Suggestions for CoffeeCup Visual Site...

User 2227084 Photo


Registered User
9 posts

Yeah, I see someone moved it. Thanks!

I also found the idea of a coupon code box has been requested for a long time. Hope that one comes soon.

I still want a way to lock background objects so I don't select them too as I select text boxes and other objects on the page.
User 464893 Photo


Ambassador
1,611 posts

VSD is a joy to use and personally I can do anything with it but I would like two things
    Be able to change an extension of a page to PHP
    Be able to add my script <?php -------?> to top of page
I realise that this may stop a proper preview but I can handle that. presently I am using both VSD and the Editor plus Wamp's Localhost to preview.

I guess that is the only thing that would turn VSD from good to great.

The Guy from OZ


User 104702 Photo


Registered User
293 posts

Scott Swedorski wrote:
Snowman wrote:
No Master Pages? I've seen a number of people request it in various forms. Major bummer.:(

Well we could make a Pro version to VSD and sell that for $129. If enough people commit to that, I am sure we can get that going.

Can I put you down for a copy? :)


You can put me down for $ 99 if a Master Page was the one and only new option! Anyway, $ 99 would be a far better price psychologically.....
John van Hulst
User 3004957 Photo


Registered User
846 posts

On the Show Page button, it would be SO helpful to have a scroll bar, as opposed to having to hold the down arrow in order to *eventually* get to the desired page.
User 1524122 Photo


Registered User
25 posts

I'd like to see a ' force download ' availability instituted. So... when you create a link to a file (a .mp3 for example) instead of letting whatever browser handle it in whichever manner it wants... have VSD create the necessary code so that when the link is clicked, the SAVE AS box pops up. It would be great if it could be another pulldown in the LINK dialogue box.

So far, I've only found .PHP scripts to do this function!
User 1941372 Photo


Registered User
92 posts

I'm evaluating Visual Site Designer and came up with these

Suggestions

1. Make the Properties Window show properties for the object selected (i.e. follow context). Example: Instead of “Show Properties Window/Page Properties, Object Properties, Link Properties,...”, Make it just a Properties Window and have it show the properties for whatever is currently selected. So, if I click on the background, then the Page Properties are shown, and if I click on an image object, then image object properties are shown, etc.

As it is, the properties window is grayed out until an object of that property class is selected. For instance, if the Object Properties Window is showing, and I click on the Page, then all of the widgets in the window gray-out making it useless. I have to know to select Page Properties before I can edit page properties. Quite un-friendly.

For things like Fill Properties, change the paradigm: just call it Fill and have it be a separate thing from “Properties” (i.e. separate window). OR, even better, make it a property in the Proptery Window that only shows up when the selected object has a fill property. This is, actually, an industry standard: Properties pertain to Objects (like an Image, or a Page, or a Block [i.e. div, p, h1, form, etc.], or a Hyperlink, etc.). A “fill” is not an object, it's a property (i.e. its a “Property” not a “Properties”)!

The way it is now, the User has to go hunt for the correct “Properties” window to do what they want to do to the object. If you want this program to REALLY be easy to use, you will present all of the possibilities up front in a context sensitive Properties Window, so the User doesn't have to learn where to find them! This removes yet another level of training by making the process transparent and thus far more intuitive.

If you're concerned about presenting a Window that is too cluttered, or complex looking, then, perhaps hide some of the features, such as making the object a hyperlink, buttonizing it, adding Mouseover Effects and adding Shadows/Bevels/Glow. These are Transformations, and thus it makes sense for them to be separate processes. But, things inherent to the object, like size, rotation angle, border, alternate text, title text, fill color, etc. should all be in a Properties Window that morphs according to the object selected (i.e. when a Shape is selected, the Properties Window wouldn't include a way to load a new image [which WOULD be displayed when an Image is selected].

2. There is no Image Properties Window (that I can find). What if I want to put a border around my image, or give it Alt text or Title text?

Addendum: I discovered that I can use “Object Properties” to add Alt text [what about Title text???] – VERY unintuitive (at least to the audience this program was designed for – the term “object” is a bit abstract for the average “Visual Editor” User [I mean, isn't the point of a visual editor to hide such 'techie' terminology and concepts])!!

