Howdy,
I've been a FrontPage/ExpressionWeb user for many years, but am finally frustrated by many creeping idiosyncracies that keep showing up, like reverse features. Anyway, decided to try some html editing a bit closer to the bone, and as a satisfied CoffeeCup WebFormBuilder customer for some time, thought I'd try CC's products. Here's a couple of questions:

Rather than "publish", if I keep all my site files in a nicely maintained folder, will I be okay just ftp'ing the site up to my site host? Put another way, is there anything in CC's .CPF site file that would need to uploaded as well?

I'd like to use HTML Editor in conjunction with FormBuilder and may VisualSite Designer (use the latter to establish an overall site theme and layout, HTML editor to finesse things). These guys work and play together well?

I'm trying out HTML Editor and Visual Site before buying, to make sure it meets my needs. There's some getting use to the editing paradigm, which is quite different from what I'm used to.
Thanks for any help.

You can build great sites with VSD. That being said you can also build great sites with the HTML editor. I always suggest getting both but I know not all users can do this. VSD is for users that don't want to mess with coding. You can accomplish a lot with it as my site will show you. My site isn't about being a great design just examples for users to look at to help them implement advanced techniques once they have gone beyond the basic site design. The HTML editor is great for taking their site to the next level where they can test their new custom coding for their VSD site. If you going to edit the HTML that VSD generates after publishing your site through VSD then you need to keep in mind that VSD will overwrite all your work. If your just generating html pages with VSD and moving the necessary elements into your html editor project then all is good. Just make sure you know how to keep things straight becuase if you ask for help your going to be on an island. The html editor has had many enhancements brought to it's door step in the last year. Being able to preview your changes as you make them is one and highlighting elements on your preview when you click on their div code is another. Go ahead a mess with both. There's a lot of great users here that will throw you a fish or two to get you going in the right direction.

Not sure if you're talking about a "Publish" with the HTML Editor or VSD so I'll talk about HTML Editor here.

You can setup a project within the program so all your files are neatly viewed and only those files in the project show up in the tree so it's easier to navigate your site and upload it etc. If you setup the project correctly you shouldn't need an outside FTP program as it's all built into the HTML Editor. You don't need to upload the entire site each time, you can upload one file or multiple files by highlighting them and using the Upload button or Shortcut Key (F4 I believe). This way anything you have highlighted will be uploaded each time. Be sure to change what is highlighted once you want to upload other files as it doesn't upload the current file you're working on, only those highlighted.

This is a much more productive setup for uploading than having to alternate between programs. You can also access the server side files too should you need to do so so you are covered all the way around.

Hope that helps

Built in ftp saves a lot of time.

Keith

Chuck me old mate, It is worth considering both. One gives quick designs the other the tweaks you may desire as Eric points out. Each will ftp the site up to server.

The more I play with both the more I find I can do with them. They are a pigeon pair. If you eventually get into it as a lot do, the editor also makes for a great php ide only you will need Wamp or Xamp to preview php files.

Need help or advice, look no further

I hate to always be the harper here lol, but...

Do keep in mind that the Visual Site Designer has no import capabilities, and you cannot edit it outside of the program unless you don't ever plan to go back to using it on that site as it will not allow you to import the changes you make externally. This means it will overwrite what you did outside the program so if you do decide to use the HTML Editor to fine tune as a bunch will say, keep in mind this would be after you are fully completed using VSD and don't have plans to do anything else on that site with it.