What are cleanup tools in Composr and how do I use them?
Answer
Cleanup tools assist with website maintenance by deleting unnecessary data and optimizing database tables. They are divided into "De-cachers" and "Optimizers". You can access them through:
PHP-Info provides a comprehensive overview of your PHP configuration. You can access it within Composr by navigating to Admin Zone > Tools > PHP-Info / Server Checks.
This page also provides additional useful server information.
What is the purpose of the Health Check feature in Composr?
Answer
The Health Check feature in Composr proactively identifies potential issues that may affect your website's performance, security, and overall health. It performs various checks and alerts you to problems like:
Broken links and forms
Security vulnerabilities
Outdated software versions
Server performance issues
Email configuration problems
The Health Check can be run manually or scheduled to run automatically and send e-mail notifications of results.
How can I use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to enhance my website?
Answer
CDNs improve website performance by serving content from geographically distributed servers, reducing latency and server load. You can leverage CDNs for your Composr website by:
Configuring the CDN option in Composr with a comma-separated list of CDN domain names.
Ensuring your files are mirrored on the CDN servers.
Utilizing the CDN_FILTER directive and symbol to control what content is served via CDN.
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:
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.
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.
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.
What are the PHP requirements for running Composr?
Answer
Composr requires PHP 7.2 or higher, but versions not officially supported by PHP developers are discouraged. The maximum tested version is PHP 8.3.
Required PHP extensions:
GD2 (gd) with PNG and JPEG support
MySQL extension (mysqli or pdo_mysql)
XML extension (xml)
Multibyte String (mbstring)
cURL extension (curl)
JSON support (usually available by default)
Sodium (libsodium)
ZIP extension (zip) if ZIP file support is needed
Additional recommendations:
posix extension for permission checks
zlib extension for faster upgrades, compressed backups, and page compression
ctype extension for slightly faster performance
IMAP extension (imap) for managing newsletter bounces
OpenSSL extension (openssl) for encrypted CPFs, DKIM, and SSL certificate expiry checks
Pspell (pspell) or Enchant (enchant) extensions for spell checking
Ensure the following PHP settings are configured:
File upload size limit of at least 5MB (or higher as needed)
Maximum execution time of at least 30 seconds
Memory limit of at least 128MB
The installer will warn you if any critical functions have been disabled via disable_functions or other PHP modifications. Avoid web hosts that heavily restrict standard PHP functionality.
To uninstall Composr, access the uninstall.php file in your web browser, enter your administrator password, and follow the prompts to remove the database data. Afterward, you can safely delete the Composr installation directory.
What are the recommended web hosting options for Composr?
Answer
Choosing a web host is crucial. Avoid the cheapest options and look for hosts with recent positive reviews and minimal credible complaints. Ensure they meet Composr's requirements, including adequate disk space, no restrictive file size limits, and support for required PHP extensions.
Composr is compatible with various hosting control panels like Plesk and cPanel, and works on Windows, Linux, or Mac OS servers.
Yes, you can install Composr on a Windows desktop using software packages like WampServer, XAMPP, EasyPHP, or ampps for simplified setup. Alternatively, you can manually install Apache, PHP, and MySQL, following the instructions provided in the respective documentation. Remember to configure file permissions appropriately and ensure the webserver isn't accessible from outside your network.
How do I set the correct file permissions for Composr?
Answer
If you're using the quick installer, it will handle file permissions automatically. On a suEXEC-style server, default permissions (744 for directories and 644 for files) are usually sufficient. However, _config.php should have 600 permissions for security.
Without suEXEC, specific directories (e.g., caches, uploads) and files (e.g., _config.php) require 777 (full access) or 666 (read/write) permissions. The fixperms.php script can automate this process on Linux and Windows.
What are the prerequisites for installing Composr?
Answer
Before installing Composr, ensure your web host meets the minimum requirements. Familiarize yourself with your web host's control panel (e.g., Plesk, cPanel), which you'll use to manage databases, subdomains, and other settings. Gather your SFTP/FTP credentials (hostname, username, password), usually emailed upon signup. Set up a MySQL database and note its details: hostname (often 'localhost'), username, password, and database name. Ensure the database user has full read/write/administer access to the database.
What tools are available for debugging Composr code?
Answer
Composr offers a code quality checker addon that helps identify various types of errors, including parser errors, run-time errors, and logical errors. This tool can significantly reduce debugging time and enhance code reliability. It is available through the testing_platform addon.
Composr emphasizes clean, well-structured code with a focus on readability and maintainability. Key standards include proper indentation, consistent use of comments, and clear function headers with type definitions. Remember: beautiful code leads to better functionality and collaboration!
