Way back in the Stone Age I purchased Visual Site Designer and did a half way decent job of creating a Website. I know need to work on another and see that Visual has been usurped by two newer programs. Downloaded trial version of Responsive Site Designer, which after two days have managed to get a picture and header. Grid system I can understand but I am totally at a loss from there. Stalled out on attempting to do navigation buttons. First I attempted to use my old Flash Menu Builder which I now think is obsolete and not compatible with RSD. Next downloaded the trial Responsive Menu Builder and found a perfect menu, the iconic red. I downloaded this and have a zipped file in my documents file, which I in turn moved to the resources tab located in my RSD program. After spending two days on this, I am totally flummoxed on how to move this from the resources folder to the actual site I am constructing. I have gone back to the previous generation of the program, can't remember name without looking, for instructions, but there is just enough difference between old and new to totally stump me. Without a tutorial on the RSD, I can't see any way to proceed for a novice like me, or any reason to purchase new programs for that matter....I will just have to hire someone. Anyway, I have a zipped menu sitting in the "resources" area, with now way to install it in the "container" indicated for the menu bar. I am attempting create the website without having a host server, which I don't know if that in itself is possible. As I remembered, last time I created the site, then uploaded it to GODADDY. Here they are asking for URL addresses to modify an existing site, which my goal is to create a new site, then replace the old. Which speaking of OLD, I am probably in way over my head now and should not even be considering learning the "new" programs.
charles truesdell
Registered User
7 posts
Scott Swedorski
VP of Software Development
0 posts
ext downloaded the trial Responsive Menu Builder and found a perfect menu, the iconic red. I downloaded this and have a zipped file in my documents file, which I in turn moved to the resources tab located in my RSD program. After spending two days on this, I am totally flummoxed on how to move this from the resources folder to the actual site I am constructing.
Adding a menu or really any content to the Resources is very easy. Simply export your content using what ever program you are using (Menu Builder for this example). You then click Resources and then Add Folder and select the CONTENTS of that exported menu builder. This will bring the entire menu project into RSD. Then you use the HTML Element and paste in the markup for the menu that goes inside of the <body> and then paste in the markup for the <head> under the Settings.
Attached is your RSD project with a menu added to it so you can it all working.
Without a tutorial on the RSD, I can't see any way to proceed for a novice like me, or any reason to purchase new programs for that matter....I will just have to hire someone.
We do have a full manual on RSD Charles and it contains tons of information. Why is it you think we have none? You can access it here at http://www.coffeecup.com/help/articles/ … -overview/
I am attempting create the website without having a host server, which I don't know if that in itself is possible.
Go to the File Menu > Export and that will generate your website. That is all you have to do if you have no plans on uploading.
As I remembered, last time I created the site, then uploaded it to GODADDY. Here they are asking for URL addresses to modify an existing site, which my goal is to create a new site, then replace the old. Which speaking of OLD, I am probably in way over my head now and should not even be considering learning the "new" programs.
When you are ready to go live, use an FTP client and connect to Godaddy and delete all your website files. Then in RSD, just export the website again and upload that with the FTP client.
Learn the essentials with these quick tips for Responsive Site Designer, Responsive Email Designer, Foundation Framer, and the new Bootstrap Builder. You'll be making awesome, code-free responsive websites and newsletters like a boss.
charles truesdell
Registered User
7 posts
Hi Scott...thanks for the quick reply. You are hard at it on a Sunday afternoon. I have the iconic red file sitting in my resources file, but get lost when you suggest that I select "contents", which automatically puts the information in the RSD. I did manage to open the attachment showing the standard navigation baron my work to date...thank you. But I have no idea how you even got the standard navigation to appear there. I am afraid that this is just like me explaining how to do something in the construction industry to a person who has never held a hammer....what is simply a given fact of life to me is a totally foreign concept to my pupil! I started out putting a text link in the container for the navigation bar, but do not have a clue how to fill in the text, then link it to the site. So, next step was to do the new menu builder, which as I said iconic red would be great, and proceeded as far as getting it in resources, but the only options I see are add files, add folder, delete files, delete folder. Nothing for select contents. I see there is more added to my recourse folder, which I may have inadvertently added or possibly this was done in the process of your adding the navigation (which is fine but no idea of what happened) I continue on hoping that I am on the edge of discovering the key to this system, which unlocks the basic procedure. For dummies like me, displaying a slow moving video of the solutions has a much greater impact than reading responses which simply generate more questions....but then agai, that is just me.
