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Newest 10 Entries
| Question | What are Comcode pages? |
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| 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? |
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| 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? |
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| 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? |
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| 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? |
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| 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? |
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| 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? |
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| 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? |
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| 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? |
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| 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? |
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| 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 | How can I make sure my Composr website is accessible? |
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| Answer | Enable the web standards checker in Composr while editing templates. Also do the same when previewing edited or new Comcode pages. Use the provided accessibility options in the Admin Zone to customize the webmaster experience according to your accessibility needs. Follow the webmaster concerns outlined in the "Helping improve site accessibility for disabled users" tutorial. Regularly test your website using third-party accessibility validation tools such as the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool or the AChecker. |
| Question | What accessibility features are built into Composr? |
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| Answer | Composr has an inbuilt web standards checker that helps ensure compliance with accessibility guidelines. Composr provides automatic sitemap generation functionality, a default sitemap page, and an advanced menu editor to manage navigation. Composr supports ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications), which helps make dynamic content accessible. Composr includes options in the Admin Zone to fine-tune the webmaster experience for specific accessibility requirements. |
| Question | Does Composr comply with accessibility standards? |
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| Answer | - Yes, Composr complies with the highest level of the WCAG (version 1.0 at the time of writing), level 3. - Composr also meets Section 508 guidelines, XHTML and CSS specifications, and the highest level of ATAG. - Composr conforms to these standards throughout, from user-facing screens to administrator interfaces. |
| Name | Patrick Schmalstig |
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| Photograph |  |
| 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. |
| Links |
| Name | Jim Davidson |
|---|---|
| Title / Role | contributor |
| Contributions / Notes | written many tutorials via Arvixe |
| Name | Chris Warburton |
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| Title / Role | developer for ocProducts |
| Contributions / Notes | Made some key contributions to ocPortal |
| Name | Haydn Maidment |
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| Title / Role | project manager for ocProducts |
| Contributions / Notes | None available |
| Name | Steve Jarvis |
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| Title / Role | project manager for ocProducts |
| Contributions / Notes | Wrote many tutorials via Arvixe |
| Name | Philip Withnall |
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| Title / Role | Early Developer |
| Contributions / Notes | 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 |
| Name | Allen Ellis |
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| Photograph |  |
| Title / Role | Founder |
| Contributions / Notes | 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 |