Considering XWD?

[crabman]

Hi All,

I am considering purchasing XWD and Menu maker and hoping to get some feedback to meet expectations. Here is what I do now... I use Dreamweaver and Fireworks and simply code html and scripts and so forth.

Here is what I am hoping for by using XWD/MM...with a few questions:

Use XWD to create a Prototype or maybe create an entire site and deploy/upload to server...to ease the html pain. I am hoping to reduce my design time for new sites...

Can I import the XWD site to Dreamweaver to change or tweak?

Create customized buttons/navigation menus and the like.

Do I need to buy Menu maker if I buy XWD?

If I use XWD is there a permanent XWD trademark that must be shown on the Home page?

Suppose I use XWD to create a site and for some reason I decide not to use XWD anymore can I still with ease use Dreamweaver with maintainable code?

Are there any major restrictions that I need to be aware of?

Will XWD or Menu Maker assist in making graphics or perhaps Home page banners?

Any feedback is very much appreciated!

Thanks in Advance...Pat

[steve.ledger]

Welcome to the TG Forums Pat,

As a first time buyer, I believe you would be better advised to purchase Xara Xtreme 5.
Xtreme 5 encorporates all of Xara Web Designer features PLUS everything that Xara Xtreme has to offer by way of vector drawing tools, animation (gif and flash) and web graphics.

Web Designer or Xtreme are not HTML editors, they export to HTML.

The HTML (source code) is 100% validated, but not designed to be edited, though it's not impossible.

The Show Us Your Sites thread showcases many user created websites ranging from the first time user to some very professional looking results.

There is no obligation to advertise Xara Web Designer or Xara Xtreme on sites created using their software.

[akubbeng]

Do I need to buy Menu maker if I buy XWD?

No, when you purchase XWD (or Xtreme 5 or Xtreme PRO 5) you don't necessarily need Menu Maker. However, the creation of multi-level drop-down menu bars is apparently challenging for quite a few XWD users.
Just search this forum and you'll see what I mean.
It can be done with XWD and offers great possibilities, but still it's the XWD feature that has raised the most discussion here.

We all hope & expect the next version of XWD to have the functionality for creating multi-level menu bars integrated, but for the time being you might want to consider paying the extra $24.99 US for Menu Maker to give you the ability of creating instant multi-level menu bars which you can cut and paste into XWD.

[covoxer]

Can I import the XWD site to Dreamweaver to change or tweak?

Yes you can open exported HTML in the Dreamweaver. But no one can tell if the code you'll see is acceptable for you to tweak. Only you can answer this question. Check out some of the published WD built sites, look at the code, and since you have HTML coding experience, you'll see how maintainable it is for you.

Create customized buttons/navigation menus and the like.

No. XWD does not create snippets that can be easily used in sites not created with XWD/Xtreme.

Do I need to buy Menu maker if I buy XWD?

No, you don't need to. You can create much more sophisticated menus with XWD than you can with MenuMaker. But MenuMaker is very simple, user friendly and easy to use application. So at expense of the designing capabilities it provides a quick way to create multi level drop down menus. Menus created by MenuMaker are code snippets that can be used within any HTML, including XWD pages.

If I use XWD is there a permanent XWD trademark that must be shown on the Home page?

No, absolutely not.

Suppose I use XWD to create a site and for some reason I decide not to use XWD anymore can I still with ease use Dreamweaver with maintainable code?

See the answer on the first question, it's the same.

Are there any major restrictions that I need to be aware of?

Well, probably the most prominent one is that XWD generates absolutely positioned HTML. So that, for example, the width and the height of the created page is fixed - it will not stretch to the reader's browser window width. Another one is that XWD can not open existing HTML - it is not a HTML editor but HTML creator. There may be more depending on your requirements and workflow.

Will XWD or Menu Maker assist in making graphics or perhaps Home page banners?

XWD is generally a graphics design application (actually a truncated version of Xtreme) so it can produce any graphics and animations (GIF or Flash) you may want. MenuMaker can only create template based menus, so no banners if I get you right.