Regards,
Chuck
Regards,
Chuck
Scott Swedorski
VP of Software Development
0 posts
If you are going to use Menu Builder, you will not add any Text Link Elements to your website. The links are in the menu that you created in Menu Builder.
To start the process:
1. In Menu Builder, export your menu and you will be given 2 blocks of code. Click the first Copy to Clipboard button and that will then go into the <head> section of your website in RSD.
2. In RSD, go to the Settings Tab and paste that into the Head.
3. Now add an HTML Element to your website where you want the menu to appear and then go to the Properties for that Element.
4. Back in Menu Builder, click the second Copy to Clipboard button and that will be pasted into the Properties for the HTML Element (step 3).
Next this is really the easy part .
1. Go into the folder on your computer where you exported the menu to. It will look something like this:
http://s15.postimg.org/65n08mlhn/Screen_Shot_2015_09_20_at_6_08_44_PM.png
2. Now go into RSD, click Resources and the Add Files/Folders.
3. Navigate into the folder that is shown in the screenshot above and select the menu folders and click Ok. That will bring in all menu files. This process is really like opening any file in any Windows program. Just select it and click Ok.
http://s16.postimg.org/5hs15uxvp/Screen_Shot_2015_09_20_at_6_11_33_PM.png
That is it. Your menu has been fully added. Don't try and overthink the process. Remember, anyone can use a hammer!
Do take a few hours to read over all the articles in our Quick Start Guide. There is just a plethora of information in there but it does take time to fully digest if you are new to all this. Once you have a basic understanding of how things work, it will make it much easier in creating your website. Just jumping in head first without the foundation of understanding some of the basic concepts, it will make things very challenging for ya.
To start the process:
1. In Menu Builder, export your menu and you will be given 2 blocks of code. Click the first Copy to Clipboard button and that will then go into the <head> section of your website in RSD.
2. In RSD, go to the Settings Tab and paste that into the Head.
3. Now add an HTML Element to your website where you want the menu to appear and then go to the Properties for that Element.
4. Back in Menu Builder, click the second Copy to Clipboard button and that will be pasted into the Properties for the HTML Element (step 3).
Next this is really the easy part .
1. Go into the folder on your computer where you exported the menu to. It will look something like this:
http://s15.postimg.org/65n08mlhn/Screen_Shot_2015_09_20_at_6_08_44_PM.png
2. Now go into RSD, click Resources and the Add Files/Folders.
3. Navigate into the folder that is shown in the screenshot above and select the menu folders and click Ok. That will bring in all menu files. This process is really like opening any file in any Windows program. Just select it and click Ok.
http://s16.postimg.org/5hs15uxvp/Screen_Shot_2015_09_20_at_6_11_33_PM.png
That is it. Your menu has been fully added. Don't try and overthink the process. Remember, anyone can use a hammer!
Do take a few hours to read over all the articles in our Quick Start Guide. There is just a plethora of information in there but it does take time to fully digest if you are new to all this. Once you have a basic understanding of how things work, it will make it much easier in creating your website. Just jumping in head first without the foundation of understanding some of the basic concepts, it will make things very challenging for ya.
Learn the essentials with these quick tips for Responsive Site Designer, Responsive Email Designer, Foundation Framer, and the new Bootstrap Builder. You'll be making awesome, code-free responsive websites and newsletters like a boss.
charles truesdell
Registered User
7 posts
Hi,
Printed off the instructions for Menu Builder and hoped to make progress on understanding the program today (first chance I have gotten since downloading trial 2 weeks? ago. First question is how long was the trial version of Menu Builder good for? When I attempt to open it I get a message thanks for trying our software, with option to close or buy. Not confident I can handle the new programs at this point, so no sense in buying them. I printed 4 chapters of instructions for Menu Builder and read them over as Scott suggested and had hoped to attack the program today and see if I could establish enough understanding to master the program. It appears that RSD is still there, which I guess I could still try playing with that. Where I got stalled on Menu Builder was attempting to use the iconic red theme. I downloaded the zip file in my documents folder and unzipped it. Then went back to Menu Builder and clicked on theme which brought up the 4 choices on the right, which I wanted the custom lower right box. I stalled there, as clicking on the box simply brought up the pages describing various themes and the ability to download the zip files, which I had already done. Basically I could not figure out how to select the custom theme. The files look just like the above picture in my documents. I had Menu Builder open on my computer for the past two weeks not wanting to loose the data and possibly I closed it, and the trial version has ended. Which if that is the case, if I close RSD now, it will also be gone. Hoped to make enough progress to feel it was worthwhile to purchase.
