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Anyone used X Buillder?
I notice that Xara Templates are offering this interesting X Builder product and wonder if any members have used it?
I have bought several of their templates previously but it is not possible to contact the author Michal Jarmoluk via their web site so I am reluctant to buy at this stage.
Advice would be appreciated.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Have not used it and to be honest I have not heard of it before.
My guess is it is a Magix product.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
X Builder is a drop-in collection of block of Xara that are added to three Variants without extra effort.
Here is a demo site: https://xaratemplates.com/demo/xbuilder/02/.
The concept seems to be more refined that Xara's but I have not purchased as I was thinking of buying the professional pack outright.
Michal is a TG member (jarmoluk) so you can email him as he is yet to be granted PM access. He seems very productive so is missing his email enquiries, how Xara!
Acorn
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Is there a one time fee and updates are free afterwards?
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
behzad
Is there a one time fee and updates are free afterwards?
Michal has advised by PM that the next update for headers and footers will be available within the next two weeks and will be free.
X Builder is a good product although, at this stage, it does not include forms.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Thank you. I hope Michal can come on here and tell us more about his product.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
If the owner of this product reads this, please respond. I am hesitant and I am sure many others to purchase the product when I can not find a way to message or email Michał Jarmoluk.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
I bought the X Builder package. It is as previously described, a whole suite of building blocks for fast and stylish website building in Xara web design products. Instead of using a website template you can custom build a website to suit you or your clients needs. It has helped my productivity. I have also learned some tricks from how the blocks are constructed. Very happy with the price and the quantity of content provided. A once only purchase with free updates as they become available for download. Refreshing, when compared to Xara's update policy for which you get very few usable updates.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rockwallaby
I have also learned some tricks from how the blocks are constructed.
Could you please elaborate on that? I visited the website and could only partially understand how the concept of 'building blocks' improves on Xara's method of supplying content.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
X Builder is a drop-in collection of block of Xara that are added to three Variants without extra effort.
Here is a demo site:
https://xaratemplates.com/demo/xbuilder/02/.
The concept seems to be more refined that Xara's but I have not purchased as I was thinking of buying the professional pack outright.
Michal is a TG member (
jarmoluk) so you can email him as he is yet to be granted PM access. He seems very productive so is missing his email enquiries, how Xara!
Acorn
Thanks for that link Acorn, looks interesting. Could entice me to get into web design.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
I am still waiting to hear from the horses mouth, he seems to not be around much.
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Boy
Could you please elaborate on that? I visited the website and could only partially understand how the concept of 'building blocks' improves on Xara's method of supplying content.
Hello Boy, Xbuilder is just more content/elements/blocks/objects for use in xara. Purchasing it entitles you to download a zip file containing around 750 files of content that has a .web file extension. Unpack the zip file onto your hard drive and you are good to go. Just drag and drop the content onto your website design. Some smart looking pieces of content that you just have to add your slant on. Attached is 3 random pieces of content to demonstrate.Attachment 121058
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Thanks Rockwallaby, I understand how all this works but what I don't yet get is, is there some added functionality, benefit to these 'building blocks' or is it just extra content?
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Boy
Thanks Rockwallaby, I understand how all this works but what I don't yet get is, is there some added functionality, benefit to these 'building blocks' or is it just extra content?
Boy, just extra content.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rockwallaby
Boy, just extra content.
But extra content that doesn't evaporate.
Acorn
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rockwallaby
Boy, just extra content.
Thanks for clarifying that, RW.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
I just bought X-Builder. Looks pretty good so far. Much more modern than most of the templates that come with XDP.
= Steve
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Steve,
After you have used and had a chance to work with it, how about doing a review and post it. This would probably be a big help for the community.
Ray
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Yes I am hesitant to pay when the creator of the program is not active on here.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
stevegill
I just bought X-Builder. Looks pretty good so far. Much more modern than most of the templates that come with XDP.
= Steve
Will do.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
behzad
Yes I am hesitant to pay when the creator of the program is not active on here.
Behzad, it is not a program.
Xbuilder is just loads of editable content that you can bring into your website design. You download the content after you pay, the content then resides on your system. From what I have utilized so far, it is very handy with ready made content that looks good. I feel it is good value.
Cheers,
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Thank you, but don't you think the creator should at least be a bit active, specially on this thread? No doubt it looks good, waiting to see what he does with footers.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
behzad
Thank you, but don't you think the creator should at least be a bit active, specially on this thread? No doubt it looks good, waiting to see what he does with footers.
behzad, I agree.
