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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 is a "page-link," and how does it differ from a URL?
Answer	A page-link is a Composr-specific way to reference a page or screen within your website. It's a simplified, local representation of a URL, independent of the URL scheme you might be using. For example, the page-link `site:downloads:browse:10` points to the download category with ID 10 in the site zone. This page-link remains consistent even if your URL scheme changes the way URLs are structured. Page-links also do not consider monikers, so if a URL moniker changes, page-links will stay the same. This is a powerful feature as you can use the Comcode `[page="page-link"]Page title[/page] tag to generate URLs of local content. And these will always work regardless of URL scheme or moniker.`

Question	How do menus work in Composr, and can I customize them?
Answer	Composr has a flexible menu system that can be customized to your needs. Default Menu: Generated automatically from the Sitemap, reflecting the structure of your content. Editable Menus: You can create and fully customize these menus, adding links to specific content or external websites. Menus can be added to panels (sidebars, headers, footers) or embedded directly within Comcode pages. The menu editor provides tools for adding branches, setting captions, tooltips, and URLs, and even defining context-sensitive behavior using "match-keys."

Question	What are "zones" in Composr, and what are they used for?
Answer	Zones are like sub-sites within your Composr website. They provide a way to organize content and apply different settings, like permissions, themes, and navigation. Some default zones include: Welcome Zone: The initial landing page, often used for login/signup. Site Zone: Your main website content, with features for viewing, submitting, editing, and deleting content on the member level. Admin Zone: For site administrators to manage the website. Content Management Zone: Where content is added, edited, and deleted, typically by site staff. Forum Zone (if using Conversr): Houses the forum section of your site.

Question	What are the different ways to control access in Composr?
Answer	Composr offers a robust permission system with various methods for controlling access: Zones, Pages, and Categories: Control which usergroups can view specific zones, pages, and categories (permissions). Admin Zone > Security > Permissions Tree Editor, or on the UI for the Zone / Page / Category. Global Privileges: Define permissions for actions like using advanced Comcode or bypassing the word filter, applicable across the entire site. Admin Zone > Security > Global privileges Module/Page Overrides: Tailor privileges for particular content types by overriding them on the controlling module or page. Admin Zone > Security > Permissions Tree Editor [> Content permissions] Category Overrides: Modify privileges for specific categories, allowing fine-grained control over actions within those categories. Admin Zone > Security > Permissions Tree Editor Match-key Permissions: Implement ad-hoc access control based on specific match-keys, offering flexibility beyond traditional permission structures. Admin Zone > Security > Match-key page restrictions

Question	What happens when I add a new usergroup to a third-party forum integrated with Composr?
Answer	If you are not using Conversr as your forum, Composr won't automatically assign any permissions to the new usergroup. To rectify this, you can use the "Absorb usergroup-permissions" feature in the Admin Zone. This tool allows you to copy the permissions from an existing usergroup to the newly created one, ensuring consistent access and functionality.

Question	What are some security considerations regarding super-moderators and super-administrators?
Answer	While super-moderators have extensive access to manage your site, certain sensitive privileges are reserved for super-administrators. This includes the ability to impersonate other users, execute arbitrary code, and view private content. These restrictions help prevent potential privilege escalation and ensure the overall security of your website. Exercise caution when granting super-moderator status and trust only reliable individuals.

Question	What are some useful tools for debugging permission issues?
Answer	Composr provides a couple of tools to help pinpoint permission problems: FirePHP: This browser add-on allows you to view detailed logs of permission checks performed by Composr. By analyzing these logs, you can identify which checks are failing and adjust your settings accordingly. Permission Check Logging: Enable logging of failed permission checks to a file (data_custom/permission_checks.log). This provides a persistent record of permission issues that you can review and troubleshoot.

Question	How can I test if my permission settings are working correctly?
Answer	Composr's "SU" feature allows administrators to temporarily assume the identity of another user, enabling you to experience the site as they would. Simply enter the desired username in the "SU" box in the footer. You can also use "Guest" to browse as an unauthenticated visitor. Remember that using "SU" doesn't accurately reflect online status and retains administrator access to sensitive areas.

