Session expired after enabling cache

I understand what caching is, what it does, and how it will affect dynamic environments. I am asking very specific questions about your software and how it functions. I feel like your answers have been only slightly informative with most of your response concentrated on explaining things to me that I already know. You seem to purposely ignore/dodge my questions.

Here is what I have: Joomla 3.1.5, cb 1.9, and subs 3.0.0. I have disabled Global caching, but I have enabled the Joomla system cache plugin. I have an extremely large site (147+ pages) with over 6000 registered users and many more visitors. I HAVE to use caching, and I HAVE to use a reasonable caching duration (I do not consider 5 minutes reasonable for a site of this size). I also understand that the anti-spam check is designed to protect my site.

What I need from you is a way to tell Joomla to NOT cache the cb registration pages/steps. It would be nice if this was built into your component, but alas it is not. Therefore, I need a work-around. I have installed another component called CacheControl which is supposed to allow me to exclude url parameters. So far it isn't working. I am wondering if the anti-spoofing is using different pages or url parameters than what the registration page shows in the url. Or it could just be that the plugin is flawed.

To use the CacheControl plugin I am supposed to enter the url parameters into the options and it is supposed to not cache any pages that match those parameters. I put the parameter "option=com_comprofiler&task=registers&Itemid=528". This is the url of the registration page, but it did not fix the issue. What is the URL call for this anti-spam check? That way I can add it to the plugin options so it will be ignored for caching.

I've been as specific as I can. CB has no control of Joomlas caching. Joomla has no feature to disable caching on a page by page basis either. It only has this option for Modules. It also has no API to disable it on an extension by extension basis as far as I am aware.

I've no experience with CacheControl so I can't advise you on how to configure it. My guess is CacheControl works high in the router during URL parsing to determine if it should delete the cache or not, but this isn't something CB should do or ever will do. Maybe give it the below rules and see if it works?

option=com_comprofiler&task=registers
option=com_comprofiler&task=registers&Itemid=528
option=com_comprofiler&task=saveregisters
option=com_comprofiler&task=saveregisters&Itemid=528

That should handle the registration form display it self and the save, but again I've no idea how CacheControl works exactly so I can't specifically advise you on its usage.

The plugin I tried called CacheControl doesn't work. Or at least I couldn't get it to work. If anyone ever needs to turn on Caching in Joomla, DON'T!

Instead download the plugin called JotCache and enable it. It does caching better than the Joomla built in system or global cache. It also has more features and is much easier to use. Just make sure that you get the correct version for your version of Joomla.

I still cannot believe that I am the first person in all of CB history that needed a caching solution. Or that you guys haven't tried a few yourselves so that you can recommend one when people ask. Caching Joomla sites takes a tremendous load off the server. I don't have exact numbers, but I would say over 50% less cpu/ram usage.

We have tried caching and it works fine with reasonable cache duration of 5-10 minutes. Anything more than that and you get invalid out of date data. This is normal for a dynamic environment, which is what CB is. Joomla caching is fine if you have a bunch of static pages like Joomla articles, but when you put CB or Kunena in there where data is constantly changing the cache can instantly become out of date as soon as it's created, which causes issues. This problem isn't limited to CB. It affects anything with constantly changing content. I agree Joomla cache is not very good and it should have options to be component by component based so for certain components (e.g. CB) it could be turned off.