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Newest 10 Entries
| Question | How do I set up the system scheduler in Composr? |
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| Answer | The system scheduler is crucial for scheduled tasks like sending notifications, running backups, and processing reports. To set it up, you need to schedule a system-level task to run the data/cron_bridge.php file at least every 10 minutes. This links Composr's scheduler with your server's scheduler (like Cron on Linux). Composr can often detect the correct command to use for your setup. You can check by visiting http://yourbaseurl/data/cron_bridge.php?query_mode=1, which should display the suggested Cron command. Note that you may need to replace the php command with the absolute path to PHP if you cannot use the php command directly. If your hosting doesn't support Cron or scheduled tasks, you can enable scheduled tasks to run when visitors access your site. Navigate to Admin Zone > Setup > Configuration > Performance options and check "Web requests run scheduled tasks". Keep in mind that this method relies on visitor traffic and isn't as reliable as a dedicated scheduler. Alternatively, consider using external services like EasyCron, setcronjob.com, or onlinecronjobs.com. These services allow you to schedule calls to the data/cron_bridge.php script by URL at specified intervals. |
| Question | What are the different security levels in Composr's Setup Wizard and what do they affect? |
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| Answer | Composr offers five security levels in the Setup Wizard: Minimum, Low, Medium, High, and Ultra High. Each level sets various security configurations that you can later customize under Admin Zone > Setup > Configuration. The security levels influence settings such as:
The higher the security level, the more stringent the security measures, with Ultra High offering the most robust protection but the most potential inconvenience to users. Generally, you should use these settings depending on your site:
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| Question | How do I change my website's logo? |
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| Answer | You can change your site's logo manually or by using the Logo Wizard. To change it manually, go to Admin Zone > Style > Themes. Choose "logo/-logo" from the dropdown list, which represents the logo for the Welcome Zone and any zone without a specific logo. Replace the current image by uploading a new .jpeg, .gif, or .png file. Ensure that the 'Name' field remains unchanged. |
| Question | What are Composr addons and how do I manage them? |
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| Answer | Composr is built using a series of addons that provide different functionalities. All "bundled" addons are installed by default. Once you are familiar with Composr, it's recommended to remove any bundled addons you don't need to simplify your site and prevent accidental exposure of unconfigured features to visitors (the Setup Wizard can also uninstall these addons based on your preferences). You can manage addons by navigating to Admin Zone > Structure > Addons. Uninstalled addons are archived and can be restored later, but any associated data will be permanently lost. Composr also offers non-bundled addons. These addons are not bundled because they are not considered mainstream, rely on third-party services, haven't been vetted to Composr standards, or don't fully conform to those standards. You can install non-bundled addons by going to Admin Zone > Structure > Addons, scrolling to the bottom and clicking "Import non-bundled addon(s)". You will need to browse to the addon file and click the import button. Once imported, review the warnings and proceed to install the addon. You can also download and import addons from this website under the Downloads section. |
| Question | What are some of the default Comcode pages in Composr? |
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| Answer | Composr includes several default Comcode pages, each serving a specific purpose:
Remember that you can edit these default pages or create entirely new ones to tailor your site's content to your specific needs. |
| Question | How do I hide a Comcode page from the sitemap? |
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| Answer | If you want to prevent a Comcode page from appearing in your sitemap, you can simply prefix its name with an underscore (_). For example, pages named "_test" or "_example" would be excluded from the sitemap. Note that this generally does not hide the page from your site itself (to do that, use the validation addon to turn validated to "OFF" for the pages); it only hides them from the sitemap / search engines. |
| Question | Can I organize Comcode pages in a hierarchical structure? |
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| Answer | Yes, Composr allows you to simulate a hierarchical structure for your Comcode pages using multi-part paths in the page monikers. By editing the page monikers to include slashes (e.g., "about/team"), you can create a virtual directory structure within a single zone, enhancing your site's organization and navigation. |
| Question | How do I embed content from other modules into a Comcode page? |
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| Answer | You can use various blocks to embed content from different modules:
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| Question | What is the difference between blocks and boxes in Composr? |
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| Answer | While both terms may seem similar, they have distinct meanings in Composr:
In practice, blocks often place their content within a box, but this isn't a requirement / standard. |
| Question | Can I customize the appearance of blocks? |
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| Answer | Yes, you can customize the appearance of blocks by editing the associated templates and CSS. Each block typically has a corresponding template file (e.g., BLOCK_MAIN_NEWS.tpl for the main_news block) that controls its HTML structure. You can modify this template to change the layout and styling of the block's output. An easy way to do this is through the template editor in Admin Zone > Style > Themes, and click edit templates for the relevant theme. |
Top 10 Entries
| Title | Installation |
