Xara WD 365 Yearly subscription expires - Questions arise...

[Astrid Flamer]

Hello all,

I renewed my original subscription of the Xara Designer Pro X 365 in January of 2021, so it's about to end soon.

Meanwhile, I have designed and published a couple of small websites with the program (via an external hosting company), which have not required any updates so far. However, I may have to make some changes after my subscription ends.
I understood, that I would not have access to the content catalogue and updates anymore, after my subscription ends, but now (while searching for something completely unrelated), I have come across THIS in the Xara Desktop Help Center and I was kinda taken aback:

DO I LOSE ACCESS TO ALL MY FILES AT THE END OF MY SUBSCRIPTION?
No, you keep everything you have saved and exported after you subscription has ended, and any websites will remain published. Xara won't delete any of your designs.

PROJECT FILES
To open .XAR and .WEB project files however, you would need to do so within Designer Pro and for that you would need an active subscription to open.

Does that factually mean, that I won’t be able to update/make any changes to existing websites created in Xara, the program I bought, unless I renew my yearly subscription?

[handrawn]

that is talking about xara designer pro+ - not WD - you should be ok opening files with WD, or any of the magix distributed versions of xara programs

but that said, if you build websites and they have widgets etc these may lapse and be replaced in later versions and may cause you issues if you do not have access to the latest OCC and cannot therefore update them

btw you do not buy the program - you buy the right to use it

[Acorn]

Astrid, you lose access to any on-line assets.

You can download the Online Content Catalogue components before the expiry date.
Open the Local designs Gallery.
There are 7 Blue folders. Right-click on each one's title and pick Download All.
If you have XDPXv18.5, you could be downloading and storing about 3GB of data; it won't be fast.

If you have a second machine, install the application and do the same there.
This gives you a spare as if you have to re-install the application, it rolls back to be purchase version and you lose all of that year's updates.

Provided you have your design XAR/WEB files available, you will be able to edit and republish.
I have sites done in v15 and I have updated them in that version over several years without any problem.
You benefit from a later version with their improved HTML Filter, the thing that generates the website.

Acorn

[Chris M]

You can download the Content Catalogue by opening Local Designs Gallery section of the Gallery on the right side of the program.
RIGHT click on each section you want to keep and click Download.

The content, once downloaded, is buried in the depths, and you need to be a blood relative of Indiana Jones to find it.
C:\Users\your user name\AppData\Local\Xara\WebDesignerPremium\17\Cache\designs\eng. You also need to have Hidden Files showing in Windows and look for the Xara name that suits your installation.



Great minds and all that Acorn.

[Astrid Flamer]

@handrawn: "btw you do not buy the program - you buy the right to use it" -Lol. Don't rob me of my illusions.

Thanks for confirming Acorn and Chris. And big ups for the tips on how to download the content!
I am no blood relative of Indiana Jones , but somehow, I'll get the job done. (The latest version installed is WD Pro X v17.)

I have been using Xara Webdesigner on-and-off since 2013 and I have been quite happy with the ease of the program. I liked the convenience of having an array of useful tools for different design jobs at hand, on one interface, without having to assort to 2 or 3 different programs to get a job done.
It even came in handy for a few simple print jobs.

However, when it comes to functionality, especially in widgets/blog features/booking tools etc., it has its limits. Unfortunately.
(Therefore I am wrapping my head around WP now, so I can keep up with the rising demands.)

Still, there is this one site, that I created for a friend, which doesn't need any of the fancies, except for maybe one or two simple updates per year and it's a relief to know that I won't run into any problems after my subscription ends.

Thanks again and many greetings from Spain.