Creating "view desktop version" link for mobile variants

**avguy** · 16 June 2015, 01:02 AM

Hi- Being a newbee to website design, my question might be a basic concept.
I'm trying to create a "view desktop version" link for mobile variants created in WD 11.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Mike

**steve.ledger** · 16 June 2015, 01:25 AM

I don't understand why you would ever need to do this?
It is totally counter productive..

Can you explain your reasoning?

In any case, you cannot. Variants are the same HTML document.

**Cloud** · 16 June 2015, 01:01 PM

steve is absolutely right. The whole point of a mobile version of your site is that it makes it perfect for viewing and navigating on a mobile device, so by adding a 'desktop' button is implying either that the desktop version is better and more user friendly than the mobile version or it contains something which the mobile version doesn't. Yes you might find some old sites (even from some big names) which do this whole 'visit desktop' version but believe me they are either in the process of changing that or they are completely wrong.

**Rob-Xar** · 17 June 2015, 03:28 PM

Hi Mike

The script which shows what variant to display is based upon the size of the browser that you are viewing your website on. Whereas you can drag a desktop browser to a smaller or larger window to change variants, you can't do this with mobile devices. All variants of a page are combined one file, hence why you can't link it either.

I can understand the want for a view desktop version button. I myself have found some sites just to be plain nicer on the desktop than mobile to view and read.

**Cloud** · 17 June 2015, 04:16 PM

I myself have found some sites just to be plain nicer on the desktop than mobile to view and read.

You must have come across a really badly designed mobile site then Rob, for a mobile site to be worse on a mobile than a desktop site on a mobile is really unfortunate.

**Rob-Xar** · 17 June 2015, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by Cloud

You must have come across a really badly designed mobile site then Rob, for a mobile site to be worse on a mobile than a desktop site on a mobile is really unfortunate.

You tend to see some rather.... interesting sites working with tech support :)

**gsthunder** · 17 July 2015, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by Cloud

steve is absolutely right. The whole point of a mobile version of your site is that it makes it perfect for viewing and navigating on a mobile device, so by adding a 'desktop' button is implying either that the desktop version is better and more user friendly than the mobile version or it contains something which the mobile version doesn't. Yes you might find some old sites (even from some big names) which do this whole 'visit desktop' version but believe me they are either in the process of changing that or they are completely wrong.

I came across this topic via a search for this exact topic. I am surprised at the responses some have given that border on being rude and insulting. I don't see how anyone can tell another web designer they are completely wrong as a blanket statement.

This is actually something that DOES have it's place in the world even though you and some others don't think so. I have a General Contractor I do the website for and he wants lots of photos posted of his projects. There are pages and pages of his projects and some of them have 50-60+ photos p/ page. It would be very "unfriendly" to have all those photos on a mobile version of a site not to mention a nightmare for the person updating the site who has to add them in 2 different ways. In this instance having a note directing the visitor to go to the main site to see all of his project photos just make sense.

Not every website is suited for a mobile phone/device and that does not make the design of the site wrong. I do another site with a lot of slideshows for another client. They are big so they would take a long time to download on a phone plus they would be small and not as visually pleasing to view on a small device. Definitely another instance where going to the main site would be beneficial to the viewer.

I wish people could just answer the questions without all the commentary.

**Rob-Xar** · 17 July 2015, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by gsthunder

I came across this topic via a search for this exact topic. I am surprised at the responses some have given that border on being rude and insulting. I don't see how anyone can tell another web designer they are completely wrong as a blanket statement.

This is actually something that DOES have it's place in the world even though you and some others don't think so. I have a General Contractor I do the website for and he wants lots of photos posted of his projects. There are pages and pages of his projects and some of them have 50-60+ photos p/ page. It would be very "unfriendly" to have all those photos on a mobile version of a site not to mention a nightmare for the person updating the site who has to add them in 2 different ways. In this instance having a note directing the visitor to go to the main site to see all of his project photos just make sense.

Not every website is suited for a mobile phone/device and that does not make the design of the site wrong. I do another site with a lot of slideshows for another client. They are big so they would take a long time to download on a phone plus they would be small and not as visually pleasing to view on a small device. Definitely another instance where going to the main site would be beneficial to the viewer.

I wish people could just answer the questions without all the commentary.

People have strong opinions and views on the internet and forums, sometimes you just need to filter what they are saying through how they are saying it.

Truthfully I like the idea of a desktop view button, especially if you have a big enough phone that can accommodate the desktop version comfortably but due to the way Xara works out what version to display, this isn't possible. There may be a work around through scripts etc but I haven't come up with one yet.

**pauland** · 17 July 2015, 12:23 PM

I am surprised at the responses some have given that border on being rude and insulting.
I don't think that is intended.

I don't see how anyone can tell another web designer they are completely wrong as a blanket statement.
It's a question of perspective. Many respondents here have invested a lot of time developing websites and following as best they can best practices and understanding why something work well for a website and why some don't. Some of the earlier respondents run successful web design agencies and understand what works and what doesn't.

This is actually something that DOES have it's place in the world even though you and some others don't think so.
Hmm.

I have a General Contractor I do the website for and he wants lots of photos posted of his projects. There are pages and pages of his projects and some of them have 50-60+ photos p/ page. It would be very "unfriendly" to have all those photos on a mobile version of a site not to mention a nightmare for the person updating the site who has to add them in 2 different ways.

First of all, for sites like this with large numbers of photographs, the idea of adding them twice over is indeed a nightmare. What it actually indicates is that you are using the wrong technology for this task and you should probably be using a CMS-based system that would allow the photographs to be added once for both mobile and desktop. With a responsive template, mobile will be less of an issue, but phones and lots of images - we need to be smarter.

In this instance having a note directing the visitor to go to the main site to see all of his project photos just make sense.
Well, no. It makes no sense at all. It's just a convenience for the developer who's using the wrong technology.

Not every website is suited for a mobile phone/device and that does not make the design of the site wrong.
No, not every desktop site is suited to a mobile device that's why we have mobile sites and we adapt to the realities of using a mobile platform.

I do another site with a lot of slideshows for another client. They are big so they would take a long time to download on a phone plus they would be small and not as visually pleasing to view on a small device. Definitely another instance where going to the main site would be beneficial to the viewer.
That makes no sense at all. Your desktop assets may be too heavy for mobile so the appropriate approach is to create lightweight assets that are appropriate for mobile, not to just give up.

I wish people could just answer the questions without all the commentary.
That's truly disappointing.

Many people ask for what they think will help them (as in this case), yet don't realise why it would be a bad idea. We are all here to help each other and there not one single person here clever enough not to learn something on TG - you and I included.

We may not agree with the advice we are given, so we can choose to ignore it. I'd much rather be given advice and not take it than have people help me do the wrong thing without saying anything. The people that help me do the wrong thing are assisting in my stupidity if they do nothing more to try and help me.

Let's learn from each other, make our own choices and not just pass up the chance of very good advice.