Regardless, I have just forked out for the Professional Pack and I do have 30 days for a refund.
I have asked Michal to appear in this Thread to present his bona fides.
I have had a play with a few of the 743 XBuilder blocks and two of the 102? Templates.
I have found simple (& elegant) constructions with Guides (!) and code for simple forms as well as designs for up to three Variants.
When I say "simple", you could do them yourself, if you had the time and the experience. Few of us have gotten to grips with Parallax reveals. Overall, they are far easier to deconstruct than Xara's collection.
When Xara v15 Upgrade comes out, Magix have declared there are 18 new Templates, which, by my calculations, is $1 each (Half of the Upgrade cost and 2/3 of the development effort to templates as so little seems forthcoming on application code).
XBuilder is $67 so each Block is under $0.10.
The All Web Templates bundle is $197, so almost $2 each but if you bundle-bundle you get them all, with XBuilder for free, at $177.
All in all, just over 1GB of zipped Xara-powered Templates and Blocks.
There is a free collection at https://xaratemplates.com/free-templates/.
No endorsement yet and no association with XaraTemplates but with the right integration into Xara's Local design Gallery, i think I have gained a useful collection.
Even if you have no interest, check out the site Help page: https://xaratemplates.com/help/.
It has a number of resources that i have found useful. Shame how so many of the Xara help links not bomb.
Acorn
P.S. Still showing commitment to the Xara Desktop applications - rah!
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
I bought XBuilder and some templates. So far I'm pleased with the purchase. If nothing else comes of it I've been able to glean some ideas from some of the items that I could incorporate into my own sites. I am building a new site with one of the templates and it is looking good so far. A little learning curve on some of the logic, but in a good way as it is showing me how to use WD in ways I had not yet tried. I bought it at a discount, so I think it was worth it. I don't know what the designer of this could add here - it is still a Xara/Magix product that you are using it with.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Acorn thank you for the links and info, your always so helpful. Thanks to all other users for giving their input as well.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
I have just forked out for the Professional Pack....
Acorn, where can I find this product on their site?
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Boy
Acorn, where can I find this product on their site?
https://xaratemplates.com/deals/ and bottom of the page pick Yes to Are you a Professional?
Acorn
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
behzad
Acorn thank you for the links and info, your always so helpful. Thanks to all other users for giving their input as well.
Most kind,
Acorn
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Wow, you bought the full collection! I would get lost in so much content: how to choose?!
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
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Originally Posted by
Boy
Wow, you bought the full collection! I would get lost in so much content: how to choose?!
I couldn't choose and I liked the sobriquet of "Professional". I deconstruct reams of technical problem space material in my day job so an in-depth analysis of templates doesn't faze me; being creative does.
Acorn
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
I like the term 'professional' as well but was initially hesitant to click the 'Yes' button after the question, 'Are you a professional'! You encouraged me! :)
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
I do like it and he has done a great job, but too much effects happening, minimum is better. Yes I can turn them off but the purpose of these templates are for a faster execution.
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
May 24 Update. 74 new blocks. (Total now 817)
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mick
May 24 Update. 74 new blocks. (Total now 817)
and I've just download the new XBuilder set again with the update included.
Acorn
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
I purchased X Builder a couple months ago and just used it for a new customer website project. Fairly simple, had to rewatch the video a couple of times. Took a bit of time to create a 2 page draft but it is closer to what the customer ask for and should be faster on the next site, and the next site...
All in all an excellent value. For those that commented on how much content there is, you are correct. Half my time was spent selecting which block to use. But at the risk of some sameness of sites I will eventually have a short list to use that is less than the total 840 blocks that are provided.
Sure you could create all these yourself, but at the price point they are offered it would just be silly. All in all I'd give X Builder a 4 out of 5 star rating. 5 stars would come with making it a bit easier to "find" the right block and a little easier and cleaner insert the block functionality.
Here is the rough draft for the customer for general look and feel. The menu is there but only have a home and contact page built. Should finish the whole site this week.
https://eric.dollaradaysites.net/ads/
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
I looked at your site but there must be something wrong. Just some horizontal, colored blocks, no contents and some non-working links.
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Boy
I looked at your site but there must be something wrong. Just some horizontal, colored blocks, no contents and some non-working links.
Yes, it is just a rough draft for the customer to see look and layout. None of the links are active.
However, you should see some content, images and text. I attached a snip of the page, is this what you see?
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
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Re: Anyone used X Buillder?
Yes, that's what I saw as well.