After Importing older evo project, trouble with menu...
Author: Mike R.
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I successfully imported a project created in Website X5 EVO into the newest PRO version. That's the good news. The bad news is the the "new" MENU looks terrible. And I have not been able to locate "authoring tools" to make it look nice -- or even to make it look a little nicer. I thought the PRO version would allow more creativity and flexibility, but that doesn't seem to be the case. What am I missing? How do I go in using the program to create a decent menu? The functionality is not a problem. It's the visual aspect, placement and "look" that needs much improvement. Anyone know where to steer me on this?
Posted on the
What version was the Evo version and is there a link to view the website or at least a screenshot?
The previous version of EVO was 11.
Here is a link to the website which I have left alone so far because the menu problem in X5 PRO is not acceptable.
http://annabelleemovie.com/producers-corner.html
I will upload a screenshot of what the PRO version made the menu look like after import. See attachment.
What I'm tryng to figure out is how to make the menu look presentable again with a nice custom look.
I went to the "MAP" page and the "MENU" in the hierarchy structure, tried to "unhide" the menu, etc. but I haven't been able to get at any controls to make a new menu and make it a nice custom version like I had to start with.
Link ==> Incomedia WebSite X5 Evolution 11.0.8.31
----- WebSite X5 convert 11 to 12 -----
Main Menu
In previous versions, you could choose to use either graphics or text for
the navigation menu items, depending on what you thought was best.
These options have been removed from version 12 ...
-----
In version 11, images could be used for navigation, but since version 12 this option has no longer existed, hence the navigation as text.
When navigating, font and background colors and rounded corners would have to be used.
----- Screenshot: WebSite X5 Pro in German version -----
You wrote:
"In previous versions, you could choose to use either graphics or text for
the navigation menu items, depending on what you thought was best.
These options have been removed from version 12..."
Wow, that is very disappointing. I thought upgrading to PRO would expand my options, not reduce them.
I guess I'll continue to explore PRO, but if I can't fix this menu thing, which I think is distractingly unattractive in comparison to what I had originally, I'm not sure it makes much sense to keep PRO. Are there any other options that have been removed? In other words, are there other unpleasant surprises like this one that I should know about?
At least I backed up my original EVO 11 project files. I'm not happy about the prospect of going back to an older version, but aesthetics and flexibility are extremely important, I think. More important than a lot of other things, frankly.
I see your screengrab there. Could you please provide one in English? I get the gist of it, but I thought it might be worth saving as a reference, maybe for the next couple of days as I continue to evaluate the situation.
To find the selection from screenshot 1, click or mark points 1 to 4 in screenshot 2.
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----- Instructions with 2 screenshots in English -----
How to use the Menu Object
>> https://guide.websitex5.com/en/support/solutions/articles/44001606118-so-k%C3%B6nnen-sie-mit-dem-men%C3%BC-objekt-arbeiten
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Thank you for your comments. Would still be easier to navigate in English for me, but I will see what a little experimentation can do. So far, I have opened the programs options you have pointed out, but when I go to see previews, there is no change. The menus look the same in the previews no matter what I do. Not sure why it is not updating as expected. I thought possibly you have to re-save the project every time you make a change to the menu options to see a correct preview... That would be very wasteful, but I tried that. Even that did not work, however. So I remain pretty frustrated. I have made ALL kinds of changes following the information you sent to me, Daniel W., but when I go to preview the changes, NOTHING has been updated. NOTHING. Even if I save the project after every single step.
I dont understand why no matter what I do the menus look exactly the same. I have no other way to see the results of what I am doing but to use the "Preview" feature, yet nothing in changing in the preview with the appearance of the menu, no matter what I do.
Also, there seem to be TWO different hamburgers and TWO different associated drop downs to go with each hamburger, ALL within the same WINDOW. It's weird. And I can't seem to delete either one separately.
I just keep running into an inability to change anything in any way that will result in a difference/change that can be viewed in the preview window.
My brother's website was built with Evolution 13 and converted to Evo 2022 last year, where the navigation is vertical.
