Contributors: A-Z Index

A

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Allen Ellis		Founder	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	View

C

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Chris Graham		Founder	Original developer of ocPortal, former lead developer of Composr CMS Masters degree in Computer Science from The University Of Sheffield Undertaken work for over 15 FTSE-100 companies, as well as many small and mid-sized organisations. Includes a number of banks and major brands.	View
Chris Warburton		developer for ocProducts	Made some key contributions to ocPortal	View

H

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Haydn Maidment		project manager for ocProducts	None available	View

J

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Jim Davidson		contributor	written many tutorials via Arvixe	View

P

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Patrick Schmalstig		Lead Developer	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.	View
Philip Withnall		Early Developer	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	View

R

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Robert Goacher		Founder	Ran some of the early websites where ocPortal came from Technically the original developer of ocPortal, in that he wrote the first few lines of code Heavily involved in the feature design process Hosted some of our early meet-ups	View

S

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Steve Jarvis		project manager for ocProducts	Wrote many tutorials via Arvixe	View

Newest 10 Entries

Question	What is rate limiting and how can I enable it in Composr?
Answer	Rate limiting prevents server overload by restricting the number of requests allowed from a single IP address within a specific timeframe. To enable Composr's built-in rate limiting, add the following to your _config.php file: Code (`PHP`) $SITE_INFO['rate_limiting'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['rate_limit_time_window'] = '10'; $SITE_INFO['rate_limit_hits_per_window'] = '5'; This configuration limits each IP to 5 requests every 10 seconds. This feature generates soft errors early in the process before Composr fully loads.

Question	How can I reduce disk activity to improve performance?
Answer	If your hard disk is slow, you can implement the following settings in your _config.php file to minimize disk access: $SITE_INFO['disable_smart_decaching'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['no_disk_sanity_checks'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['hardcode_common_module_zones'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['prefer_direct_code_call'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['charset'] = 'utf-8'; $SITE_INFO['known_suexec'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['dev_mode'] = '0'; $SITE_INFO['no_extra_logs'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['no_extra_bots'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['no_extra_closed_file'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['no_installer_checks'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['assume_full_mobile_support'] = '1'; $SITE_INFO['no_extra_mobiles'] = '1'; Note: These settings override default behaviors and may have unintended consequences. Use with caution.

Question	What is static caching and how do I enable it?
Answer	Static caching drastically improves performance by serving pre-generated pages to bots and guests. This works because these users typically don't require dynamic content. To enable it: Go to the Installation Options editor (`yourbaseurl/config_editor.php`). You will need your maintenance password. Activate the static cache option. Composr intelligently determines what to cache, and you can further control this via options within the Installation Options. Be aware that enabling static caching may disable eCommerce features for guests unless specifically configured.

Question	What are Composr caches and how do they improve website performance?
Answer	Composr utilizes various types of caches to enhance performance by storing pre-calculated results and reducing repetitive tasks. These caches include: Language cache: Eliminates the need to parse language files on each page load. Template cache: Avoids reparsing template files repeatedly. Comcode page cache & Comcode cache: Reduces the need to parse Comcode pages and general Comcode usage. Block cache: Caches blocks based on their parameters, minimizing execution. Theme image cache: Prevents redundant searches for theme images. Values caches: Stores calculated values like member post counts. Persistent cache: Keeps frequently used data in memory for faster access. Advanced admin cache: Allows admins to view cached pages while the server generates updates. Static cache: Serves static pages to bots and guests, bypassing much of the framework. Self learning cache: Optimizes resource loading by learning which resources each page requires.

Question	How can I troubleshoot notification problems?
Answer	If you're having issues with notifications, here are some troubleshooting steps: Check Email Logs: View the email log (Admin Zone > Audit > E-mail queue/log) to see what notifications have been sent. Use the SU Feature: Impersonate a member using the SU feature (described in the "Testing access and privileges" tutorial) to view their notification settings and confirm they are set up correctly. Enable Carbon-copy Email: Configure a "Carbon-copy e-mail address" in the configuration settings to receive copies of all outgoing emails, including notifications. This helps you monitor email delivery. Verify System Scheduler: Ensure the system scheduler is configured correctly if members are not receiving digest emails. Check Digest Settings: Confirm that "Enable digest notifications" is enabled in the Messages configuration settings. Review "Safety listing limit": If a notification has too many categories, members might not see the full selection tree. Adjust the "Safety listing limit" in the configuration settings if necessary.

Question	Can I control which notifications members receive?
Answer	Yes, you can control notification settings through two mechanisms: Notification Defaults: You can set default notification preferences for all members. You can enable or disable specific notifications and choose the delivery method (Admin Zone > Setup > Notification defaults). Notification Lock-down: You can force members to receive or prevent them from receiving certain notifications (Admin Zone > Setup > Notification lock-down). This allows you to enforce specific notification policies and manage email volume.

