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Newest 10 Entries
| Question | What are "breadcrumbs," and how can I customize them? |
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| 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. |
| Question | How can I control which panels are displayed on specific pages? |
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| 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." |
| Question | What is a "page-link," and how does it differ from a URL? |
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| 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? |
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| Answer | Composr has a flexible menu system that can be customized to your needs.
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? |
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| 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:
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| Question | What are the different ways to control access in Composr? |
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| Answer | Composr offers a robust permission system with various methods for controlling access:
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| Question | What happens when I add a new usergroup to a third-party forum integrated with Composr? |
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| 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? |
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| 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? |
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| Answer | Composr provides a couple of tools to help pinpoint permission problems:
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| Question | How can I test if my permission settings are working correctly? |
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| 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. |
Top 10 Entries
| Question | What is post history and why is it important? |
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| Answer | Post history tracks changes made to forum posts, including edits and deletions. This feature helps monitor for inappropriate edits or attempts to cover up spam or rule violations. Staff can review the history, restore deleted content, or even permanently erase it. |
| Question | Can I moderate content in Composr forums? |
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| Answer | Yes, Composr provides various moderation tools for managing forum content. Moderators can edit or delete posts and topics, move topics between forums, close or open discussions, and validate content submitted by users who require approval. These are done in an actions dropdown on a topic, or through buttons on individual posts. |
| Question | What is the "black hole" technique and how does it work? |
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| Answer | The "black hole" technique involves adding hidden fields to forms. While invisible to human users, bots often detect and fill these fields, revealing their nature. Composr uses this information to flag and block suspected spam submissions. |
| Question | How can I report spam in Composr? |
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| Answer | You can report spam using the "report this" link or "report" (forum post button) feature. This alerts staff to the issue, allowing them to investigate and take appropriate action, such as deleting the spam, warning the user, or banning them. It also creates a Support Ticket between the reporter and staff in case the staff need further information. |
| Question | What are Remote Block Lists (RBLs)? |
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| Answer | RBLs are third-party lists that track IP addresses associated with spamming activity. Composr can be configured to consult these lists and block or flag requests from suspicious IPs. However, relying solely on RBLs may lead to false positives, as some lists are overly broad. |
| Question | What are CAPTCHAs and how do they work? |
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| Answer | CAPTCHAs are tests designed to differentiate between human users and bots. Composr's unique CAPTCHA method uses CSS and JavaScript to generate images or audio challenges that are difficult for bots to solve. While effective, some spammers use human workers to bypass CAPTCHAs, leading to the need for additional anti-spam measures. |
| Question | How does Composr prevent spam? |
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| Answer | Composr offers several tools and techniques to combat spam, including:
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| Question | What is the "Sitemap" in Composr, and how is it used? |
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| Answer | The Sitemap is a hierarchical representation of your website's content, including zones, pages, categories, and entries. Composr generates the Sitemap dynamically and uses it for various purposes:
You can edit the sitemap under Admin Zone > Structure > Sitemap editor. |
| Question | Can I change the URL scheme after my website is already live? |
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| Answer | Yes, you can enable or change a URL scheme on an existing website. Old URLs will redirect to the new format, ensuring that your SEO isn't negatively impacted. The canonical URL will also be specified in your website's HTML, further protecting your search rankings. |
| Question | How do URL schemes work, and what are the benefits of using them? |
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| Answer | URL schemes allow you to control the structure of your website's URLs. Composr offers several schemes that create shorter, more user-friendly URLs:
Benefits of using URL schemes include:
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