Hello everybody! I've been following CoffeeCup for awhile, munching on their free programs and trials, and am finally looking at getting a web pack! I have a few questions, however, as I'll be switching from yahoo sitebuilder. I'm switching due to the program's incompatibility with Win 7 but need to be sure that this is what I need. Basically, I'm looking at both the web starter pack, and the web design pack.

1. Does the VSD and/or HTML editor have user-created templates available? I know you can buy pre-made templates, but if I could make my own for the site I'm managing, I'd love to not have to rebuild the site... again.

2. Would VSD and/or HTML editor be able to work off the already created and in-use pages created from yahoo sitebuilder? I'm pretty sure the HTML editor wouldn't have an issue, you know, reading HTML, but I have to ask anyways. If you need a sample of the HTML to know how sitebuilder does it, go to www.mightyowlband.org and yes, this is the site in question.

3. All-in-all, which pack would be easier to rebuild a site if it was left to that? I know the VSD makes things a little easier with the whole drag-and-drop thing, but it's not like I'm a stranger to HTML. How much is the HTML editor like Dreamweaver (can I edit most of the page and elements in preview mode)? How much HTML work can I do in VSD (I'm really tired of troubleshooting HTML issues on-server due to sitebuilder's horribleness)?

Sorry if I'm not speakin in coffee cup lingo, i'm no professional, but I took web design and multimedia classes in high school so I'm no beginner either. Also sorry if this isn't the place in the forums to do this, but I'll follow-up with an intro once I get some yummy software goodness.

The HTML Editor can open HTML files that you already have made for your existing site, VSD can not. Both can create new themes. You say you're not a stranger to HTML so get the HTML Editor. It has more power and you will appreciate that as you move on down the road. Good luck.

Hiya Zac,

Just so you're aware (although I'd also recommend the HTML Editor for you since you have HTML experience), the HTML Editor is not able to edit in the preview mode, and the 2 modes between Code and Visual do not play nice together so you would lose that feature if you're already using Dreamweaver. Other than that, it's a very powerful and full featured editor and would do you very nicely I'm sure. Good luck in your decisions and once you've made a purchase please feel free to post your intro here

I am having a hard time getting the VSD to do everything that I need. I am creating a Website in Spanish, and I need to add accents, and squiggly marks over the letter n. I also bought the Coffee Cup HTML, but it was too intimidating for me to use since I only have a very basic knowledge of a few tags. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.

Linda

Hello Everyone:

So far, I have purchased: Coffee Cup Direct FTP; Coffee Cup HTML Editoro; Coffee Cup VSD; Coffee Cup Web Form Builder; Coffee Cup Web Video Builder; Cofee Cup Sitemapper; and Coffee Cup Wesite Color Schemer. I am trying to create 2 web pages. 1 in English, and 1 in Spanish. I already have 1 Website for our business at www.burgoslaw.net that I plan to redo with Coffee Cup. But, I am running into a lot of trouble with Coffee Cup VSD when I try to create the Website in Spanish. I cannot figure out how to use the Color Schemer to add different colors in the VSD. I also cannot figure out how to test my Website in various browsers or how to use the HTML tool. Is there a way to get live help or to take a tutorial? Thanks for the help.

Linda

Hiya Linda,

Unfortunately I'm not much help on the VSD area as I don't use the program, but I can steer you to a bunch of help articles and videos that may help you while you're waiting for someone else to hopefully get you some assistance. If you check your support area at https://www.coffeecup.com/help/ you can scroll down the page a bit and you'll see the help area for each of the different programs. There are lots of helpful articles and videos and it's searchable too so you can try to find more information that way too.

I really don't know if VSD does any of the accenting or tilde keys or not, but if it doesn't and if you learn how to use the HTML tool, I am sure you can type out some of those things in the HTML editor and then copy them to VSD using the HTML Tool. I'm thinking there must be a way to do the keys in VSD, but one never knows till you ask hehe. Hopefully someone will give you a hand where to find that stuff soon, but in the mean time check out the help files and also the Help PDF inside the program too, that may have some answers there also and should be searchable.

Good luck and happy site building

Thanks, Jo Ann. How do I copy from HTML into the VSD? I find that I am having problems with the features of VSD such as FTP, the HTML tool, Flash application, and mouseovers. It is just me? Or, do I need to delete and reload the program? I also cannot figure out how to use the other Coffeecup programs that I purchased with the VSD. We recently had our server crash at work, and had to get another server up and running. Is this part of the problem? If I delete and reload my Coffeecup programs, will I lose the work that I have done on the Website? I will try to read some of the tutorials since I am a confused.

Linda

Hiya Linda,

Unfortunately I'm unable to help with VSD as I don't use it, I just know the Tools are used for inserting code, don't have a clue where they are or how to use them though sorry.

I would need more information about what other programs you're having trouble with and what kind of trouble you're having in order to help on any of that. I don't think redoing your server is a problem, but make sure all the settings are correct for your programs to upload to the new server. If any of the addresses or IP's or whatever you are using in the setup of the FTP for each program is changed at all, then they won't work so be sure all of that is correct also.

If you uninstall any coffeecup software, you should be fine for keeping your work as they don't uninstall your work they only uninstall the programs. A good thing to do though is to back all of your data files up prior to uninstalling just to be sure you have a copy. Should do this periodically anyways just for safe keeping. You should most DEFINITELY make sure to back up your .vsu file for VSD every so often since your server crashed because your server had the only other backup available if you don't make one. Put it on a disk or flash drive or just another location on your computer for safe keeping. I try to back mine up weekly and sometimes more depending on if I've done a lot of work on something.

You should be fine to reinstall, but I don't think reinstalling will fix it if you're having trouble with other programs too. More information about your system might help also, which Operating System and version are you on, what Hosting Server are you using and anything else you might think is important (no id's and passwords of course lol).