Think Adaptive Images would help turn website into a mobile format?

**BruThru** · 19 September 2013, 06:19 PM

I am new to this board and a relative new user to Web Designer 9. I am looking to turn a content static website into responsive design website. Has anyone tried this tool in conjunction with their website? It appears you put a piece of java script in the header of the index page and have some software in the root directory and the software is able to adjust the size of the page based on the device displaying the web page.

Looking for feedback from the experts,

Thanks

BruThru

Here is their website page:
adaptive-images.com

**Acorn** · 19 September 2013, 06:59 PM

Sorry I don't think it will fly.

Requirements:

Apache2 / nginx
PHP 5.x
GD lib *

Xara has none of these embedded.

The PHP part would also bomb:

Add .htaccess and adaptive-images.php to your document-root folder.
Add one line of JavaScript into the <head> of your site.
Add your CSS Media Query values into $resolutions in the PHP file.

Acorn

**BruThru** · 19 September 2013, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by Acorn

Sorry I don't think it will fly.

Requirements:

Apache2 / nginx
PHP 5.x
GD lib *

Xara has none of these embedded.

The PHP part would also bomb:

Add .htaccess and adaptive-images.php to your document-root folder.
Add one line of JavaScript into the <head> of your site.
Add your CSS Media Query values into $resolutions in the PHP file.

Acorn

Acorn thanks for your response.

I thought since my service provider supports PHP 5 and I can insert the one line of JavaScript into the index page header section I thought it would work. I also embedded the .htaccess file in the root directory along with the adaptive-images.php file. I do not edit the CSS Media Query values since the standard values seem adequate. So what am I missing?

**pauland** · 19 September 2013, 09:44 PM

BruThru, there is no way to automagically convert a Xara website to be responsive.

A lot of people wish it could be done, but that's all it is - wishful thinking.

**BruThru** · 19 September 2013, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by pauland

BruThru, there is no way to automagically convert a Xara website to be responsive.

A lot of people wish it could be done, but that's all it is - wishful thinking.

You maybe right but I would like to test this option. Found this thread about changing the webserver to see HTML as PHP files. Wonder if this might get us there to test the solution at least.
http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...-php-with-Xara

**pauland** · 19 September 2013, 10:37 PM

BruThru, Xara websites use fixed positioning, while responsive websites adapt to size changes. There is no magic bullet, so I wish you well with your tests.

I would be delighted ( and stunned ) if you prove me wrong. If there was a solution it would be part of the Xara product already, I think.

**jhorta32** · 23 September 2013, 09:53 PM

So sad about this , i love Xara , but i think is time to change...

Responsive web design is the present, in the next 2 year, mobile browsers will be used by about 70% of web surfers, so ((((((XARA)))))), what are you waiting for, give us responsive templates,,,,, make your product more lovely than already is .

**photonkid** · 24 September 2013, 12:21 AM

Can you explain more about what a "responsive template" would do for you?

I've been trying to figure out what you "lose" by using xara (with absolute pixel coordinates for everything) compared with floating coordinates. I just found this by googling http://blog.teamtreehouse.com/how-to...r-all-browsers
and this
http://www.google.com.au/think/artic...rspective.html

But what does a responsive template do? Can it tell when a device is in portrait mode/ landscape mode? Does it adapt the widths of the columns or does it put everything in a grid and the squares flow sideways or something?

**pauland** · 24 September 2013, 08:25 AM

Responsive sites adapt according to the size of the browser window or device sizes and types. Modern CSS can react to the size of the device and the usage - google 'media queries'.

Creating a responsive page is quite different to creating a fixed size one - it's more like programming. The responsive designer is thinking about what they want on screen in differrent circumstances and how to have the page adapt to varying sizes. Contrast that notion with laying out a page for a book or using Xara software - you always know the page size and it doesn't change. You put things where you want them and the page won't switch from A4 to A5. On the web you don't know the page size - you just know the typical size.

You can make adaptable sites using Xara software, but it's about switching between separate fixed size sites. It can be effective, but it's not equivalent to having a responsive site.

So many people want a responsive site through Xara but don't really understand what they are asking for and why it would require a big change in how their sites would be designed.

Responsive design requires much more skill than laying out elements on a page - it's about the relationship between elements and the page size. A skilled designer can make a responsive template, but the design options available to the unskilled (in a CSS sense) designer will then be limited - while a fixed size page designer like Xara gives you complete freedom.

I think it's about time for Xara to make some kind of statement about responsive design and even recommend strategies for building adaptable websites using the Xara software that exists now.