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A background image can also be assigned to the menu buttons here.
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I keep making changes to the Template through the available options for the MENU, and I keep seeing nothing different in the preview. Always the same hamburgers. And same drop downs. See attached screengrabs.
I don't know if it will help to see all of these screengrabs of the preview window, but this is all I can see, no matter what changes I make. I did see the FONT change on the far left menu, but nothing else, no matter what I did. Not the colors, which I changed over and over again. And plenty of other things. I even deleted these menus thinking if I started from scratch it would make a difference. But it didn't. They came right back.
If this possibility is present in the Evo version, then it should also be present in the Pro version.
Thank you for your comments and instructions in connection to your brothers website. I will keep trying to see if I can accomplish what you have indicated is possible.
So far, I make changes, but apart from the fonts changing, in the preview window, I keep seeing the same thing.
Are there always two hamburgers? Separating the two from being in the same window doesn't seem possible at present.
Normally only one menu object is used, the hamburger menu only appears when the screen is too narrow or when there are too many menu items in a horizontal menu.
The current website is set up for desktop PCs.
You might also think about a redesign and create a responsive website, since it is also suitable for mobile phones.
I have made some progress. Navigating through the top buttons of the Template Content bar. And the categories button. The categories button is something I seem to have missed before. I still wish that the options available in EVO 11 were still possible. But I have made some progress. Within the restrictions the program seems to have built in, that is. Again, I do appreciate your help and responses, Daniel W. There are some unusual interface designs here in my opinion, but maybe just take some getting used to. The limitations built into the software are what concern me, but perhaps I can still find a way to make the menus visually more appealing.
Menülinks today are more utilitarian and not as embellished as they used to be. Nowadays, the content has to get moving, even if these content-related gimmicks are often a bit too much for me.
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I have a notebook, but no tablet and no mobile phone, but I still create my website "responsive".
Maybe think about it and do a redesign, you can keep the content and just change the design.
Make a backup copy first and rename it, then save the design from one of the templates with export and import it with in the renamed backup copy, see
----- Guide -----
How to share a Template using Export/Import function
>> https://guide.websitex5.com/en/support/solutions/articles/44001452473-so-teilen-sie-ein-template-mit-der-imports-und-exportsfunktion
----- Setup for responsive websites -----
I've been offline for about 12 hours now, maybe the other users can help with questions.
Thank you for your comments. I will keep experimenting and see how far I can get in terms of making the interactive elements of the website more appealing. I wasn't planning to completely redesign the website, but I'm open to the idea.
As I've been trying out the PRO interface, I decided to check on how it connects to Paypal for payments. I haven't been able to get it to work.
It acts like it is connecting, it launches a window that allows me to log in to may PayPal account, PayPal opens and everything. But then Website X5 Pro just pops up with this message:
"ENTER ALL MANDATORY DATA TO CONTINUE"
?????
But there's no prompt for any "mandatory data" whatever that might be. So I still can't connect to my PayPal account for payments in a way that is complete.
I read the INCOMEDIA instructions for this, and I found none that are specific. No step by step to get it working. SO I don't understand what the problem is.
If anyone knows what I could be missing, please let me know.
Thank you.
Since I don't run a shop with WebSite X5, I can't say anything about the PayPal integration.
Here is a post in German in which a user describes problems that occur with some customers and obviously not with others.
----- German post translated with Google -----
"The customer comes to Paypal with the link, but then gets an error and is directed to the error page. Almost at the same time, it runs without problems for another customer."
>> https://helpcenter.websitex5.com/en/post/257594
----- another German post -----
"For payments in our web shop, we have switched from the payment method - PayPal to PayPal Commerce Platform with payment options from PayPal, Sofort, Giropay, installments, credit cards.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't."
>> https://helpcenter.websitex5.com/en/post/252517
----- end -----
It's best to start a new thread with the appropriate question (in the title) for the PayPal problem, since it's a different topic.
Perhaps WebSite X5 users who also had problems with PayPal and who have since found a solution will get in touch.