doug9376

27 Messages

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936 Points

Wed, Apr 7, 2021 2:25 AM

Question re Website Builder

I've been using Sitebuilder Plus for many years (some days too long!). My company website - www.tusker-international.com - works fine. I very rarely have to update it; however I also use Sitebuilder Plus for my personal travel blog. This has been a royal pain in the arse. As my wife & I travel around I like to "blog" our experiences for our friends and family.

I doesn't matter where we are (or have been), the number of times a page cannot be SAVED or PUBLISHED because of a "network or server" error has been a constant source of frustration.

Today, after trying to PUBLISH a single page 5 times before I achieved success (see the error msg above), I was starting to tear my hair out (again). I thought it was time to look around for "something" better.

For some reason, I stumbled upon Website Builder. I seem to remember an announcement about this new editor a few years ago. Having been in IT all my life (now retired), I knew I was not going to be one of the first to try this new editor; let everone else work out the bugs.

Which brings me to my question: can I move my Blog files from Sitebuilder Plus to Website Builder or do I have to re-create them?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Doug

Responses

michelle_c

5.8K Messages

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89.6K Points

8 d ago

Hello,

Sorry for the experience however the sitebuilder software is a bit outdated. Websitebuilder will perform much better but does require rebuilding. The blogs can easily be transferred by simply copying and pasting the text into the new builder.

doug9376

27 Messages

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936 Points

@michelle_c

Hi Michelle: Thanks for your reply! Dumb question: do you know if there is a user manual for Website builder anywhere? Or is it just take the plunge and try using it?

Thanks for your assistance...Doug

8 d ago

michelle_c

5.8K Messages

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89.6K Points

We do not have a user manual other than our support articles. However, you can add a site to play with and check it out without interfering with your current site. https://community.homestead.com/topics/websitebuilder/5f2a856a0e12fe32ecd12842

8 d ago

doug9376

27 Messages

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936 Points

The link takes me to the start of the Websitebuilder forum, not a "site to play with".

So looking at some of the other Website builder forum comments, I cannot simply take a SB page and copy the contents into a new WB page, save and publish - I have to rebuild each page I have created over the past almost 20 years??!!

8 d ago

michelle_c

5.8K Messages

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89.6K Points

Correct, you will first need to add or create a new site then choose a design to get started. The content cannot be copied into the new builder as these are 2 completely separate softwares and they do not communicate with each other, it will require reuildting.

8 d ago

doug9376

27 Messages

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936 Points

"2 completely different softwares" is NOT THE ISSUE. I can copy text from Word to Excel to Powerpoint, i.e different software.

I SHOULD be able to COPY text from Sitebuilder to Website builder. They DON'T have to COMMUNICATE with each other. That's got nothing to do with it!!!!

If your comment of "2 completely different softwares" was true, how come I can copy text, from another source, into the HEADER area??!!

8 d ago

r

66 Messages

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3.1K Points

3 d ago

Hi,

Excuse me for interjecting onto this thread, but I noticed that Doug wrote the following:

"I doesn't matter where we are (or have been), the number of times a page cannot be SAVED or PUBLISHED because of a 'network or server' error has been a constant source of frustration.

Today, after trying to PUBLISH a single page 5 times before I achieved success (see the error msg above), I was starting to tear my hair out (again)."

I've been trying to use Sitebuilder Plus after many happy years on Desktop Sitebuilder (which just stopped working for me), and I'm getting the same problems as Doug. I'm presently using Windows 7, so I thought I might have to purchase a Windows 10 machine. However, if Doug is using Windows 10 and has the same issues, then I'm wondering if it's worth it to buy a new computer. (I'm unable to use the newest version of Website Builder due to personal reasons, so for me it's either Desktop Sitebuilder or Sitebuilder Plus.)

Any thoughts in this regard would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

doug9376

27 Messages

•

936 Points

Hi!

I typed a reply earlier today on my Android phone - oops, not compatible with Homestead.

Anyway, I have been using Win 10 for a couple of years now. And I continue to have the problem with server/network error. I'd like to call Homestead but I know they will just tell me that Sitebuilder is old and that I should upgrade to Website Builder. Sure, re-create hundreds of pages because I can't simply copy my SB files into WB or push the magic button to have Homestead convert it for me (free of course).

Talk about user friendly! (Rant over)

Doug

3 d ago

michelle_c

5.8K Messages

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89.6K Points

Hello,

I can try to investigate this error message. Can you please send a screen shot of the error message that you are experiencing? Also, have you tried publishing the page/s from the file manager?

3 d ago

michelle_c

5.8K Messages

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89.6K Points

As you are aware, the builder is outdated and may experience issues which is one of the reasons we released the new mobile-friendly builder and strongly urge our customers to convert for the best experience. It can be worked on on the backend while your current site is still up and does not need to be completed in one session. However, if you can please send in a screenshot of the error you see I can get this investigated and reported.

3 d ago

doug9376

27 Messages

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936 Points

Michelle: Thanks for your reply. I did not know that I could publish from the File Manager. Any tricks to doing that??

Also in answer to your request for a screenshot of the error message, when I hit the Publish button, SB either starts publishing reasonably quickly the page (the %age is indicated) OR all too frequently just sits there and spins (see top screenshot).

After hitting the "RELOAD" icon, I see the error message. SB doesn't know there's an error until I hit the RELOAD icon which is also frustrating as I never know whether it's working on publishing the file or just wasting my time.

Anyway, I'll take a look at publishing from the File Manager. In the meantime, a resolution to the error message would start my week off right! - THANKS!!

3 d ago

michelle_c

5.8K Messages

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89.6K Points

You are welcome, thanks for the screenshot. I am working on refreshing the site's pages and files. For these larger sites, publishing from the file manager is the best option. From the file manager, the pages are .xpf files, for example, the home or index page will look like this, index.xpf. Look for these files, click it and click publish.

3 d ago

emily5008

37 Messages

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1.4K Points

2 d ago

Why is one of my posts here marked "Private"?

I did not do that.

michelle_c

5.8K Messages

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89.6K Points

Threads that contain domains, emails, or any other personal information can be marked as private.

2 d ago

emily5008

37 Messages

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1.4K Points

Well, I don't see anything I posted that has that. Another person put their domain in, but the only one here I can see marked "Private", is mine.

2 d ago

michelle_c

5.8K Messages

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89.6K Points

Ok, it may have been accidental, if this is causing an issue it can be marked as public.

2 d ago

emily5008

37 Messages

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1.4K Points

Thank you. Can you please mark it public? I did see someone here posted their URL, but it wasn't me.

2 d ago

michelle_c

5.8K Messages

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89.6K Points

No problem. I did see one comment as private but I have changed this setting to public.

2 d ago