Regards
Printed off the instructions for Menu Builder and hoped to make progress on understanding the program today (first chance I have gotten since downloading trial 2 weeks? ago. First question is how long was the trial version of Menu Builder good for? When I attempt to open it I get a message thanks for trying our software, with option to close or buy. Not confident I can handle the new programs at this point, so no sense in buying them. I printed 4 chapters of instructions for Menu Builder and read them over as Scott suggested and had hoped to attack the program today and see if I could establish enough understanding to master the program. It appears that RSD is still there, which I guess I could still try playing with that. Where I got stalled on Menu Builder was attempting to use the iconic red theme. I downloaded the zip file in my documents folder and unzipped it. Then went back to Menu Builder and clicked on theme which brought up the 4 choices on the right, which I wanted the custom lower right box. I stalled there, as clicking on the box simply brought up the pages describing various themes and the ability to download the zip files, which I had already done. Basically I could not figure out how to select the custom theme. The files look just like the above picture in my documents. I had Menu Builder open on my computer for the past two weeks not wanting to loose the data and possibly I closed it, and the trial version has ended. Which if that is the case, if I close RSD now, it will also be gone. Hoped to make enough progress to feel it was worthwhile to purchase.
Regards
John McHaffie
Registered User
33 posts
Hey Charles,
While I can sympathize with your situation moving from VSD to RSD, it boils down to what kind of effort are you willing to put in? As a guy who has mainly done everything from the world of coding, and in the past decided to try using graphical tools such as VSD to see if I could speed up my design / front end -> finished product time, I can see where using a WYSIWYG product kind of 'spoils' someone when it comes to learning something new later.
What you have to understand is that RSD is not a WYSIWYG product, although it does an excellent job of allowing people to see what they are doing overall. As someone who has been doing things like this since the 90's - it has taken me a couple of weeks of constant use, trial and error, asking some questions, doing tutorials, and reading material to get where I am now comfortable using RSD - yet I am *still* learning new and amazing things to do with it. Not to mention increasing my efficiency with it the longer I use it.
Using your own example - you can't expect a new hire apprentice contractor to learn the industry without being willing to invest in a few tools either. It is entirely your decision whether you want to pursue this option of course, and I don't think anyone would think any more or less of you either way - it is just something you have to invest the time and money in if you want to really learn how to use it.
If you just want to use it to build a single website... I would probably just stick with what you know, or hire someone to whip something up for you. No biggie and certainly nothing wrong with it. If you're looking to possibly do several sites or maybe even do some work for others then I say go for it. You won't be disappointed with the software once you get used to it. It makes everything so crazy easy to bring everything together in one place it is insane. It really puts the rest of the industry to shame especially for the price - I can't say that enough.
Hope it works out for you! Take care
- John
While I can sympathize with your situation moving from VSD to RSD, it boils down to what kind of effort are you willing to put in? As a guy who has mainly done everything from the world of coding, and in the past decided to try using graphical tools such as VSD to see if I could speed up my design / front end -> finished product time, I can see where using a WYSIWYG product kind of 'spoils' someone when it comes to learning something new later.
What you have to understand is that RSD is not a WYSIWYG product, although it does an excellent job of allowing people to see what they are doing overall. As someone who has been doing things like this since the 90's - it has taken me a couple of weeks of constant use, trial and error, asking some questions, doing tutorials, and reading material to get where I am now comfortable using RSD - yet I am *still* learning new and amazing things to do with it. Not to mention increasing my efficiency with it the longer I use it.
Using your own example - you can't expect a new hire apprentice contractor to learn the industry without being willing to invest in a few tools either. It is entirely your decision whether you want to pursue this option of course, and I don't think anyone would think any more or less of you either way - it is just something you have to invest the time and money in if you want to really learn how to use it.
If you just want to use it to build a single website... I would probably just stick with what you know, or hire someone to whip something up for you. No biggie and certainly nothing wrong with it. If you're looking to possibly do several sites or maybe even do some work for others then I say go for it. You won't be disappointed with the software once you get used to it. It makes everything so crazy easy to bring everything together in one place it is insane. It really puts the rest of the industry to shame especially for the price - I can't say that enough.
Hope it works out for you! Take care
- John
charles truesdell
Registered User
7 posts
Thanks John,
Your insight is appreciated. Sounds like I am probably in over my head, but would at least like to take a stab at it. The basic question remains, how long was the trial period? And since RSD appears to still be working, and I already have the ionic red file in documents, how do I move the ionic red file from my documents to RSD? I have the files in resources, Shown as a folder in the large field in a folder, I select the folder, click "OK", then the resource page disappears and I am back to the RSD page I am working on, but no menu. I think I am missing the first step Scott described exporting the menu and getting the blocks of code and obviously if the trial has expired, I can't get back there?
