Features: A-Z Index

A

Administration Zone

Administration Zone

B

Banners

Banners

C

Calendar

Calendar

Catalogues

Catalogues

Chatrooms and IM

Chatrooms and IM

Community features

Community features

Content Sharing

Content Sharing

Conversr Forums

Conversr Forums

Conversr Topic Polls

Conversr Topic Polls

D

Design without barriers

Design without barriers

Downloads

Downloads

E

Ease of Use

Ease of Use

eCommerce and Subscriptions

eCommerce and Subscriptions

Extendable

Extendable

F

Featured Content

Featured Content

G

Galleries

Galleries

I

Installation

Installation

Integration

Integration

L

Localisation

Localisation

M

Membership

Membership

N

News and Blogs

News and Blogs

Newsletters

Newsletters

P

Parental Controls

Parental Controls

Performance

Performance

Points

Points

Privacy Tools

Privacy Tools

Q

Quizzes and Surveys

Quizzes and Surveys

R

Rich Media

Rich Media

S

Search Engine Optimisation

Search Engine Optimisation

Searching

Searching

Security

Security

Spam Protection

Spam Protection

Stay on Top

Stay on Top

Structure / Navigation

Structure / Navigation

Support Tickets

Support Tickets

T

Template Programming Language

Template Programming Language

Testing tools

Testing tools

Themeing tools

Themeing tools

Third party integration

Third party integration

W

Warnings / Moderation

Warnings / Moderation

Web Pages

Web Pages

Web standards

Web standards

Website Polls

Website Polls

White-labeling (Debranding)

White-labeling (Debranding)

Wiki+

Wiki+

Newest 10 Entries

Title Integration
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Description

Convert from other software: See our importing tutorial for a list of importers.

Use an existing member system: See our download page for a list of forum drivers.

Convert an HTML site into Composr pages

LDAP support for corporate networks (Conversr only)

HTTP authentication: Tie into an existing HTTP authentication-based login system (Conversr only)

Proxying system: Programmers can integrate any existing scripts using our sophisticated proxying system (which includes full cookie support).

Minimodules and miniblocks: Programmers can port existing PHP code into Composr itself without having to strictly conform it to Composr's framework

Title Structure / Navigation
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Description

Intuitive sitemap editor: Visually browse your site structure.

Menu editor: Our user friendly editor can work with several different kinds of menu design (drop-downs, tree menus, pop-ups, etc)

Zones (sub-sites): Organise your pages into separate zones. Zones can have different menus, themes, permissions, and content. They can also use a sub-domain.

Full structural control: Edit, move, and delete existing pages and modules.

Redirects: Set up redirects if you move pages, or if you want pages to appear in more than one zone.

Title White-labeling (Debranding)
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Description

Use Composr for clients and pretend you made it.

We ensure Composr is not hard-coded anywhere in the software where it would appear to an average user.

Title Web standards
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Description

Responsive design and hi-dpi images

True and correct XHTML5 markup

WCAG, ATAG: Meeting of accessibility guidelines in full.

Tableless CSS markup, with no hacks

Support for all major web browsers

Inbuilt tools for checking webstandards conformance of XHTML5, CSS, and JavaScript

Extra markup semantics including Dublin Core support, schema.org, Open Graph, and microformats.

Standards-based JavaScript (modern DOM and AJAX, no DOM-0 or innerHTML)

Automatic cleanup of bad XHTML5: HTML outside your control (e.g. from RSS) will be cleaned up for you.

Title Performance
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Description

Highly optimised code

Can run CDNs

Multiple levels of caching

Sophisticated template compiler

Self-learning optimisation system

Automatic pruning of old cache files when caches get large

Title Localisation
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Description

Translate Composr into your own language

Translate content into multiple languages

Custom time and date formatting

Language packs: Download new language packs as users post them; host multiple languages on your website at the same time.

Time zone support: Members may choose their own time zones, and dates / times will adapt to them.

Support for different character sets and Unicode

Serve different theme images for different languages

Right-to-left languages possible

Title Ease of Use
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Description

Professionally designed user interfaces

AJAX techniques: Streamlined website interaction.

WYSIWYG editing

Tutorials: Over 200 written tutorials, and a growing collection of video tutorials.

Displays great on mobiles: Mobile browsers can be automatically detected, or the user can select the mobile version from the footer. All public website features work great on QVGA or higher. The default theme is also responsive and will adapt to the client screen size.

A consistent and fully integrated feature-set: Breadcrumb navigation, previews, and many other features we didn't have space to mention here – are all present right across Composr.

Title Search Engine Optimisation
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Description

Supports different URL schemes and textual monikers

Automatic site-map generation: Both XML Sitemaps and sitemaps for users.

Metadata: Meta descriptions and keywords for all content. Auto-summarisation.

Keyword density analysis when previewing content

Correct use of HTTP status codes

Content-contextualised page titles

Semantic and accessible markup (e.g. ‘alt tags')

Title Privacy Tools
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Description

Compliance with major data protection legislation such as the GDPR

Allow members to download or purge their personal data from their profile. Set a limit on the number of days between downloads / purges to preserve server resources.

Also manage member data to a more technical degree in the Administration Zone.

