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Question What are Comcode pages?
Answer Comcode pages are standalone content pages within the Composr system that you can create and edit using either a WYSIWYG editor, a simple markup language called Comcode, or a combination of both.

Think of them as documents within your website, offering flexibility beyond the structured content provided by modules like forums or news. You can use them to build landing pages, about us sections, contact pages, and more.
Question Can I create custom Comcode tags?
Answer Yes, you can create custom Comcode tags through the Admin Zone > Setup > Custom Comcode. This allows you to add unique functionality or wrap specific HTML code (especially if you use a certain block of HTML frequently on your site) for easier use. Custom Comcode tags can be tailored to your needs and even include your own parameters. You can also specify if the Comcode is dangerous so only those with elevated privileges can use it.
Question What are the security considerations when using Comcode?
Answer Composr has a multi-tiered security system for Comcode. HTML code is filtered based on user permissions to prevent XSS attacks. Content is parsed with different credentials depending on who is editing or adding it, ensuring users can't elevate their privileges by modifying existing content.
Question What is oEmbed and how does it work with Comcode?
Answer oEmbed is a system that allows you to embed content from other websites simply by pasting its URL. When you paste a supported link in Comcode, oEmbed will automatically embed the content for you in a nicely-formatted box. For example, pasting a YouTube video link will embed the video directly into your content so it can be played on your website.
Question How do I add attachments to my content?
Answer Composr has an integrated attachment system. You can upload files, like images or documents, via the attachments section (or the image button if using the WYSIWYG editor with simplified attachments UI), and they will be automatically added to your Comcode using the attachment tag. You can then move this tag within your content to position the attachment as needed.
Question How do I use Comcode tags?
Answer Comcode tags are similar to HTML tags, but use square brackets [] instead of angle brackets <>. Each tag has an opening and closing tag, with content in between.

Example: [b]This text would be bold.[/b]

Tags can also have parameters:
Example: [img src="image.jpg" alt="Image description"]

A shorthand exists for the param parameter (the primary parameter of Comcode tags):
Example: [page="_SEARCH:howdy_do"]Howdy do[/page]
Question What are the advantages of using Comcode?
Answer Comcode offers several advantages:

Intuitive content authoring: It's written like plain text, making it easy to learn and use.
Dynamic functionality: You can embed dynamic content like blocks, comments, and forms using Comcode.
Special effects: You can easily add prebuilt graphical features like tabs, carousels, and more.
Basic styling and layout: Comcode allows for basic website styling and page layout.
HTML integration: For advanced styling and layout, you can embed HTML code within Comcode with the semihtml tag.
Question What is Comcode?
Answer Comcode is Composr's markup language, similar to BBCode used in forums. It allows you to create formatted text, embed dynamic content like blocks and attachments, and even mix in HTML for advanced styling. It's user-friendly and designed to work alongside standard web technologies.
Question Can I leave notes for myself or other staff members?
Answer Yes, the Admin Zone includes a dedicated "Notes" block for you and your staff to leave messages and reminders. This space serves as a shared communication hub for your team.
Question How can I stay informed about the latest Composr version?
Answer The Admin Zone dashboard displays information about your current Composr version and alerts you if it's not the most recent one. A link will be provided to guide you through the upgrade process if necessary.

Top 10 Entries

Question What special features does Composr's Conversr offer compared to other forum software?
Answer
  • Advanced Polls: Blind polls, forcing or setting of default options, and point-weighting.
  • Private Topics: More sophisticated than traditional private messages.
  • Forum Introduction Questions: A flexible way to control access and encourage engagement (e.g. forum-specific rules or forum passwords).
  • Cascading Topics: Pinned topics that appear in multiple forums.
  • Integrated Moderation: Streamlined moderation tools within the forum interface.
Question How do topic polls work?
Answer Topic polls are a powerful tool for gauging opinion within discussions. You can:

  • Control Result Visibility: Choose whether results are visible before voting.
  • Require Topic Reply: Force users to reply to the topic before voting.
  • Show Voter Identities: Optionally display which members voted for each option.
  • Allow Vote Revocation: Let voters change their vote while the poll is open.
  • Set Voting Close Time: Define a specific date or time for the poll to close.
  • Restrict Selections: Limit the number of options voters can choose.
  • Allow Guest Voting: Enable voting for unregistered users.
  • Weight Votes by Points: Give more influential members greater voting power (requires the points addon).
Question What are the different types of posts in Composr forums?
Answer
  • Regular Posts: Standard posts made by members within a topic.
  • Quick Replies: Shorter replies made directly from the topic view.
  • Anonymous Posts: Members can choose to post anonymously, appearing as a guest. Staff can track the actual user if needed.
  • Emphasised posts: Posts made by staff (or marked by staff) which are highlighted to draw attention as they are important.
  • Whispers: Private messages embedded within public topics, allowing for side conversations.
  • Private Topic Posts: Private messages sent between specific members (e.g. an on-site "inbox").
Question Can I integrate email with my forums (mailing list)?
Answer Yes, you can enable email integration for each forum individually. This allows members to post and receive updates via email.

Requirements:
  • PHP IMAP extension installed
  • System scheduler (Cron) running
  • IMAP-compatible mail server

Recommended:
  • Mail server enforces SPF and DKIM for email validation
  • Mail server limits email size to prevent abuse
  • System scheduler runs frequently (e.g., every minute) so members get prompt updates
Question How do I organize my forums effectively?
Answer
  • Structure: Composr's forums follow a hierarchical structure. You can create forum groupings, forums, and sub-forums (and sub-sub-forums etc) in that order of hierarchy.
  • Strategies: Avoid creating too many forums, which can dilute activity. Start with a few well-defined forums and expand as needed.
  • Permissions: Use Composr's permission system to control access to forums and features. For example, you can create private staff forums.
Question How can I keep track of activity in busy forums?
Answer Composr provides several tools to help you stay up-to-date with forum activity:

  • Virtual Forums: Special forums like "Posts since last visit" and "Topics with unread posts" provide filtered views of recent activity.
  • Read Status: Topics with unread posts are displayed in bold with a jump-to-first-unread link. You can manually mark topics or entire forums as read or unread.
  • Notifications: You can enable email notifications for specific topics or forums, either manually or automatically based on your activity.
Question What security measures should I consider for local payments?
Answer While Composr supports local payments (Authorize.Net), it requires high PCI compliance. Ensure you adhere to the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) guidelines, including secure coding practices, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, regular security audits, and staff screening.
Question How can I audit my eCommerce activity in Composr?
Answer Composr provides tools for monitoring your eCommerce activities:

  • Sales list management: Cancel purchases, view sales history, and manage refunds (Admin Zone > Audit > eCommerce > Sales list management).
  • Charts: Generate profit/loss accounts and cash flow diagrams for specific periods (Admin Zone > Audit > eCommerce, and Admin Zone > Audit > Site statistics).
  • Manual transactions: Record transactions outside of Composr for accurate accounting (Admin Zone > Audit > eCommerce > Manual transaction).
Question How do I manage refunds in Composr?
Answer
  • Monetary payments: Issue refunds through your payment gateway.
  • Point payments: Manually refund points through the points system.
  • Cancellations: Cancel purchases in the Admin Zone to allow repurchasing. Remember to manually undo any associated actions (e.g., removing name highlighting).
Question What are the shipping options in Composr?
Answer You can handle shipping costs in three ways:

  • Flat rate per order: Configure a fixed shipping cost for all orders.
  • Weight-based calculation: Define shipping costs based on the order's total weight.
  • Shippo integration: Get real-time shipping quotes from various carriers based on weight, dimensions, and destination.