3. I added a rectangular shape and then while trying to size it, I accidentally rotated it. Then I learned why I accidentally rotated it – that's the freakin' default action of clicking and dragging a corner handle!! That is VERY nonstandard and thus highly unfriendly!! The standard way of doing this is to have a center handle with a rotate bar coming off it. Or, have rotate be a secondary function of a corner handle that is accessed, either by moving the mouse pointer next to the handle (rather than on top of it), or by holding down Crtl or Alt while dragging the handle.

Not being able to use the corner handle to size an object is a deficit because I am SO trained to do it that way, I'm going to forget over and over!!!

But, if you insist on doing it this way, then I implore you to add the ability to morph it into a sizing feature when either the Crtl or Alt key are pressed! BECAUSE having to do a bi-dimensional resize in two steps (i.e. horizontal, then vertical) is tedious!

4. I can find no way to add a border to an object. Shouldn't this be a feature of the Object Properties Window? Or a separate Border Properties Window? [Or if you adopt my suggestion of a Context Sensitive Properties Window, then add it to that!]

5. I added an image with a transparent background, yet it was given an opaque background. I created the image, specifically, to have an alpha-antialiased graphic that would blend into the page background (saved as a 24bit PNG with alpha). In other words, none of the alpha info was preserved!
When we look at the things around us, we only see them as they were in the past. We really have no perception of reality, at all!
User 1941372 Photo


Registered User
92 posts

In regards to my suggestion to make the corner shape handles function for sizing rather than rotating, how about something like the attached. Have two corner "handles", one for sizing and one for rotating.
Attachments:
When we look at the things around us, we only see them as they were in the past. We really have no perception of reality, at all!
User 1941372 Photo


Registered User
92 posts

More Visual Site Designer

Suggestions

1. When using an image for the background of a block object ("shape"), there is no apparent way to adjust the "background-repeat" style. It just sized it to the dimensions of the block! So, there is no way to do a tile, or a single image and position it or center it, etc.

2. I see no way to "lock layers". Say I want to select a group of objects that are laying on top of a larger object. If I could "lock" the larger object, then I could easily select all of the smaller objects by dragging a selection frame around theme.

3. How about adding the ability to Group objects.

4. The Help PDF document mentions Rotation of a shape, but says nothing about how to rotate a shape. Since the rotation method in this program is non-standard, I would think you would want to cover this!
When we look at the things around us, we only see them as they were in the past. We really have no perception of reality, at all!
User 1941372 Photo


Registered User
92 posts

More Visual Site Designer

Suggestions

1. Please make the Font Size editable! I wanted font larger than 48px, but the Object Properties text size widget wouldn't let me type in my own number. This is a HUGE problem!! Also, having such a limited set of sizes makes it impossible to adjust the font size to fit certain circumstances!

2. I wandered into a situation where the "Object" toolbar button indicated that it was pressed, yet the Object Properties Window wasn't anywhere to be seen. Here's how it happened:
A. Click on the Object toolbar button.
B. Click on the Add HTML button.
C. Click on the page so the Insert HTML Window pops up.
D. Click Cancel to close the Insert HTML Window.
Voila! Not Object Properties Window! This works no matter what Properties Window is first open (after closing the Insert HTML dialog, the xxx Properties Window doesn't reappear!)

When we look at the things around us, we only see them as they were in the past. We really have no perception of reality, at all!
User 1941372 Photo


Registered User
92 posts

With Visiual Site Designer open, I noticed that I was missing a font that I wanted to use, so I downloaded if from the web and then opened an Object Properties Window on the Text object that I wanted to change to that font. I couldn't find it in the list. So I saved and then restarted Visual Site Designer and looked for the font again--and found it.

I know this is a minor issue, but how about refreshing the font list in the drop-down listbox each time the Object Properties Window is opened?
When we look at the things around us, we only see them as they were in the past. We really have no perception of reality, at all!

Have something to add? We’d love to hear it!
You must have an account to participate. Please Sign In Here, then join the conversation.