Multi-person editing of a web site

**stlewis** · 28 February 2009, 04:54 PM

Tony

The solution is probably to get people signed up to a 'cloud' service like the Microsoft Live Mesh (which is a beta); you can then share a file - it gets synched to the local folder.

**tonyw** · 28 February 2009, 06:02 PM

Thanks Bill and Simon,
I've tried variations on the shared/sync'd files. Microsoft had a free service a number of years ago though the name escapes me, but essentially each there was a designated folder on each PC. When there were changes to any files in these folders, the changes were reflected in the folder on the other PC. The problem was that the date of the files reflected when they were sync'd (i.e., when the other end turned on their PC and connected to the Internet) and not when they were edited. I don't recall the exact problem, but the web design software got confused between the dates on the files and it's own internal tracking of revisions and revisions got lost. The solution was not usable.

My solution now is to use VNC, LogMeIn, or TechInLine and remotely operate the client's computer to run the web design software. So there is only one set of source files. But this approach means they can't use their PC while I'm working on the website. Recall I'm talking about small businesses with 1-3 people in the whole operation.

Actually writing this gives me another idea, I can remotely operate the client's PC, zip up and grab the source files, work on them on my PC, then package them up and do 2 FTP sessions (upload to webspace/cloud, then download to the client's PC) and put the files back on their machine without them having to get into the technical details and tying up their PC.

In anycase, thanks for the leads, I'll check them out more closely. Live Mesh has possibilities in other applications.

For the solution I'm looking for, it seems a small step for the web design software to use the same built-in FTP function to optionally upload the source files to the webspace. Then when I go to help the client, the source files are sync'd between the cloud and my PC. After I'm finished, the source files are sync'd back to the cloud. When the client runs the web design software, his/her source files are sync'd with the cloud before any edits to the website. Because the web design software (hint Xara web designer!) is doing the FTPing, it can manage the file time stamps. Anyways, that's how I as a non-techie envisions it, perhaps there is a lot more to it than on the surface.

[update] Live Mesh looks promising. Am experimenting now.

**steve.ledger** · 28 February 2009, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by stlewis

Tony

The solution is probably to get people signed up to a 'cloud' service like the Microsoft Live Mesh (which is a beta); you can then share a file - it gets synched to the local folder.

I've been using 'Drop Box' over the last 6 months for similar purposes (not related to Xara software though) and it works very well.
Free for Windows, Mac, and Linux

**a4hire** · 28 February 2009, 10:59 PM

I think that Bill answered a question that I had already here. But I would like to clarify. Maybe Bill or someone else can verify for me.
Does the web designer export to CSS, just like Xtreme 4 did ? This makes it so you pretty much have to use The web designer program to edit page layouts and such.
And if this is the case then I guess that these files are not easily editable in other html text or WYSIWYG editors ?

**steve.ledger** · 28 February 2009, 11:38 PM

Bruce XWD uses absolute positioning CSS layout which is 100% W3C valid

Check the source at http://webdesigner.xara.com/
You will see that it is much cleaner and easier to read by a human than the code Xtreme 4 exports.

I gather that Xara do not believe that source editing is a 21st century thing to do

**covoxer** · 01 March 2009, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by sledger

I gather that Xara do not believe that source editing is a 21st century thing to do

Yes. This is a main point. After all, how many people edit PS files manually nowadays? Or LaTeX? Source codes are for programmers and programs. Not designers for sure.

**Soquili** · 01 March 2009, 12:10 PM

Microsoft has made it possible for designers to never see code and for programmers to no longer need to design the interface.

Expression Blend can be used by a designer to create a web interface or a Windows application interface. Expression Web 2 can use the web interface to create a web site. Visual Studio 2008 can use the output from Expression Blend to create a Windows application.

Xara Web Designer can do many of the same features of the web abilities of Expression Blend.