Is RSD a replacement for VSD?

User 2374849 Photo


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Your latest email said:

"But what about the new Site Designer, is it even real?
You bet it is real, and it is awesome! You can kick-start the design phase by opening the responsive foundation created in Layout Maker. Then finish off your project with cool styles like gradients, backgrounds, border styles, rounded corners, shadows, type styling and more."


So is RSD (Responsive Site Designer) going to be a standalone product like VSD (Visual Site Designer) or is it dependent on having RLM (Responsive Layout Maker)?

That quote from you makes it sound like RSD is just an add on to use in conjunction with RLM.

I've read the stuff about 'diving in and learning about responsive design with RLM' - what I would like to know is whether RSD is going to be a standalone replacement for VSD.
i.e. Will I be able to produce a site from scratch in RSD without the need for Responsive Layout Maker?

The feeling I'm getting from the bits of info you've been putting out is that the first release of RSD is going to be for people who have RLM and that a version of RSD that does not need RLM is still off in the future.

Personally I have no interest in coding CSS etc, so will be happy to wait and pay more for a 'fully standalone' version of RSD to use in place of VSD which now looks end-of-life. I've looked at people like weebly and their offerings are too restrictive (both in templates and portability), and, while people like squarespace reckon all their templates are responsive, they too have limits of flexibility and what can be done. Both appear to tie you to their platform and also seem to sell email as an add-on through google apps as which means their pricing is not as attractive as it might seem at first glance.

For me it will be worth waiting for coffeecup to release a standalone product to replace VSD - but if it is the case that you have been pushing RLM because RSD will be dependent on that RLM, it would be handy to know and I can plan accordingly.

Many thanks.
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We don't really know everything about RSD yet, but I assume that it will be a standalone programme. The reason why RLM often have been mentioned along with RSD is, that they both will be working in the same way, so that if you have got the hang of RLM, it will be easier for you to start using RSD.
So, in a way, RSD IS a replacement for VSD, but it has also been said that it helps a lot if you have some coding knowledge, both in html and css.
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User 2088758 Photo


Senior Advisor
3,086 posts

Hey Karl,

RSD will be nothing like VSD nor will it be its replacement. The only thing these to programs will have in common, at least to what I have been hearing over the past few months, is that they will be a stand alone program.

Other than that .... thats it! RSD will be much like RLM except it will have the ability to style your website a lot more. Responsive Layout Maker is what it says it is, it makes responsive layouts. The idea is that you would create your framework in RLM and when its complete you would open it up in RSD and add all your styling to it which include sliders, menus, custom html content and much more.

Will you need to own RLM to use RSD? From what I understand no, but I would be highly beneficial to learn how to use RLM because the functionality will be very similar. Remember there is a bit of a learning curve to this application so the sooner you get your feet wet the better.

Will you need to know CSS and HTML? I would say it would be beneficial to know a little about it at least as you will still have to deal with menus, sliders, galleries and other stuff.

Hope this clears things up a bit for you.

Cheers
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User 10077 Photo


Senior Advisor
1,095 posts

Karl K wrote:
So is RSD (Responsive Site Designer) going to be a standalone product like VSD (Visual Site Designer) or is it dependent on having RLM (Responsive Layout Maker)?

Like Steve, I don't know all that will be included in RSD. From previous tidbits I've picked up, I think that RSD will work as a standalone program, but it will also work with RLM. For example, let's say you have a client and you want to create a quick layout and put it on the web so that he/she can view and approve it. RLM works well for creating quick layout. When the client approves it, open the RLM file in RSD and finish the complete design. However, if you'd rather build the whole site in RSD, you can.

Karl K wrote:
Personally I have no interest in coding CSS etc...

One of the cool things about RLM is that it takes care of most -- nearly all -- of the coding. The only CSS that you need to add is if you want to add shading, rounded corners or other "bells and whistles" to your site. If you use CC Menu Builder, you still don't have to know how to code. You simply export your RLM site, export your menu builder project, and copy/paste the Menu Builder code into the right place. The point is: you really don't have to know how to code for almost the entire site, and, if you really want, you can design your entire site in RLM and not have to code anything at all.

On the other hand, learning just a little bit of coding skill can help you in huge ways. And it's not that hard.

