I have a client who’s a bit low on cash and he wants his daughter to update the RW site I built for them directly via FTP rather than pay me to keep things up to date. The site was never built with any CMS and he doesn’t want to pay to add one. Obviously, any direct edits will put my RW version out of sync - but apart from that, what limitations are there editing directly? Clearly they can find a regular page and change some text but what about images in a slideshow / accordion plug-in, fields in Formloom, changes to other ‘eye-candy’ stacks? Clearly if the daughter has html / javascript expertise (which she doesn’t!) she would be able to do a lot, but are there any areas e.g. plug ins, where changes would be very difficult or not possible? I’m not much of a coder so advice on this would be much appreciated
They will have to purchase a copy of all the stacks and plug ins you used on the site as well
The point is that they want to edit directly via ftp and not via Rapidweaver at all.
GNope, they can’t really do that. They can edit the HTML,CSS,JS sure, but once they do then it will be out of sync with the project file in RW and anything they do will be lost if they later want to go back to the RW project.
She can change the text, images etc but it will be manually by editing the HTML.
Absolutely - I get that and it’s a very good reason not to do it! However, if they do persist, are there any areas that simply can’t be edited such as functionality of a stack / plug-in? For example, say they wanted to add a field to a formloom form? Could this only be done using the formloom plug in? Or if they wanted to change the effect of a slider?
Only by opening the RW file and owning all stacks and plugins.
They could do it. I wouldn’t suggest it though.
Would have to be pretty advanced to edit form fields.
Text/images would be the limit i think. Even then though, potential to edit/change/delete the wrong file and break the site.
They could, if they can code, change virtually anything including adding fields to forms, images etc. but man, it’s sure taking the hard road.
Stacks and plugins when used with RW just create code and use Js and CSS files that are included with the theme,stack,plug in
I would be willing to bet that they will either come back to you for changes or stop updating it. If she can’t code she won’t be able to do much of anything and there is a very good chance she will break the page the first time she even try’s.
As I thought - thanks for the input.
Before they screw up your site totally, I would give them a Zip drive with the site exported on it and show them what they are getting into.
Here’s what I tell these clients…
" What will take you 1 hour to edit will only take me 5 minutes, BUT what will take you 5 minutes to break will take me 1 hour to fix."
The best solution is to simply leave it to the professionals.
Hi. What happens if you simply export the site from the RW file? That may give you a document that can be edited in other editors. It should include images and CSS files too.
Depending on their hosting, they wouldn’t even need ftp to edit the HTML. With Chilldog Hosting you can edit from the CPanel.
I would let them edit the hell out of it, jam everything up and then realize your value. My humble opinion is never send over an RW file to a client.
two cents. 
Once they make a mess of things or are otherwise clueless of how to edit the pages, I imagine they will realize they are being penny-wise and pound foolish. Or not. 
yes it will - gives you exactly the same set of folders as RW publishing would. If you know what you’re doing you could edit all of it but I’m interested in how far people who don’t know so much can get - in this case I’m sure they won’t get very far!