Thanks Again,
Chuck
Your insight is appreciated. Sounds like I am probably in over my head, but would at least like to take a stab at it. The basic question remains, how long was the trial period? And since RSD appears to still be working, and I already have the ionic red file in documents, how do I move the ionic red file from my documents to RSD? I have the files in resources, Shown as a folder in the large field in a folder, I select the folder, click "OK", then the resource page disappears and I am back to the RSD page I am working on, but no menu. I think I am missing the first step Scott described exporting the menu and getting the blocks of code and obviously if the trial has expired, I can't get back there?
Thanks Again,
Chuck
Mansour ...
Ambassador
938 posts
Hi charles
I have short video for you but without audio as it is late night here.
I hope it will helps you, if not I will make a step by step tuts how to get your menu into site designer in one or two days time.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ipjvhfzzun1rk … r.mp4?dl=0
I have short video for you but without audio as it is late night here.
I hope it will helps you, if not I will make a step by step tuts how to get your menu into site designer in one or two days time.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ipjvhfzzun1rk … r.mp4?dl=0
Guys at coffeecup are awesometacular.
John McHaffie
Registered User
33 posts
I think perhaps there is confusion on where you are visually 'seeing' the menu.
You will never actually see your exported menu inside of RSD appear as a menu. Not even in Preview. What you will see is an HTML element box, and in regular Preview (inside of RSD) you will see a message something like:
"Live preview not available for this HTML element"
Only previewing in a browser will you see the menu if you have done this right.
So basically, once you make your menu inside of the menu builder, export it, then paste the code into the proper places inside of RSD... You should then be able to preview it just fine in Chrome, Explorer, etc.
Again, if you want to keep going, it is not that expensive in the grand scheme of things if your trial has run out. I know I hung up my tool belt in the late 90's after my web design/development business finally took off. My first tool belt, steel toe boots, hard hat, and basic tool set (hammer, scissors, cutters, pliers, crimpers, tape measure, mini level, chalk line, mini meter, dummy light, etc.) cost me well over $250 in the 80's and that was everything on the cheap to get started hanging drywall, running wire, and installing dishwashers and disposals!
So I understand the dilemma of wanting to know what you are doing before you buy, but seriously - if you are in construction then just think back to when you first started... you didn't get to start for free as a contractor either. At this point you at least have an idea of how it works. You also know you have a lot of people willing to help you out along the way so... what more can you ask for really right?
I do hope you decide to take the plunge. I think it will be a rewarding experience for you in the long run, but that is my own biased opinion from my personal experience with it
Later!
- John
You will never actually see your exported menu inside of RSD appear as a menu. Not even in Preview. What you will see is an HTML element box, and in regular Preview (inside of RSD) you will see a message something like:
"Live preview not available for this HTML element"
Only previewing in a browser will you see the menu if you have done this right.
So basically, once you make your menu inside of the menu builder, export it, then paste the code into the proper places inside of RSD... You should then be able to preview it just fine in Chrome, Explorer, etc.
Again, if you want to keep going, it is not that expensive in the grand scheme of things if your trial has run out. I know I hung up my tool belt in the late 90's after my web design/development business finally took off. My first tool belt, steel toe boots, hard hat, and basic tool set (hammer, scissors, cutters, pliers, crimpers, tape measure, mini level, chalk line, mini meter, dummy light, etc.) cost me well over $250 in the 80's and that was everything on the cheap to get started hanging drywall, running wire, and installing dishwashers and disposals!
So I understand the dilemma of wanting to know what you are doing before you buy, but seriously - if you are in construction then just think back to when you first started... you didn't get to start for free as a contractor either. At this point you at least have an idea of how it works. You also know you have a lot of people willing to help you out along the way so... what more can you ask for really right?
I do hope you decide to take the plunge. I think it will be a rewarding experience for you in the long run, but that is my own biased opinion from my personal experience with it
Later!
- John
charles truesdell
Registered User
7 posts
OK.....possibly I could get somewhere with this, but without the use of the Menu Builder program everything is a moot point. The underlying question I need answered is how long was the trial version of Menu Builder good for. I downloaded it two weeks ago when I had a few days to work on this. Now it appears that the program is not functional and I don't know if I am doing something wrong or if it is expired. I have basic ideas on how to proceed with the last link exceptionally helpful but do not have the use of the trial program.
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.
