Yes you can open pages made in VSD with the html editor and alter them. The problem is if you choose to publish your site through VSD again it will overwrite your modifications. To keep things straight and avoid this problem create a copy of your site in VSD and start with those pages in the html editor and then rename the page to something you will never use in VSD so nothing gets overwritten. Remember to grab any images and elements that were used to create the page also.

Thanks for the help Eric. It's good to know.
If I am understanding you correctly, I can take individual pages out of VSD, modify them with another program, then put them back with a new name. That might be useful, but what I was hoping I could do is start building a site in VSD, then if need be in the future, take the whole site into another program permanently.

I stumbled into HTML Editor's 350+ page user manual (via Google), and it explained I could transfer a complete VSD site to HTML Editor using an FTP program. I need to look into that some more. Anybody else ever try it?

I also learned from that user manual that the HTML Editor program has a wysiwyg editor built into it. For some reason, it's turned off by default (???). Maybe that would be a better option to start with?

Here is the manual:
http://www.coffeecup.com/files/miscella … Manual.pdf

It's strange how they had someone put A LOT of effort into creating an in-depth user's manual, and it's not prominently offered to new users. Also strange that they didn't use their own software to turn it into a subdomain. It doesn't even have a proper index with hyperlinks!

Correction:
That (pdf) manual does have hyperlinks, but iOS doesn't show any formatting to differentiate them from normal text.

The information about using an external FTP program is on page 335.

All of the CC programs have a 'how-to' guide under Help. There are also more in-depth and up to date articles on this site (community > support and scroll down).

That's an old version of the editor. There's no WYSIWYG option in the latest versions. Instead, there's a live split-screen view – type your code and see what it looks like rendered on the page at the same time.

If you want to start your site in VSD, then move it into the Editor, that's fine. As Eric mentioned, it's best not to go back and forth between them. VSD can't import non-.vnu sites/pages, so additional edits should be made in the Editor. The Editor also comes with some templates to get you going quickly.
As for VSD pages, you could set up a Project in the Editor, then move your VSD (html) pages into your project folder.

That was a very helpful post Paintbrush. Thank You!

I updated to the latest HTML Editor program and found the new on-line manual under help. It's looks to be a slightly scaled down and updated html version of the same document I posted earlier. As you explained, the visual design feature has been retired, and deleted from the manual altogether. If anyone is reading this to determine if the HTML Editor fits their needs, you can find the current program's "help files" here:
http://www.coffeecup.com/help/articles/ … art-guide/

The "Tool Tutorial" section is where you can find info about using an FTP program that should work for "importing" VSD sites, or other simple websites into HTML Editor (use CTRL F, search FTP).
http://www.coffeecup.com/help/articles/tool-tutorials/

Speaking of which, it turns out that I already have CC's FTP program from when I purchased the CC software package back in early 2008. Props to Coffee Cup for living up to their promise of free updates. Along with the latest version of HTML Editor, I also got the latest versions of 12 other programs that were all well over 5 years old. That fact pushed me off the fence about whether or not I should spend the time to learn and use CC software. I will.

Joe, I hope you enjoy getting to know your software.
Be sure to check out the Projects feature in the HTML Editor.
CC has come out with some new programs in the recent past. An HTML Form Builder (doesn't use Flash), a new Menu Builder (uses CSS to create responsive or static menus), Web Image Studio (great for editing CC theme graphics or creating buttons, banners, photo effects, etc for your site), Website Insight (analyze your site to get SEO and performance info), and Animation Studio (animated GIF effects, no Flash).
If you have an SDrive account, you'll also get some storage space and some easy non-Flash photo album options.

Hi Inger,
another newbie on the loose with the CoffeCup, sorry to bother you with a question you probably answered a million times already:
I just purchased the HTML Editor, based on the info of the thread "Importing my existing website into..."
and on the understanding that there is a visual editor tab within the program. I have no clue about HTML, but I need to update some info on my existing website. Unfortunately, I have backed up only the HTML files, but not the required project files that my original editor requires to continue work on files crated, but that can't be reimported after a new install.
I tried for quite some time to locate the visual mode function you mentioned, but to no avail. Can you point me into the right direction please? And can I then edit the site within this visual mode?
I manage to call up the split screen bit by pressing F12, but that surely can't be the visual mode?
Thanks in advance
JDD

Hi Joerk-Dieter,

You may have seen that the post of mine that you are quoting was written back in 2009. A lot of things have happened since then. The HTML Editor doesn't have the visual editor anymore, it was removed some 8-9 years ago. Also, the Visual Site Designer had to be retired because it could not be used for responsive site-building.
In order to help non-coders CC has created the "Site Designer", SD for short. You cannot import existing HTML pages into it, but you can copy/paste your content. It may be a bit difficult to master it at the beginning, but you'll soon get the hang of it. We are a lot of people using it, and we'll help you overcome the hurdles.