Allow members to purge their data upon deleting their member account

Composr is careful to maintain important data (such as warnings or bans) when members request their data to be purged from their profile. But this data can still be purged on the admin side (in the Admin Zone).

Automatic generation of a basic Privacy Policy based on site settings and installed addons

Cookie Consent notice

Set declarations on the rules page which members must agree to on registration (or whenever they are changed) which are also stored in the database and e-mailed to the member as a written copy

Title Security
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Description

Automatic detection, logging, notifying, and banning of hackers

2-factor-authentication: E-mail based 2-factor-authentication security when unrecognised IP addresses are used with certain usergroups (optional, Conversr-only).

Password strength checks: Enforce minimum password strengths based on length and use of upper / lower case, numbers, and symbols, and avoiding repeated characters (Conversr-only).

Architectural approaches to combat all major exploit techniques

A JavaScript framework that makes XSS attacks virtually impossible

Defence-in-depth: Multiple layers of built-in security.

Encrypted custom profile fields: Once set the CPF can't be read unless a key password is entered (Conversr-only, requires OpenSSL).

Extensive support and use of Content Security Policy (CSP)

Track failed logins and automatically ban brute-force attacks

HTML filtering

Protection against CSRF attacks: Forms and AJAX requests make use of randomly generated POST tokens

Root-kit detection kit for developers

Cookies are secure and HttpOnly where possible to prevent session hijacking

Set number of days that passwords expire or must be changed

Top 10 Entries

Question What are Installation Options and how can I change them?
Answer Installation Options are low-level settings for Composr, such as database details and default language.

You can access the Installation Options editor through:

  • The script: http://yourbaseurl/config_editor.php
  • The Admin Zone: Admin Zone > Setup > Configuration > Installation Options

Remember that you'll need your maintenance password, specified during installation, to access and modify these options.
Question How do I open or close my Composr website to the public?
Answer By default, your Composr site is closed after installation. To open it to the public (or to close an opened site), go to Admin Zone > Setup > Configuration > Site options > Closed site and adjust the setting accordingly. You can also configure a closed site message.

While a closed site prevents public access, it's worth noting that users can still join a closed Conversr-powered site if they have access to the join module URL. However, they won't be able to log in unless they're assigned to a usergroup with "Access closed site" permissions. You can modify the join module's permissions to restrict access further.
Question What is the .htaccess file and how does it relate to Composr?
Answer The .htaccess file is a configuration file for the Apache web server. It allows you to define settings that apply to the directory where it's located and its subdirectories.

Composr can leverage .htaccess to enhance security and enable features like "URL Schemes." You can try renaming the provided recommended.htaccess file to .htaccess. This file includes recommended options that tighten security and ensure Composr has necessary PHP and Apache features activated.

Note that some web hosts might restrict the use of .htaccess files.

You should regularly review recommended.htaccess for changes between Composr updates.
Question How do Composr permissions work?
Answer Composr employs a multi-layered permission system with two main types: privileges and access permissions. The system grants users the best possible access based on the combination of their usergroups.

Privileges define broad permissions, such as accessing a closed site or content manipulation abilities based on impact level (low, medium, high). You can set privileges for usergroups via checkboxes, with the option to override them for specific pages or categories. Go to Admin Zone > Security > Global privileges.

Access permissions control what content users can view. These permissions are layered:

  • Zone access permissions
  • Page (or content entry) access permissions
  • Catalogue access permissions
  • Category access permissions

To configure access permissions, you can edit the specific resource or utilize the Permissions Tree Editor under Admin Zone > Security > Permissions Tree Editor.
Question How do I set up the system scheduler in Composr?
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?
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:

  • Content Security Policy
  • Session expiry time
  • Password reset process
  • Password expiry days
  • Minimum password length and strength
  • Login error secrecy
  • IP strictness for sessions
  • Cryptographic ratchet
  • CAPTCHA usage
  • Brute force threshold
  • Audio CAPTCHA
  • URL Monikers
  • .htaccess restrictions on maintenance scripts
  • Enquiry on new IP addresses

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:
  • Minimum: Very bare-bones informational-only sites
  • Low: Sites which do not allow public registrations and do not use eCommerce but have content managed by different staff, and are not concerned with privacy or data
  • Medium: Sites with social features / public accounts but do not use eCommerce.
  • High: Sites which use eCommerce.
  • Ultra High: Sites containing very sensitive data, such as but not limited to cybersecurity sites, government departments, banks, healthcare, etc.
Question How do I change my website's logo?
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?
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?
Answer Composr includes several default Comcode pages, each serving a specific purpose:

  • home (Welcome and Site zones): The default front pages for the respective zones.
  • sitemap (Welcome zone): Displays the sitemap, typically generated automatically.
  • _rules (Welcome zone): Outlines the site rules, also displayed during registration. The "rules" page (no underscore) is a wrapper for this page.
  • privacy (Welcome zone): Provides privacy policy information. By default, this is generated automatically with Composr's privacy policy generator block.
  • 404 (Welcome zone): The page shown for 404 errors (page not found) and includes a sitemap.
  • help (Site zone): Contains general help information.
  • userguide_comcode (Site zone): A basic guide to Comcode for users.

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?
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.