Question	Can I display different content to different usergroups?
Answer	Yes, you can achieve this by leveraging Tempcode within your templates. By using conditional statements like `{$IS_IN_GROUP}` and `{$HAS_PRIVILEGE}`, you can show or hide specific content sections based on the user's group membership or privileges. This technique allows you to "tease" premium content to non-paying users or tailor the user experience based on their access level.

Question	What are match-key permissions and why would I use them?
Answer	Match-key permissions provide a more granular level of access control beyond the standard zone, page, and category permissions. They allow you to restrict access based on specific "match-keys", which are unique identifiers for different actions or content within Composr. For instance, you could use match-key permissions to prevent guests from submitting banners or to restrict access to the member directory for all but specific usergroups. You can also specify custom access denied errors for each match-key. A "match-key" is typically a page-link, such as `cms:cms_banners:add`.

Top 10 Entries

Question	Can I move a Wiki+ page?
Answer	Technically, Wiki+ pages cannot be moved because they don't have a fixed location within the network structure. Creating child links forms a path, not a strict hierarchy. However, you can manipulate the breadcrumbs by ensuring only one path leads to a page.

Question	Can I track changes made to Wiki+ pages?
Answer	Yes, Wiki+ includes a revision history feature accessible through the page edit screen. This feature allows you to view a log of edits, see changes highlighted in tooltips, and revert to previous versions of a page as needed.

Question	How can I view the complete tree structure of my Wiki+?
Answer	You can access a view of the complete Wiki+ tree structure through the designated option in the admin panel. However, it's important to note that this view will reflect guest access permissions. Some pages may be hidden if they are restricted to specific user groups.

Question	What moderation tools are available in Wiki+?
Answer	Wiki+ offers several features to help you moderate user contributions and maintain the quality of information: Email Notifications: When a new post is submitted, an email notification is sent to the designated staff address, alerting you to new contributions. Permissions Control: You can configure permissions to determine whether regular users can create new pages or only contribute through posts. Page History: The revision history feature allows you to track edits made to pages and revert to previous versions if necessary. Composr Moderation Tools: Wiki+ integrates with Composr's site-wide moderation features, providing additional tools for monitoring and managing user contributions.

Question	Can users contribute content to Wiki+?
Answer	Yes, users can contribute content to Wiki+ through posts. When the "Show posts" option is enabled for a page, users can add their insights and information as posts below the main page content.

Question	What are orphaned pages and how should I handle them?
Answer	Orphaned pages are pages that exist within the Wiki+ database but are not linked to the main tree structure. These pages are not accessible through the tree navigation but can still be reached through direct links or cross-linking. Orphaned pages are not necessarily problematic. They can be intentional if you prefer to link pages using the wiki-style syntax instead of a rigid tree hierarchy. You have the flexibility to choose the linking method that best suits your content organization.

Question	How can I create and organize pages in Wiki+?
Answer	Pages in Wiki+ can be created in several ways: Referencing them in the child-list of an existing page. Using the special Comcode syntax [[pagename]] to create inline links, which automatically generates new pages when accessed. Utilizing the "Edit tree" button visible on Wiki+ pages to add child pages directly. The tree structure can be easily manipulated through the same interface, allowing you to arrange pages in a hierarchy that suits your needs.

Question	How does Wiki+ differ from a regular wiki?
Answer	While Wiki+ shares similarities with traditional wikis, it provides two key distinctions: Optional Post Contributions: Wiki+ allows users to contribute short snippets of information (posts) directly on pages, enriching the content without formally editing the page itself. This feature is optional and can be enabled or disabled as needed. Optional Tree Structure: Unlike standard wikis that rely solely on cross-linking, Composr's Wiki+ offers the flexibility of organizing pages within a hierarchical tree structure. This structure can be used in conjunction with or as an alternative to cross-linking.

Question	What is Wiki+?
Answer	Wiki+ is a feature in Composr that allows you to create a collaborative, tree-structured database of information. It functions similarly to a traditional wiki but offers enhanced features such as post contributions, a hierarchical structure, and moderation capabilities.

Question	Are there other Composr features helpful for support?
Answer	Yes, features like: Staff-only replies in the Support Ticket system enable private communication among support staff. Notifications for new tickets, replies, or feedback ensure timely responses. Blocks like main_contact_us provide a simplified front-end for ticket creation. Forum moderation tools help manage support discussions effectively.

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