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| Description | Quick installer: Our self-extractor allows faster uploads and will automatically set permissions. Wizard-based installation Auto-scans for compatibility problems: Be informed of problems before installing Get your site up and running in just a few minutes Keep your site closed to regular visitors until you're happy to open it Configures server: Automatically generates an htaccess file for you (for Apache). Auto-detection of forum settings for easy integration Install test content |
| Title | Web Pages |
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| Description | Add virtually unlimited pages to your site WYSIWYG editor (powered by CKEditor) Convenient edit links: Staff see “edit this” links at the bottom of every page. PHP support: Upload your PHP scripts and run them inside Composr (may require adjustments to the script code). Hierarchical page structure: Supports parent and child pages Periodic content reviews: Helping you ensure ongoing accuracy of your content. Add Comcode pages (the default) or static HTML pages Supports revisions and revision control systems (such as git); add new pages as files, and Composr will automatically register them in its system. |
| Title | Downloads |
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| Description | Clear organisation: Uses a tree structure for unlimited categorisation. Anti-leech protection: download links contain a session ID Community-centred: Allow users to comment upon and rate downloads Many ways to add new files: Upload files. Link-to existing files. Copy existing files using a live URL. Batch import links from existing file stores. Author support: Assign your downloads to authors, so users can find other downloads by the same author. Set licences: Make users agree to a licence before downloading. Images: Show images along with your downloads (e.g. screen-shots) (this implicitly uses galleries). Basic file versioning support Control monthly bandwidth use site-wide |
| Title | Wiki+ |
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| Description | Think “structured wikis”. Create an encyclopaedic database for your website Use a tree-structure or traditional cross-linking Supports revisions: Track changes Display the tree structure of your entire Wiki+ Allow users to jump in at random pages Make your pages either wiki-style or topic-style Allow members to contribute to Wiki+ pages by adding Wiki+ posts |
| Title | Quizzes and Surveys |
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| Description | Run a competition: Choose winners randomly from those who passed the quiz. Surveys: Gather data and find trends. Tests: Test members' knowledge on a variety of topics. Cheat prevention: Settings to prevent cheating, such as time limits, question / answer shuffling, and re-testing rules. Integration with points: Charge points to enter a competition, or award points for winning. |
| Title | News and Blogs |
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| Description | Member blogs: Allow members to have their own blogs on their profile RSS and Atom support: Export and import feeds. Trackback support: Send and receive trackbacks. Scheduled publishing Ping support and RSS Cloud support Multiple news categories and filtering Multiple ways to integrate news into your website Import from RSS feeds Supports geotargeting Members can rate and comment on news articles and blog posts Send out a news article as a newsletter |
| Title | Calendar |
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| Description | Day/week/month/year views Advanced “recurring event” settings Event subscriptions: Receive reminders and notifications by event or event type Warnings about conflicting events Microformats support Integrate a calendar month view, or an upcoming events view, onto your design Supports categories: Have multiple event types Multiple time zones: Have different events in different time zones with configurable conversion settings. Priority flagging: Choose between 5 priorities Programmers can even use the calendar to schedule custom tasks (Commandr) to be run RSS and Atom support: Export support, but also support for overlaying news feeds onto the calendar. Supports geotargeting Feedback: Allow members to comment and rate events. Segregate feedback on recurring events by date. |
| Title | Galleries |
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| Description | Multimedia: Supports images, videos, audio, and more. Personal galleries: Allow your members to create their own galleries which show up on their profile. Support for embedding YouTube videos: Save on bandwidth. Auto-detection of video length and resolution (most file formats) Full tree-structure support: Have galleries within galleries within galleries. Multiple display modes View entries as a slideshow Automatic thumbnail generation Mass import: Also supports importing metadata Optional watermarking: To guard against thieving swines
Geotargeting Adjustments: Automatic size and orientation adjustments according to metadata. |
.| Title | Catalogues |
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| Description | Think “databases on my website”. Flexible data control: Set up multiple catalogues, each with its own set of fields. There are many types of fields, such as short text fields, upload fields, and date fields. Multiple display modes: Display the contents of categories using tables, boxes, or lists. Powerful structure: Each catalogue contains categories which contain entries. Catalogues can have a tree structure of categories and/or work from an index. Configurable searching: Choose which fields are shown on categories, and which can be used to perform searches (template searches). Compliance with data protection legislation: Specify which fields may contain sensitive data. These fields will be anonymised as appropriate when members download or purge their data. Entirely customisable: Full support for customising catalogues, categories, and entries, exactly as you want them- field by field. You can even make custom page templates per-catalogue. Classified ads: Entries can automatically expire and get archived. You can also send out view reports. Community interaction: You can allow users to comment upon and rate entries. Import data from CSV files Periodic content reviews: Helping you ensure ongoing accuracy of your data. |
| Name | Patrick Schmalstig |
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| Title / Role | Lead Developer |
| Contributions / Notes | 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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