Question	What notification options are available to members?
Answer	Members can choose from a wide range of notifications, including: Content Updates: Notifications for new or updated content, such as news articles, forum posts, and gallery images. Private Messages: Alerts for new private messages received. Friend Requests: Notifications for new friend requests. Administrative Actions: Alerts for actions taken by site administrators, such as account approvals or content moderation decisions. Members can choose to receive notifications via: Email: Notifications sent directly to their email address. Digest Email: Combined summaries of activity sent in batched emails. This requires the system scheduler and the digest e-mails configuration option to be enabled. Private Topics: Notifications delivered as private forum topics. SMS: Notifications sent as text messages (requires configuration and incurs costs). Web Notifications: Real-time alerts displayed within the Composr interface.

Question	Can I share content like news and banners across the M.S.N.?
Answer	Yes, you can share news by placing it on the central site and using RSS blocks on satellite sites to display it. Banners can be shared by adding them to the central site and configuring satellite sites to use the central site's banner.php script.

Question	What should I consider when managing usergroups for subcommunities?
Answer	Rank ladders: Use the default rank ladder for main site ranks and secondary usergroups for subcommunity memberships. New member status: Set default usergroups for new members to grant them initial access while allowing removal if necessary. Leadership: Assign leaders to usergroups to allow members to manage subcommunities. Clubs: Consider using Clubs for member-driven subcommunities with their own forums.

Question	What are Composr Clubs and how are they useful for subcommunities?
Answer	Clubs are special usergroups in Conversr (Composr's forum system) designed for creating subcommunities. They come with their own dedicated forums and are managed by members, taking pressure off site staff. Key features: No special permissions by default, simplifying permission management. Members can join and leave like regular usergroups. Provide a dedicated forum for the club.

Top 10 Entries

Question	What is Wiki+?
Answer	Wiki+ is a feature in Composr that allows you to create a collaborative, tree-structured database of information. It functions similarly to a traditional wiki but offers enhanced features such as post contributions, a hierarchical structure, and moderation capabilities.

Question	Are there other Composr features helpful for support?
Answer	Yes, features like: Staff-only replies in the Support Ticket system enable private communication among support staff. Notifications for new tickets, replies, or feedback ensure timely responses. Blocks like main_contact_us provide a simplified front-end for ticket creation. Forum moderation tools help manage support discussions effectively.

Question	Can I integrate a dedicated issue management system with Composr?
Answer	While Composr doesn't have a built-in issue tracker, a non-bundled addon (cms_homesite_tracker) provides an integrated, modified version of Mantis. Additionally, the Support Ticket system can function as a basic private issue tracker using features like Post Templates.

Question	How can I restrict access to the support system to specific users?
Answer	Utilize Composr's page access permissions to control who can access the Support Ticket page. This ensures only authorized users can submit support requests. You can also control permissions based on ticket type when adding or editing a ticket type. Make sure if you go this route that the Support Ticket page permissions are very liberal (e.g. allow anyone to access, or just restrict to guests if you will never allow guests to make tickets). Otherwise, some people cannot make tickets even if they have permission on the type.

Question	What are Post Templates and how are they beneficial for support?
Answer	Post Templates are predefined text blocks that can be used as templates for new forum posts. They are particularly useful in support scenarios by: Providing quick responses to common questions. Ensuring consistency in staff responses. Saving time and effort for staff. Post Templates can be configured to be the default post in specific forums or restricted to certain user groups. Go to Admin Zone > Structure > Forums > Post Templates.

Question	How does Composr handle email integration for support?
Answer	Composr can integrate with email for ticket management, assuming certain requirements are met: PHP IMAP extension installed. Functional PHP mail command (local SMTP server or configured Windows SMTP settings). Active system scheduler (Cron). With email integration, users can submit tickets via email, and staff can reply through the system. Composr cleans up email text for ticket clarity and allows forwarding emails to the integrated address for efficient handling.

Question	How can I categorize and prioritize support requests?
Answer	Support Ticket System: Utilize support ticket types, managed in the Admin Zone > Setup > Support tickets. Staff can set individual notifications for different types. Discussion Forums: Create dedicated subforums for different support categories or priority levels. Feedback System: The content to which the feedback is attached implicitly categorizes it. For prioritization, subforums can be used.

Question	What are the advantages of using the Support Ticket system over the Discussion Forums?
Answer	While both systems can be used for support, the Support Ticket system provides advantages like: Separating replies into individual tickets. Ticket assignment to specific staff members. Tracking who has read a ticket. Private replies between staff members. Filtering tickets by type. Automatic ticket creation, unlike manually creating forum topics. Conflict detection when multiple staff are working on the same ticket. Real-time alerts and display updates upon ticket replies.

Question	How can Composr be used as a support desk tool?
Answer	Composr offers three main systems for providing online support: 1. Support Ticket System: This system allows users to submit tickets and staff to respond, track, and resolve them. It features email notifications, ticket categorization and prioritization, staff assignment, and attachment support. 2. Discussion Forums: Conversr, Composr's built-in forum software, can be utilized for support by creating dedicated forums or subforums. Features like post templates and multi-moderations enhance support capabilities. 3. Feedback System: This system allows for comments on various content types, facilitating support directly related to that content.

Question	How can I access the raw data behind the statistics graphs?
Answer	Every graph in Composr offers a spreadsheet export option. This allows you to download the data in a spreadsheet format, enabling detailed manual review or further analysis using third-party tools.

Statistics

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