Leaving XWD Because of Immense Frustration

[suzzie1234]

I am Leaving Xara Web Designer... because of the massive frustration I am having with the program... and its idiosyncrasies.... and jumbled workarounds... and conflicting information here on the forums.

I have spent over 80 hours trying to make a fairly simple web site with cascading menus. Ive actually paid people to help me with Xara and their work has been as unpredictable as the program, and Ive had several people kind enough to try to help me off-line..and "Thank You" to them....but to no avail...My web site is dead, unworkable and unstable.

I am NOT COMING BACK till Xara makes a corporate commitment to make a comprehensive, bulletproof, non-assuming, easy to understand, not missing any steps, explaining it all, beginners TRAINING VIDEO on how to master its menu buttons, rollovers, popups and ESPECIALLY its cascading menu methodology with the 10 rules you must implement to make it work.

I am tired of workarounds, mis-information, corrections, and temporarily wrong information. There are a large number of very dedicated, helpful, and intelligent people working with integrity here in the forum...but I dont think I can take working with XWD any further till the company comes out with a major fix release or some training that doesnt talk over our heads like this all works just simply fine...and forgets to tell us 5 steps in between that MUST be followed...

Ill be back maybe in a month maybe...after I have cooled down with the frustrations with V5.01 of this software...and the jumble of well meaning unsuccessful workarounds.

Suzzie

[moondust]

Hello Suzzie,

I only use XWD to make multiple, templates or websites to show my cutomers and then work it out with an other programm like dreamweaver.

XWD is fantastic to quikley make graphics, bannerads headings, buttons, and even menu's. Althoug I don't use menus often because of the SEO.
SE have difficulties to index you pages when using pre build menu's.

So my advice is to use it for graphics, and building templates or previeuws for your customers.

Don't turn your back to XWD. It's great and cheap ....

[akubbeng]

Hello Suzzie,

I'm sure that if you upload your .web file and tell us in more details what your problems are that people will step in and help you to solve them.

[pauland]

Suzzie, your experience seems very much at odds with the vast majority of XWD users.

[cursor]

Attaching a current .web file will allow forum members to help move you forward in your design efforts. Some issues just can't be resolved without an independent voice (or set of external perspectives). Personally, I'm happy to offer what I can to help you through whatever problems you might be experiencing (sounds like navigation issues).

[Rhanna]

Suzzie,
It is easy to get frustrated with computing! I think it would be fair to say, we have all been there! I would encourage you to take up the kind offers of forum members to help you.
My concern is where you are going wrong in XWD because the templates supplied give you ample scope to make a simple web page and upload it.
If you switch to another programme you will have the same trouble and probably more.
Give it another go.
Rupert

[infoseek]

I am Leaving Xara Web Designer... because of the massive frustration I am having with the program... and its idiosyncrasies.... and jumbled workarounds... and conflicting information here on the forums.

I have spent over 80 hours trying to make a fairly simple web site with cascading menus. Ive actually paid people to help me with Xara and their work has been as unpredictable as the program, and Ive had several people kind enough to try to help me off-line..and "Thank You" to them....but to no avail...My web site is dead, unworkable and unstable.

I am NOT COMING BACK till Xara makes a corporate commitment to make a comprehensive, bulletproof, non-assuming, easy to understand, not missing any steps, explaining it all, beginners TRAINING VIDEO on how to master its menu buttons, rollovers, popups and ESPECIALLY its cascading menu methodology with the 10 rules you must implement to make it work.

I am tired of workarounds, mis-information, corrections, and temporarily wrong information. There are a large number of very dedicated, helpful, and intelligent people working with integrity here in the forum...but I dont think I can take working with XWD any further till the company comes out with a major fix release or some training that doesnt talk over our heads like this all works just simply fine...and forgets to tell us 5 steps in between that MUST be followed...

Ill be back maybe in a month maybe...after I have cooled down with the frustrations with V5.01 of this software...and the jumble of well meaning unsuccessful workarounds.

Suzzie

That's interesting . . . . . I was able to do everything you had trouble with in less than 2 hours. Absolute beginner too :-)

[pauland]

That's interesting . . . . . I was able to do everything you had trouble with in less than 2 hours. Absolute beginner too :-)

Two hours to create menus in any program isn't great. Suzzie does have a point and for anyone having problems it's easy to see things as being worse than they really are.

[ChrisBro]

Well what a thread, firstly Cursor you are an absolute star always there to lend a hand and help out in any way you can I think your ace. On this occassion its a shame the op hasn't had the respect for you taking so much time to try and help out to even bother posting a reply to your hard work.

I haven't been around for a few weeks now busy creating websites for my client list with this fantastic software, allmy clients are quite a close knit community and know each other so when one website was updated they all wanted it doing great new for me.

Over complicated nav bars are just that over complicated not needed and a waste of everyones time, if Xara thought it would have been a useful feature Im sure they would have incorporated it esily some where along the line, however I think we shouldn't lose focus on what Xara is and who it is aimed at, to me (and I may be wrong) it has been designed with drag and drop capability to make life easy for the "inexperienced" web designer or home user, these bloated nav bars are certainly not something an inexperienced user should be looking to create.

I think this time this problem is outside the realm of what WD was designed to do, and as usual the absolute stars that monitor this forum are trying their hardest to find a workaround to keep people happy personally I wouldn't bother. If its that important for this person to have this bloated nav bar then she simply has 2 choices:

a/ Go away and learn all about Dreamweaver and Expression Web maybe in around 6 months she will have the necessary coding skills to achieve what she is after.

b/ Open the purse and pay a pro

To me this whole scenario is a simple as that, I may be looking at things wrong it wouldn't be the first time so appologies if you disagree with me that fact she hasn't even offered a simple thankyou to Cursor says it all to me frustration or not they guys here dont work for Xara and get no financial recompense for the hours they put in trying to help people simple manners cost nothing.

Well done Cursor patt on the back to you

I will find your tut extremely useful but have to say I try my hardest to stay away from these bloatlike features that at the end of the day have no clear benefit to anything anyhow.

Rant over..........

[pauland]

I think it's always best when we address issues and concerns and not get personal.