Easily implemented improvement?

[richinri]

Well the good thing is Xara has use for experienced web people, newbies and kids that just want to play!
In the short time XWD is out more and more threads are coming up with solutions that take XWD beyond being a toy or "just a program for a newbie."
This trend will continue.........watch.

[pauland]

Well the good thing is Xara has use for experienced web people, newbies and kids that just want to play!
In the short time XWD is out more and more threads are coming up with solutions that take XWD beyond being a toy or "just a program for a newbie."
This trend will continue.........watch.

Yes, nobody could fail to notice.

[covoxer]

Indeed.

[cursor]

My first Xara product was Xara¹ (back in 2001). I loved the smart and elegant way that it simplified [potentially] complex graphics creation. That product has, of course, evolved into a more mature Xara Xtreme [Pro] 4. Cool stuff.

Other Xara products, while indivdually powerful, seem to be independent mini-tools — spokes without a hub. The interface for each of these products was totally distinct from the others ... and none of them sharing the Xara¹/Xtreme design. These include:

• Xara 3D (I bought)
• Xara Webstyle (I bought)
• Xara MenuMaker & template packs (I didn't buy)
• Xara ScreenSaver 3D (I didn't buy)

I love the innovative approach that Xara has taken in the creation of Web Designer. Even the user interface echoes the Xara¹/Xtreme design. Personally, I would prefer not to mess with code more than is necessary (that is what has kept me from website development in the past). I see this as the product that will give me the opportunity to finally express myself [relatively] freely, without getting lost in the technicalities.

That being said, I would hope and trust that [under it's skin] Xara will ensure that my generated site(s) will not be overlooked or dismissed by search engines. I need (or at least strongly prefer) a product that will handle valid concerns like that behind the scenes. While I understand that Web Designer 5 is a product that is fresh out of the gate, I would hope that its aggressive evolution continues to address folk like me (and the more obscure technicalities that may not be evident to me).

pauland said,

Most XWD users are just very pleased they can develop a website at all let alone fuss over intricasies of HTML tags.

That suits me perfectly. I expect, however, that those intricasies will 1) be recognized as important points, and that 2) they will be addressed (to ensure that the Web Designer customer doesn't have to have to).

I agree with richinri, when he says,

Once one gets past enjoying the toys, I see a program that, if one applies good thought, knowledge and planning, is probably a turning point in web design.

Frankly, I'm done with toys, and [respectfully] hope that Xara is too. If I have to pay more for Web Designer core upgrades, or smart add-on modules/tools (table-builder, form-designer, multi-level menu/navbar builder, etc.) that selectively expand/enhance its function, then so be it.

To include the ability to create flash elements, and not to provide tools for smart table generation (not as a page layout structure), seems a strange choice.

To introduce 'soft groups' as a simplifier in the creating of buttons and navbars without offering at least the functionality of MenuMaker or Webstyle, seems just a bit incomplete.

To suggest that the newly implemented 'placeholder' should universally satisfy most/all current/future website development concerns is a bit shortsighted. (While this may not be what John/covoxer intends to say, the fact that customer expressed needs for a table-builder, or a form-designer are essentially dismissed suggests otherwise.)

So for those that think XWD is great...I agree. But to those that add "for not really serious web designers or for someone just doing their first site" I say, clearly I see something you do not. This program not only is great - there is HUGE potential here to set a new standard for web design software.

I wholeheartedly agree.

[covoxer]

Oh, dear. Now who started all the "toy talk"?
There's nothing like a toy in XWD. Well, except maybe it's as easy to use as a toy.
Nevertheless, results and possibilities are very serious. Sure, there are some limitations, you can't have everything. Any program has limitations. But who told you that all suggestions are dissmissed?!
I have never dissmissed any suggestion (except for extra comments in code ).

[shaun2000]

Craft is shaped by tools available. W D occupies one's attention only with productive tool use; and not at all with how to work around the web's limitations and figure out production procedures. Hence it is a fine tool.

