What are "breadcrumbs," and how can I customize them?
Answer
Breadcrumbs are a navigation aid that shows the user their current location within the website's hierarchy. In Composr, breadcrumbs are customizable through an XML file.
You can override default breadcrumbs using "match-keys" to target specific pages and define the desired breadcrumb structure. This allows you to adjust the breadcrumb trail to better match your website's organization.
To edit, go to Admin Zone > Structure > Configure breadcrumb overrides.
How can I control which panels are displayed on specific pages?
Answer
Panels are the areas around your main content area where you can place menus, blocks, and other dynamic elements. You can control panel visibility using display rules within your panel's Comcode:
{+START,IF,{$NEQ,{$PAGE},example_page_1,example_page_2,example_page_3}}
... panel content ...
{+END}
This example prevents the panel from showing on pages named "example_page_1," "example_page_2," and "example_page_3."
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How does Composr ensure printed web pages look appropriate?
Answer
Composr uses a combination of approaches to ensure printed web pages have a suitable layout:
Automatic browser behavior: Browsers typically disable background images when printing.
CSS print stylesheets: Composr utilizes CSS to define specific display rules for printed versions of pages, such as removing margins and hiding social media links.
wide_print parameter: This parameter, activated through specific links or specifying it in the URL, further influences page layout for printing.
How can I test my website's compatibility across different browsers and devices?
Answer
Testing your website on different browsers and devices can be challenging due to operating system limitations and device availability. Here are some solutions:
Virtual Machines: Use virtual machines to run different operating systems and test various Internet Explorer versions.
Device Emulation: Use built-in device emulation features in browsers like Chrome to simulate mobile devices.
Online Testing Services: Employ commercial online testing services like BrowserStack to access a wide range of browsers and devices hosted in the cloud.
Real Devices: Conduct testing on physical mobile devices for a more realistic user experience.
What are the recommended desktop settings for viewing a Composr website?
Answer
A minimum screen resolution of 1024x768 is strongly recommended for viewing a Composr website. This is the minimum resolution for which the default theme is designed. Using a lower resolution might lead to display issues or an unsatisfactory browsing experience. As of version 11, smaller resolutions will often trigger the mobile layout automatically (responsiveness) to ensure a better UI for smaller displays.
Composr aims to support all modern browsers, including the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Internet Explorer 11. It is designed to work seamlessly with browsers that automatically update, like Chrome and Firefox. For browsers with manual updates, Composr generally supports the last two releases.
While not explicitly supported, Composr will often address bug reports for other popular browsers like Opera, Chromium, and Konqueror. Additionally, Composr strives to provide an accessible experience for text-mode browsers and those designed for users with disabilities.
What is CSS and how does it impact website design?
Answer
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a language used to describe the visual presentation of a web page written in HTML or XHTML. It controls aspects like:
Fonts and typography: Defining font families, sizes, weights, and styles.
Colors and backgrounds: Setting colors for text, backgrounds, borders, and other elements.
Layout and positioning: Controlling the placement and arrangement of elements on a page.
Visual effects: Adding shadows, gradients, transitions, and other visual enhancements.
By separating content structure (XHTML) from visual presentation (CSS), websites become easier to maintain and update. Changes to the design can be made without altering the underlying HTML structure.
Composr utilizes CSS extensively for theming, allowing users to manipulate the website's visual appearance.
Why is understanding XHTML important for website customization?
Answer
XHTML (Extensible HyperText Markup Language) is the language used to structure web page content. It defines the various elements of a webpage, such as headings, paragraphs, images, and links.
Understanding XHTML is crucial for website customization because it allows you to:
Modify page layout: Change the arrangement and positioning of elements on a page.
Add new content: Insert additional text, images, or other multimedia elements.
Customize the appearance of existing elements: Change fonts, colors, sizes, and other visual styles.
Integrate interactive features: Embed JavaScript code for dynamic functionality.
Composr uses XHTML for its templates, allowing users to extensively customize the website's design and layout.
What is the difference between cookies and sessions?
Answer
While both cookies and sessions are used for user identification and maintaining state, there are key differences:
Storage: Cookies are stored on the user's computer, while sessions are stored on the server.
Expiration: Session cookies expire when the browser is closed, while persistent cookies have a set expiration date. Sessions typically expire after a period of inactivity.
Data sensitivity: Sessions are generally used for more sensitive data, as the information is not stored on the user's computer and therefore less likely to be stolen by a hacker.
Composr uses both cookies and sessions. Session cookies are primarily used for user identification (such as anonymously matching a user to a session in the server database), while persistent cookies can be used for remembering login details if the user chooses.
A cookie is a small piece of data that a website stores on a user's computer. It is sent from the user's web browser to the web server each time a page is viewed. Cookies are used for various purposes, including:
User identification: Cookies can be used to identify a specific user, even if they are not logged in. This allows websites to remember user preferences, shopping cart contents, and other information.
Tracking user behavior: Cookies can be used to track user behavior on a website, such as the pages they visit and the links they click. This information can be used to improve the website's design and content.
Advertising: Cookies can be used to deliver targeted advertising to users based on their browsing history.
There are two main types of cookies:
Session cookies: These cookies are temporary and are deleted when the user closes their web browser. They are often used to store information about the user's current session, such as the items in their shopping cart.
Persistent cookies: These cookies are stored on the user's computer for a longer period. They can be used to remember user preferences, such as their login details or language settings.
