigate user to see their IP addresses and flag certain ones for banning). You can also restrict member submissions, or you can effectively "suspend" users by assigning them to a usergroup with minimal privileges (e.g. probation).

Question	What is the "Warn Member" form and how can I use it to handle rule violations?
Answer	The "Warn Member" form provides a centralized interface for addressing user misconduct. You can issue formal or off-the-book warnings, apply punitive actions like IP bans, usergroup changes, or probation, and even delete content or charge points. This form allows you to document reasons for actions, improving transparency and consistency in moderation. This tool can be accessed on a member's profile as staff, under Audit > Warn member. You can also review their warnings history on their "Standing" tab.

Question	How does Composr track user activity?
Answer	Composr logs IP addresses for various actions like guest posting, page views, and content submissions. This data helps identify potential spammers and track user behavior. The "Investigate user" module provides tools to analyze IP addresses and gather additional information about suspicious activity.

Top 10 Entries

Question	What is the Composr Repository?
Answer	The Composr repository is a user-friendly representation of Composr's data, which is typically stored in a database and on the filesystem. It presents the data in an easily accessible format using the JSON standard and can be accessed as a folder on your computer via WebDAV.

Question	What is Commandr?
Answer	Commandr is a command-line interface designed for experienced system administrators who prefer using a command line over a GUI. It supplements the Composr Admin Zone, allowing you to execute commands in the form of: PHP code (prefix `:`) SQL database queries (prefix `@`) (queries must be executed one at a time; semi-colon separation is not supported) Shell commands (prefix `#`) Commandr-code scripts (store in the Composr filesystem's bin directory, and just type the name of the script) Commandr-code commands (no prefixes) You can access Commandr via the Admin Zone > Tools > Commandr or using the Commandr button in the footer.

Question	Are there alternative chat solutions that integrate with Composr?
Answer	Yes, you can integrate third-party chat solutions with Composr. For example, CometChat is a commercial chat system that provides a Composr integration. You can also leverage video chat services like Talky, Jitsi, or appear.in by embedding links within your chat templates. For sales-chat needs, consider integrating a dedicated live chat platform like Comm100.

Question	Are there any limitations to the Composr Chat system?
Answer	While the Composr Chat system provides robust chat and IM features, it does have some limitations. Currently, it does not support video chat, sales-focused chat features, desktop app integration, or optimal performance for very high volumes of concurrent users. Additionally, it is only near real-time as Composr queries for new messages using AJAX at a set interval.

Question	Are there any safety guidelines for younger users?
Answer	It's crucial to emphasize safety, especially for younger users. Encourage them to follow these guidelines: never arrange to meet anyone from a chatroom in person, be cautious about sharing personal information, and report any suspicious behavior to moderators.

Question	Can I download chat logs?
Answer	Yes, you can download logs of any chat conversation. Simply navigate to the chatroom, click on the "Download chat logs" link, specify the desired date/time range, and the system will generate a downloadable log file for you.

Question	How can I moderate the chatrooms?
Answer	Composr offers a range of moderation features. Moderators can edit or delete messages, ban disruptive users, and delete entire chatrooms if necessary. Inline moderation links are available within chatrooms for quick actions, while the Admin Zone provides comprehensive moderation tools for managing chat content and user behavior.

Question	What is Chatcode and how can I use it?
Answer	Chatcode is a system of simple commands that you can embed within your chat messages to perform advanced actions. These actions include sending private messages to specific users within a chatroom, interacting with automated bots, sending chatroom invitations, and even creating new chatrooms.

Question	How does the chat system work?
Answer	The chat system utilizes AJAX technology, enabling dynamic updates without requiring page reloads. It includes a "Chat Lobby" where users can view available chatrooms and manage their friend lists for instant messaging. Users can join chatrooms to participate in group conversations or engage in private conversations with friends.

Question	What is the Composr Chat system?
Answer	Composr Chat is a feature built into the Composr CMS that provides both chatrooms and instant messaging capabilities. It offers real-time, text-based communication for users on your website.

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