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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 How do I add dynamic content to my Comcode pages?
Answer Composr utilizes "blocks" to embed dynamic content and functionality within Comcode pages. These blocks can range from displaying recent forum posts to showing information about the logged-in user.

To add a block, you can use the "block construction assistant" accessible via a button above the editor. This tool provides a user-friendly way to:
  • Browse and select available blocks.
  • Configure the block parameters.
  • Preview the block output.
  • Generate the necessary Comcode to embed the block.
Question How do I create a new Comcode page?
Answer Composr provides two easy ways to create a new Comcode page:

Method 1: Direct URL Entry
Type the desired URL of your new page into your browser's address bar.
Since the page doesn't exist yet, Composr will present you with a 404 error and a link to create it. Click the link to open the Comcode page editor.

Method 2: Admin Zone
Navigate to Admin Zone > Content > Pages (Comcode pages).
Scroll down to the list of existing pages and enter the name of your new page using the ":" (page-link) format. For example, a new page in the Welcome zone named "about" would be entered as ":about", or a new page in the "site" zone named "foobar" would be entered as "site:foobar".
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.