Simple CMS - GREAT new tool I found that works with Xara

[Acorn]

-Allow clients to edit a text headline
-Allow clients to edit an article (text box)
-Allow clients to change out pictures

-Allow clients to upload files
-Allow clients to create links so visitors can download the files that are uploaded

-Restrict the "Sections" on a site the client can edit
-Have multiple client staff members with different access to different sections to edit

Here are some of the real-world sites where I am looking to use this:

-Election results site
* Clients can upload a pdf with election results and edit the link on their site for the latest results
-Small restaurant client
* Client can edit the "Today's Special" section and/or upload a pdf with Today's Special
-Client can upload new banners to the seasonal section (They have an image they change out for Christmas, Thanksgiving, St Paddy's Day, Spring is Here, etc...

onlye, I have had a quick look and the CMS delivers what you advise. Potential developers must realise that access to PHP server scripting and installation is needed for all such products. The second point is a Xara Desktop application republish would wipe out any customer changes unless you know better through your testing.

The top three of your CMS capability can be done within Xara Cloud for free.
Uploading of files could be engineered into a Documents folder and naming conventions established ahead to ensure your Xara design maintained linking without the need for a republish.
Xara Cloud can have locked elements. For multiple users' access, Xara Cloud for Teams (£££) would be effective although I would partition my Xara design into different files and provide separate access to each to match the staff's scope.
Banner changes could be pre-prepared with some simple client-side JavaScript date range comparisons with images, again with defined names into a separated folder, Seasonal Images.

I am impressed the CMS can handles Xara's Text Areas as these are a clutch of SPANs.
Images would have to have the same scaling as otherwise stretching or object overlap would occur. I don't know what would happen for Web animation but Photo pop-ups would fail.

Personally, I am reluctant to allow a client any intimate access. Instead, i fin it better to inculcate them into placing ephemera and notifications into WordPress or Facebook and using the static Xara design as a stepping stone into blogs or other social media. I then use Placeholders to present the dynamic elements.

Acorn

[pauland]

Personally, I am reluctant to allow a client any intimate access. Instead, i fin it better to inculcate them into placing ephemera and notifications into WordPress or Facebook and using the static Xara design as a stepping stone into blogs or other social media. I then use Placeholders to present the dynamic elements.

Acorn

For Xara users I think that's the best approach. The problem with users updating their website is that

- they inevitably don't understand what that involves
- they will come to you for free support when they can't do what they want to do, or they screw something up

Paul

[behzad]

I agree with Pauland. For that reason before i take on a new client, that is what I tell them. Either have me update it or I am not taking on the job.

[onlye]

onlye, I have had a quick look and the CMS delivers what you advise. Potential developers must realise that access to PHP server scripting and installation is needed

The top three of your CMS capability can be done within Xara Cloud for free.

I am impressed the CMS can handles Xara's Text Areas as these are a clutch of SPANs.
Images would have to have the same scaling as otherwise stretching or object overlap would occur. I don't know what would happen for Web animation but Photo pop-ups would fail.

Personally, I am reluctant to allow a client any intimate access.

Acorn

Acorn, all valid points taken without disagreement.

*There are 2 options to embed sections into a website; PHP or Javascript. PHP is a problem placing the 3 snippets of code to the proper spots in the page code as well as the issues of not working with multiple variants. The PHP worked fine for me with WWB (WYSIWYG Web Builder) but not Xara. The js seems to work fine with Xara and works with multiple variants. Probably some issues of js being turned off by some people on their browsers.

*I have a Xara Cloud account and tested it in the past but have not ever used it. Much enhancement has been done since I last used it. Can I restrict the client access to only specific areas of text or images?

*Righto on the images. There is an ability to define the dimensions and constrain the proportions but no images editing inside the program. Clients just assume any picture just naturally works in any space with no changes.

As both you and pauland point out I too target clients that allow me to do the updates. But in the effort to address the occasional SIMPLE request I came across this. To both your points allowing a client access to the entire site is a sure way to get mucked up. With the Simple CMS I am giving access to a very limited and specific "section" on the site. So their breaks should be limited to small sections. But I never underestimate the ability of a client to outsmart me.