Do you want to center your text? text-align:center;
Do you want to boldface your text? font-weight:bold;
Do you want your background to be a certain color? background: #FFFFFF; (FFFFFF is white)

Most of the CSS coding that you might do is actually pretty intuitive and not that hard. And here's another cool thing. CC HTML Editor has a CSS generator built into it. You can create the CSS code just by filling in the various options (text color, background color, etc.)
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User 2374849 Photo


Registered User
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Thanks all.

At the moment, my understanding, if correct, is that layouts are made using RLM and the layout is then opened in the HTML Editor and content added there.

Also that you are saying to create menus I can purchase menu builder, create the menu, then copy and paste this code into the HTML Editor where I have opened the layout that was created in Responsive Layout Maker.

I don't think of shading and things like rounded corners as being bells and whistles - more of just style and look and feel. Content is where the value is for me (personally) and one of the downsides (again personally) that I've noticed with responsive sites that have sprung up (like the long one page things that adapt to viewing device) is that depth of content has suffered and in many ways, things have been dumbed down.
Maybe what I'm wondering is where this all leads since not all content can be shrunk to the length of a twitter feed just to accommodate a small device screen.

Anyway, that aside, I think what I'm confused about is what RSD will actually be for and what the workflow will be? If RSD is just a styling tool and I need to:
1. Create a layout in RLM basic or Pro
2. Open the layout in HTML Editor to add content
3. Create CSS menus in Menu Builder and take this code and paste it into the site opened in HTML Editor
...what I'm wondering is how RSD relates to the HTML Editor.

i.e. So where Steve said:
"RSD will be nothing like VSD nor will it be its replacement.."
I'm left wondering 'So what's the point?'

For me VSD is now past end of life, and if google's algo update for mobile friendly sites has a big impact on ranking, VSDs demise is hastened further.

What I think I was hoping for was that Coffeecup were going to put out something extraordinary that is a standalone app to create responsive sites and that it would be equivalent to the next generation version of VSD.
Previously it looked like there were two streams - the HTML editor for coding and VSD for code avoidance, but the limited info we have on RSD suggests either coffeecup keeping their cards close to their chest until releasing a killer app or, that the emphasis on using RLM means that is where they are headed streamwise. We'll see.

An offline (local machine) app that eases production like weebly and squarespace have with their online editors for creating responsive sites but without their restrictions (e.g. using their platform and inability to port sites outside of their platform) would be a great move (again from my perspective!).

The other path I am considering is the use of something like Help & Manual for content management and site production, but at the moment they are not responsive but I believe that is in the pipe for their next major release... believe it when i see it of course!

But, if RSD is not a replacement for VSD as Steve said, then I guess I'll have to decide what to do when that is confirmed - I am not holding my breath for something that is a styling tool. At the moment, options look limited - I like the ease of use of the online editors, but not enough to put up with their restrictions and way they tie you in to their platforms. If RSD is not a replacement for VSD, then that will be disappointing, but, to quote Vonnegut, 'So it goes'.

User 187934 Photo


Senior Advisor
20,181 posts

RSD is the the replacement for VSD. VSD will be retired to a hard drive in the closet. You don't have to lose content for a mobile site. You need to rethink your content and make it more focused. I take the route of more pages and or directories so users can go as deep into the content as they desire. You could use display:none for mobile users so you large screen users still get all the content you have but clean and lean is still better for the majority of surfers.
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User 2147626 Photo


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As far as workflow goes, NOW you can create a layout in RLM then finish it in the HTML Editor.

With RSD you DO NOT have to go that route. You can, but you don't have to. My understanding is that you can complete the entire project within RSD.

With RSD you can create your layout, insert your content and publish. No HTML Editor needed. If you have a layout you made with RLM then you can import it as a time saver, but you don't have to. I think you can also drag/drop content much like you did in VSD but then there is so much more you can do with it.

I'm just going by what I've read on the forum here. But that is my understanding. Hope that clears things a bit.
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User 2374849 Photo


Registered User
13 posts

Thanks Eric & Gunsmoke - I guess I'll just have to wait and see!
User 2614236 Photo


Registered User
141 posts

Ok When is RSD coming? Doing a project just now and this would be a handy attribute.
Tony
User 2088758 Photo


Senior Advisor
3,086 posts

tonyteehee wrote:
Ok When is RSD coming? Doing a project just now and this would be a handy attribute.


Aaaaa the ancient old question of when.... "Soon!" lol
Taking over the world one website at a time!

Steve Kolish
www.misterwebguy.com

YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL8qVv … ttneYaMSJA

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