Xara Dot Com

**Chris M** · 23 June 2020, 11:55 AM

I went for a nosy around the Xara site and became curious as to how they made certain parts of the website. The text seems to flow like a responsive site, and (the big one for me) the menu button on the mobile version works...I'd like to know how this was done.

When I make a menu button that opens a layer, then use (what appears to be) the same button to close the layer, it won't unless I move the mouse to lose focus and then regain focus. Not an issue on a mobile, but to use the same action on a mouse driven driven machine...

Shrinking the screen on the Xara site until the mobile menu appears, I clicked the button repeatedly without moving position and the layer opened and closed perfectly; something I cannot achieve. Anyone know how Xara did this?

**gwpriester** · 23 June 2020, 11:59 AM

Not sure, but maybe they did not use Web Designer or Designer Pro X?

**Acorn** · 23 June 2020, 12:03 PM

Xara doesn't use its products for its website.

The menu probably uses CSS, which understands clicks far more than Xara's offerings.

Acorn

**Chris M** · 23 June 2020, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Acorn

Xara doesn't use its products for its website.

Hmmm.

**Rob-Xar** · 23 June 2020, 01:39 PM

Yes, we don't use DP or WD to create our own website, because it's not suitable for our requirements and integrations. Different tools for different jobs.

**Acorn** · 23 June 2020, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by Chris M

Hmmm.

Chris, https://xara.com uses:

Lots of <link rel="preload" ...>s to pre-fetch assets - not an XDA feature.
A <meta name="revisit-after" content="5 days"> to ensure content is refreshed - not an XDA feature.
Scaled favicons - not an XDA feature.
Lots of social media hooks - not an XDA feature.
A master page CMS - not an XDA feature.
Limited ARIA content and tabindex=-1 and Skip Links to prevent screen readers falling over these sections - not an XDA feature.
A ream of Local Storage Keys - not an XDA feature.
A database of cacheName Keys and timestamps - not an XDA feature.
Cache Storage - not an XDA feature.
An embarrassment of Tracking Cookies - not an XDA feature.
Lazing Loading - not an XDA feature.
Adaptive layout - not an XDA feature.
CSS NavBar - not an XDA feature.
Looping SVG Animation - not an XDA feature.
SVG Images - not an XDA feature.

What's not to like?

Acorn

**Rob-Xar** · 23 June 2020, 02:06 PM

WD wouldn't be aimed at users with no knowledge of code if we had a number of those things. Especially anything to do with SQL databases, tables, permissions etc, let alone reading / writing to them. That stuff is a nightmare.

Doesn't mean we can't improve, and a few of those items are actually on our wishlist but it's unfair to compare someone learning to drive to a F1 driver.

**Acorn** · 23 June 2020, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Rob-Xar

WD wouldn't be aimed at users with no knowledge of code if we had a number of those things. Especially anything to do with SQL databases, tables, permissions etc, let alone reading / writing to them. That stuff is a nightmare.
Doesn't mean we can't improve, and a few of those items are actually on our wishlist but it's unfair to compare someone learning to drive to a F1 driver.

Exactly so Rob, I was trying to show the complexity the XDAs avoid but with the associated loss of capability.

Many want Master Pages. I want better ARIA cover and W3 compliance for Tables. You need to jettison the Xara Navbar. Better animation and SVG incorporation (e.g., GreenSock) would be impactful.

While we are here:
The occasional Roadmap might help!
The occasional update on a HiDef Beta might be thoughtful.
it might not be a clamour but offering Pro+ alone in direct competition with Magix (c.f., Update Service) would be a declaration most would root for. [Yes, I know, a pipe dream]

Acorn

**gwpriester** · 23 June 2020, 03:35 PM

Back in the 80s when we had our design company, Mary got a job doing a bunch of computer illustrations for Intel. This was pre-Xara when we were using CorelDRAW. All the designers at Intel had Macs and made a huge fuss about not being able to work with Windows files.

Always seems a bit disingenuous.

**Chris M** · 23 June 2020, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by Rob-Xar

it's unfair to compare someone learning to drive to a F1 driver.

This I understand, and agree with. It's just so obvious that you don't use your own product that it first appeared cringeworthy. But yes, Xara the company isn't who the product is aimed at. Same as Dulux isn't aiming at artists who produce photo realism.

On a bright note, I've just finished a site that looks perfectly fine, works as I want it to, and I only had to step out of the Xara box once (social media sharing stuff).