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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    9

    Default How do I get one of the new "dynamic web variant websites"?

    I've been using Xara web since version 5 and utterly love it.
    I use the 2-stage variant web design at the moment, ie. two websites - one big for desktop one small for mobile phones, but I've upgraded to V16 premium for the sole purpose of using this new dynamic web variant feature. How do I access it, cant see any templates that use it!
    thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    1,740

    Default Re: How do I get one of the new "dynamic web variant websites"?

    It's in the Website Export options:
    Web Properties > Website > Web Export Options > Scale To Fit Width

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    Placitas, New Mexico, USA
    Posts
    41,487

    Default Re: How do I get one of the new "dynamic web variant websites"?

    Welcome to TalkGraphics (but obviously not to Xara)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    9

    Default Re: How do I get one of the new "dynamic web variant websites"?

    Sorry I'm being really dense here but I still don't get it and there doesn't seem to be any documentation or how-to video on this new feature - if it is new.

    Does this scale to fit width feature replace having two sites, one for tablet and one for desktop, how do i get it to work, do I start with a big site and it'll shrink it , or do i start with a small site for tablets and it will grow it? If it will grow it, how do i tell it what I want it to look like when large? Where's the preview? Is there a template anywhere that shows it working? There's a very natty video on the sales blurb , I thought "Hey that looks cool I'll upgrade", but no guide anywhere that I can find and now I'm a bit stuck! thanks!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    1,740

    Default Re: How do I get one of the new "dynamic web variant websites"?

    Sorry, Steve, Xara isn't a fully responsive solution (which I think you are referring to). You still need to create a mobile variant as Xara shrinks all the elements on the page, it doesn't rearrange them. It does however cover desktop/tablet and allows for wider pages to be used in desktop mode while still looking right on a tablet.

    A simple way to preview what it does is to preview your site with your browser in windowed mode and simply drag the sides in. Try setting the page size to 1280 (File > Page Options > Custom Page Size) and setting the export option to Scale To Fit Width (Maximum Width 1280). Creating a mobile variant with the default 480px nicely covers most of today's common display needs.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    9

    Default Re: How do I get one of the new "dynamic web variant websites"?

    Thanks for that. I was hoping to ease the process of making the mobile variant but it looks like i just wasted 35 quid - i was quite happy with version 12, thought this resizing was new feature. never mind. Thanks for your help

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    SW England
    Posts
    17,746

    Default Re: How do I get one of the new "dynamic web variant websites"?

    Quote Originally Posted by steve dunning View Post
    thought this resizing was new feature.
    But is is a new feature that is not possible in v12. It allows most designers to deliver a responsive site with only two Variants.

    Acorn
    Acorn - installed Xara software: Cloud+/Pro+ and most others back through time (to CC's Artworks). Contact for technical remediation/consultancy for your web designs.
    When we provide assistance, your responses are valuable as they benefit the community. TG Nuggets you might like. Report faults: Xara Cloud+/Pro+/Magix Legacy; Xara KB & Chat

  8. #8

    Default Re: How do I get one of the new "dynamic web variant websites"?

    Xara will ease the creation of variants, i.e., anything smaller than desktop all the way down to mobile... but your sites will be adaptive and not responsive. However, the new feature scale-to-fit is meant to ease the pain, as I too was looking for something totally responsive. However, Xara is one of the best graphics manipulation products available and has a lot of bells and whistles.

    Xara is also not mobile-first, but that doesn't make it a total waste of money. It will take a lot of time to get through the videos to see all that you can do with Xara. I believe that writing the latest Xara off without giving it a go would be a mistake.

    However, if mobile-first responsive-web-design is what you want 100%, then right now Bootstrap 4 is the most popular choice according to online statistics.

    As an aside, I am using Xara for graphic design and to sketch out the different variant views. I will then publish the site for client preview and then go in and redo everything with the latter using css-grid and flexbox. I am very used to Xara and totally new to Bootstrap, so I am very happy with Xara as a tool, even if it isn't currently my be-all end-all.

    I am sure that Xara will adapt to meet the current market, as it's not that big of a gap, but it will take time. Layout has always been something that Xara has excelled at. There's no reason that Xara couldn't be responsive as well as mobile-first, once they decide that's what they want to do.
    Last edited by TwoEdgedSword; 25 July 2019 at 09:22 AM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    9

    Default Re: How do I get one of the new "dynamic web variant websites"?

    Thanks for your help everyone.

    I've looked at the xara web 16 promo video again and I think I now understand what the latest Xara web is offering - I will still have to make the two variants, one big one small, but instead of the sudden jump between them Xara can smoothly adapt depending on screen size. (I hope). Not too sure how its gong to cope with the fact that they have quite different graphics on several pages but here goes...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2000
    Location
    Bracknell, UK
    Posts
    8,659

    Default Re: How do I get one of the new "dynamic web variant websites"?

    Quote Originally Posted by steve dunning View Post
    Xara can smoothly adapt depending on screen size. (I hope). Not too sure how its gong to cope with the fact that they have quite different graphics on several pages but here goes...
    I'm not sure what 'smoothly adapt' means.

    All that happens is that Xara looks at the size of the browser window and decides which variant to display on the basis of that. Xara doesn't care if the variants have different content (that would be normal practice) - it's only showing one variant at a time.

 

 

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