I plan to train my own designers in WD. Good use of money because if they are already designers and illustrators in traditional media the learning curve to master excellent web design is short. They need unlearn little.

To me, WD is like Illustrator making it fruitless to program by hand in Postscript. To take over another company's web sites will necessarily involve getting their WD files, as we have to get illustrator and Photoshop files to take over a print job. Comments in WD files will be notes on the pasteboard, for artists.

I am splitting my site design into two. High traffic pages created and maintained in WD, the rest in other tools such as content managers. Most important addition for me would be being able to publish pages of one WD file to different folders online, all referencing a shared graphics folder at a specified location.

I am going to build my web design capability around WD because it is such a superior graphic toolset. What it can't do l will either do some other way or decline to tackle.

it's wonderful to see designers working in WD. It's also extremely simple to supervise the design process.

Except for not being able to publish pages to various specific locations I love the W D web design process.

Shaun

[TB06]

Thank you all. I appreciate all of you guys' comments. I found this post while seaching for information about changing some info in the <head> of a website for google verification. I am so new to web design that I feel too insufficient to even ask a question--but I will anyway. Inspite of coding not being a major priority to many of us it is important to some of the people that we may serve. I appreciate cursor and richinri for being understanding of this. I appreciate richinri for showing courage because the things he mentioned are concerns for me and didn't quite know how to articulate it.

That being said, my strength is in the area of design---I am definitely in the "newbie" category regarding web design and I recently purchased XWD to save me from having to learn code.

Here's my question: I have to design a website for a friend who's written an ebook that he needs to promote and sell online. He needs a metatag placed in the home page in the ' first <head> section of the page, before the first <body> section
<meta name="verify-v1" content="blahblahblahblahblah=" /> ' so that Google can "verify" his site. Can I do this with XWD and if so, how is it to be done? Also I will need to copy some snippets of code from Paypal for him to take payments for orders.

Here's a preview of the design: http://home.comcast.net/~danielleminion/

Here's what his current site looks like: www.receptionfanatic.com

Many thanks to all of you...

[Soquili]

Hi TB06,

Welcome to Talkgraphics.

You can use a 'header' placeholder as explained by Covoxer in his post at
http://www.talkgraphics.com/showpost...5&postcount=17

[cursor]

Oh, dear. Now who started all the "toy talk"?

richinri made the first mention of "toys", in this post #51. Then, in post #54 I used the term when I said:

Frankly, I'm done with toys, and [respectfully] hope that Xara is too.

In saying that, I was referencing "mini-tools" (from any software developer) that that singly or in combination do not satisfy my needs (some of which are eventually discontinued without further enhancement). Specifically,

Other Xara products, while indivdually powerful, seem to be independent mini-tools — spokes without a hub. The interface for each of these products was totally distinct from the others ... and none of them sharing the Xara¹/Xtreme design. These include:

• Xara 3D (I bought)
• Xara Webstyle (I bought)
• Xara MenuMaker (I didn't buy)
• Xara ScreenSaver 3D (I didn't buy)

In evaluating the user needs expressed within this thread, and elsewhere in this forum, please don't neglect to recognize the substantial praise that is lauded upon both the Web Designer product and the fine Xara team that developed it. The compliments are many (including plenty from me).

Any program has limitations. But who told you that all suggestions are dissmissed?! I have never dissmissed any suggestion.

I'm certainly glad to hear that all responsible user-suggested Web Designer enhancements are being taken seriously. Thanks.

If I have to pay more for Web Designer core upgrades, or smart add-on modules/tools (table-builder, form-designer, multi-level menu/navbar builder, etc.) that selectively expand/enhance its function, then so be it.

I'm looking anxiously looking forward to the constructive, long-term enhancement of Xara Web Designer.

[richinri]

Also I will need to copy some snippets of code from Paypal for him to take payments for orders.

Here's a preview of the design: http://home.comcast.net/~danielleminion/

Here's what his current site looks like: www.receptionfanatic.com

Many thanks to all of you...

I believe code from the paypal site should be able to be included via placeholders without a problem.