Rapidweaver on iPad Pro

Is there any intention to release an iPad Pro version of Rapidweaver

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The main reason this was always answered ā€œNoā€ when the iPad has first come out (and since) is that there is no way to get 3rd Party plugins/themes/stacks on the iPad. Now that RapidWeaver allows you to store them on places like Dropbox and other online areas, not sure if this is still an issue. Only @dan would be able to answer for sure though.

Donā€™t think itā€™s the storing of them that would be the issue. Apple doesnā€™t let anything ā€œrunā€ on iOS that isnā€™t from the App Store, and gone through their ā€œapproval processā€œ(and Appleā€™s 30%+ cut). Since at least ā€œpluginsā€ comes out of Xcode, they would probably need to come from the App Store.

As Ben pointed out I wouldnā€™t think thereā€™s a enough of a market for it.

Iā€™m sure weā€™ll see more sofisticated solutions (than screen sharing) connecting MacOS and iOS during the next couple of yearsā€¦

You can edit a RW site, as long as you use a CMS, like TotalCMS by Joe Workman.

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Not exactly true, especially with version 2.0 coming soon.

Donā€™t think youā€™re going to see an iPad version anytime soon. If you need full mobile computing, consider a MacBook.

RW will not be on iPad anytime soon. No need to argue here.

If Apple even not allows RW being in the Mac App Store that easily, an iPad version isnā€™t even to think about.

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Ben, Iā€™m curiousā€¦ Do you own a desktop or laptop?

@instacks never said banned, he has said not allowed, and if you search, there are a couple of posts by Dan mentioning this, here is one:

So it is currently an issue, one Dan admits.

Also, do you use RapidWeaver straight out of the box or do you use Stacks and other stack addons or plugins or themes?? Those would need to be Sandboxed as well. Is this something Realmac should do? Is is something you would expect a developer to do? This is more of an Apple issue than it is a Realmac issue. I could be wrong, but I thought I remember Dan or Nik (when he was here) saying they had a version running on iPad but because of the sandboxing issues, it is impossible for 3rd party developers to be brought in. As I mention, I could be wrong here, and it could be from a dream, but I thought it was said at one time.

Have to disagree with this idea, using a computer to create a website, at least for me is not archaic.

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Instead of asking for an iPad version, I would follow @zeebe 's advice into looking for a decent CMS, so many out there for RW.

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I think his issue, much like mine, is that I like to get some building work done while travelling. Doesnā€™t matter what the CMS is if the work you want to do is build out the CMS pages, or design the overall site.

But I canā€™t imagine thereā€™s enough business to support the development of an iPad app even if all the logistical issues of the App store were magically bypassed.

Itā€™s a laptop or youā€™re stuck working on your desktop when youā€™re not travelling.

Warningā€¦ a friendly editorial postā€¦ :slight_smile:

Rhetorical and not directed at anyone in particularā€¦

My curious mind makes me reflectā€¦ if you are maintaining a website(s) on a regular basis and you travel shouldnā€™t you have a laptop anyway? And arenā€™t there many other apps you use while traveling that are not available on a tablet? Buy an older MBP, put an SSD in it, and youā€™re set! I have a 2011 MPB with SSD and RW workā€™s on it just as well as my 27" iMac. - Of course the iMac is old too, 2013 :slight_smile:

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Apple have a lot of rules as to how an app performs on both MacOS and iOS, with iOS being by far the most restrictive, these rules are commonly called ā€˜sandboxingā€™ and essentially mean an app has to operate within its own little space without any interaction with any other app.

There would be no plugins, so that means no Stacks and once you realise that every page type in RW is a plugin that means a substantial (if not complete) rewrite of the RW methodology.

Theoretically you would be able to import a project but if you have any external resources/wharehoused content they wonā€™t be accessible due to sandboxing so bang goes ya javascript, fonts etc i.e. no working pages.

And then you have to export your plugin less project back into a format that MacOS RW wants ā€¦ ughhhh, what a nightmare

The list goes on but basically forget getting RW on iOS, at least the RW we know. Thereā€™s nothing stopping someone writing a hyper basic html page maker for iOS, in fact go have a look at Universe on the AppStore if you want to see the peak of what can be achieved ā€¦ be warned ā€¦ prepare for disappointment.

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Why would anyone want to design/build a website on a 10in screen? I have a 13in MBA for traveling, but even then itā€™s not to design on, itā€™s just for emergencies.

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The technicalities of getting RapidWeaver onto iOS (including all the associated addons and things like FTP) would be an immense challenge. There are likely to be some areas of the app that would simply be impossible to do. Apple sets very tight parameters for the development of iOS apps. And itā€™s not unknown for Apple to randomly impose tight restrictions on something for whatever reason, which can effectively render an existing app useless.

As a RapidWeaver addon developer, I would not have any concerns about purchased addons being available to use over multiple devices. We are already quite lenient, with addon licensing.

RapidWeaver is a fairy keyboard / mouse intensive app, currently well suited to the desktop. I would imagine the experience of building or editing a website on iOS would leave a lot to be desired for. Most apps that have transited from desktop to handheld are cut-down ā€˜liteā€™ versions of their desktop counterparts.

If you need to build entire websites from any location, then that is already feasible with a server or cloud based system like Wordpress, Drupal, Joomla, concrete5, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace or countless others. The ease and quality of what you can build with these platforms varies by milage. As does the price. These are already well-established solutions in a marketplace that is close to saturation and becoming a race to the bottom in some areas. There is little that RapidWaver could do any better, if it moved to the cloud.

I do not of of anybody in a professional context who is building or maintaining entire websites solely on iOS. Most web developers all use laptops and desktops. Not forgetting that quite a lot of website content preparation (like copywriting, film editing and graphic design) has to be done in a desktop environment.

The only way I see things changing would be if Apple were to release a hybrid iPad - something that was 11" or bigger that ran the full Mac OS operating system. In other words, a touch screen MacBook Air with a stylus - minus its keyboard and touch pad. Or a clone of the Microsoft Surface with a detachable keyboard and touch pad. But none of these options seem conducive with Appleā€™s current strategy.

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I agree with everything except for content preparation being done on desktop. Copywriting, film editing, (my main source of income is film in Hollywood North), music composition, I know many professionals who do a large amount of their work on mobile devices now, some who do entire projects without hitting the desktop. Stunt and acting reels, entire scripts, all created on iOS. A client and professional author Iā€™m working for now, Iā€™m building her out a new blog for a new project. Her last book was entirely written and edited on an iPad mini. It didnā€™t see a desktop until it came to outputting it for the Amazon digital version and the printer doing the physical book.

But web development is a multi faceted thing. Thereā€™s so many tools involved, so much command tabbing as you work, I donā€™t see it ever being practical to do serious work from an iPad. And thatā€™s, as I mentioned before, you magically overcame all the obstacles of the platform and Appleā€™s store. Itā€™s just a different industry. For now.

OK, tell us howā€¦

I am not resistant to doing this, I got an original iPad and when those were announced asked when it was announced if they would be making RapidWeaver for it. Would love to see it, I just do not think it would be as easy as you suggest.

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