The removal of the ability to change the width of the preview window.
I didn’t realise just how much I used it until I couldn’t. I don’t care if it returns back to full width each time I enter preview, in fact I’d prefer it than remembering the last random width I’d left it at.
RW8 now opens a project at the last page it was at when saved… no no no NO!
I don’t close a project and then open it 5mins later, I close it and then open it a week/month later and 99% of the time I’m not going to edit exactly the same thing I was a week/month ago.
It makes opening a project take ages if it’s a complex page.
Please go back to the opening at 1st page.
By all means keep it if you must but please add a preference setting to enable/disable the feature.
I tried for a good 2 hours today to use RW8 but abandoned it for 7 out of pure frustration.
Yes, I think most (if not all) preferences should be arranged as one of the options and not the only option.
However, even when we do have options in v.8, they don’t always work. My main complaint (for years) is that if I quit RW with the Library panel open, when I re-launch the same project, the Library panel sometimes is open and sometimes it is closed (???). It is a progress, though, because in v.7 the Library panel always stayed closed, no matter the setting.
I miss that as well. I hope they bring it back. I have gotten used to the new Device Simulator and have gotten used to keeping a custom sized window open to achieve the same effect. I’m lucky enough to be working with multiple displays.
I like the new state restoration feature that was added. So I would reply YES YES YES. It’s still has some bugs in it but I find it’s a nice new feature. Should it be an option? Yes that would be nice like a lot of preferences are missing. Things like all the settings for a site should be user defined defaults.
The more I use the Simulator window the more I like it. As teefers says, you can use the Simulator to mimic the old Preview window if you set it on “custom” size. At top center of window (the pulldown text) it will report the size just as the old Preview. We are creatures of habit and it is easy to miss Preview as it was. But open the Simulator and keep it open. I like the fact that I don’t have to keep toggling between Edit mode and Preview mode.
Trying to understand here… not dis-agree… If simulator is open (which is a preview) why would you need to enter preview mode? It saves me time as the “preview” (simulator) is already open and showing and I don’t have to take the extra step of hitting the preview button and waiting for a render…
It not the ability to preview at a set size (iPhone, iPad etc) I’m missing it’s the ability to quickly see the effect of breakpoints, font sizes etc by varying the width of the page.
Having to change the device in the simulator between iPhone, iPad, desktop etc is very slow compared to simply clicking and dragging on the page edge.
Simulator is a great addition and it makes sense to remove the page width presets from the preview button but why remove the ability to change the width entirely.
I was waiting for that Established workflow, muscle memory, call it what you will. I like many in the eco-system flick between edit and preview constantly. Perhaps it’s no longer needed but to force a user to change their workflow isn’t good practice. Add in something that compliments workflow and may in time change it, by all means, but don’t force it me to change the way I’ve worked with RapidWeaver for many years unless there is good reason. Which there might be, I have asked but had no response.
Yes… that I can agree with completely. I think a major difference is the “type” of website that one is working on. I tend to have “like” pages (“reports,” “product page,” etc) so once I have a “template” of a certain content type page and I know that it’s breaks as I want, I’m able to re-use that over and over. Thus, I’m sure i don’t check breaking and such as often as most people. Your point is a good one.
you can have multiple simulator windows open at the same time.
You can set them as custom and drag them to any size you like.
You can save the setup of simulators, so if you have three open on different parts of screen (iPhone, iPad, custom) you can select that configuration again for a different project.
Now you really do need screen real estate to truly take advantage of some of these features. The drag on preview was reported during beta and I’m hoping it will return.
As I’ve said, I have no problem with the Simulator, I welcome it but…
I miss the rapid changing of the page width in preview to see the effects (note the ‘s’) of break points. I can very quickly see elements disappear/appear (Foundation Visibility stack), FontSize changes (FontPro), Column breaks, Image galley thumbnail width/count etc etc. The RW8 Simulator only shows me a single state, be it iPhone, iPad, desktop etc where as in RW7 preview I can very quickly see all states and everything in between.
I simply would like a feature that was removed as an upgrade? restored.
Until this retrograde upgrade is downgraded, I can’t see myself using RW8 as part of my productive workflow. I’ve tried — but find this unintuitive and counter-productive workflow totally unusable.
I, too, like the idea of the Simulator, but I need the Preview’s instant flexibility back.
You’re only limited by the screen real estate you have available
Once you have an arrangement of Simulator windows you like Select "save Window Layout as… and give it a name. Then on the next project select "window Layout a choose the one you created.
And talk about easy switching just press the simulator button instead of the preview and if you have multiple monitors no switch involved.:
Congratulations on putting all that effort into a post that confirms EXACTLY what I’m trying to say, Each of those windows are a single state.
Do you honestly think I should have a page like this https://www.dma-ni.com/dma_projects/ dynamically refreshing in 5 (your screenshot) windows simultaneously?
If I set a gallery to be 8 thumbnails @1500, 6@1100, 4@770 and 2@650 I want to quickly preview and then vary the width to see if I’ve judged my values right. I can vary the page width rapidly and make continual judgements on is 4@770 right or would 5 be better etc.
Let’s leave this thread alone and see if @dan will chime in.
Have you tried doing this? I added 30 large (unsplash) images random to the test project and dragged a new image into the project, and all simulators windows got updated faster than I switched.
I fear there will be no word on this from anyone at Realmac. I have asked on numerous posts for a reply but nothing was forthcoming. This seems to be a worryingly trend of late. Realmac remove a much loved feature for no apparent reason and when asked why they go mute. I’d go so far as to say there seems to be a certain arrogance from the team of late, whereby they feel they can dictate how their users work. It doesn’t bode well in my opinion.
I think Realmac -as a small team- are currently focused on stomping bugs and improving overall performance and will address these questions right after. @dan?
Established workflow, muscle memory, call it what you will. I like many in the eco-system flick between edit and preview constantly. Perhaps it’s no longer needed but to force a user to change their workflow isn’t good practice. Add in something that compliments workflow and may in time change it, by all means, but don’t force it me to change the way I’ve worked with RapidWeaver for many years unless there is good reason. Which there might be, I have asked but had no response.
