I read the documentation, looked at the videos and I think Foundry is perfect for how I want to build pages with RW in the future. But first I have to clarify an important question:
What is the purpose of creating pages for customers with Foundry? In order to be able to process content in part, customers also have to buy Foundry? Or can I duplicate the included theme and create my own theme from my work, which I then install at the customer - without Foundry? Or should I use EasyCMS, for example?
I think a framework must offer me an option that I can install my work at the customer and that he can edit content himself. I can not expect him to buy Foundry and work with it. Unfortunately I found nothing in the documentation. Or do I understand the concept completely wrong?
I think you are not understanding the basic ideas. A theme provides the framework for your website. Generally speaking clients will NOT be editing that framework. A product like EasyCMS allows a client/user to edit specific text areas (and some others). The client does not need to purchase Foundry. They don’t need to purchase Easy CMS either. Both products you can use on as many sites as you want.
Just a small clarification – if you are handing off the entire project file to your client and wish the client to be able to edit and publish the project file to their site, they will need to buy a copy of Foundry and any other products you’re using in the site design.
I understand the basic idea behind Foundry and EasyCMS in the main. My question also does not explicitly refer to Foundry in the interaction with EasyCMS, but on the usage of finished Foundry-Pages in general.
I understand from your answers @mitchellm and @elixirgraphics that there are exactly two possibilities: The customer also buys Foundry and works with it, or a CMS must be used. So I can not give him a theme that comes from my work with foundry? No way? Would be great, not?
As practical as such a framework for RW is, it is a pity that the idea behind it is obviously not intended for people who do customer work. There are customers who want to edit a few texts themselves. Not enough for a full CMS, too much for a static page. Frameworks generally provide a coherent structure for reuse and not just any number of classes. Usually, I use a framework as a developer, but the customer does not have to buy it in addition to my work. And he can neither see nor use the framework. But this only BTW.
Can I easily integrate EasyCMS into a foundry project to change texts and images online?
So I can not give him a theme that comes from my work with foundry? No way? Would be great, not?
No, that is not an option. Sorry. Foundry isn’t a theme creator, but instead a tool for building sites. There is not a way to do what you’re looking to do in RapidWeaver.
As practical as such a framework for RW is, it is a pity that the idea behind it is obviously not intended for people who do customer work.
It is though exactly targeted at that group of people. Foundry allows you to build a plethora of different sites, in just about any configuration you can think of, allowing you to build site after site without them looking the same, and being able to create them as you like without buying multiple themes.
Can I easily integrate EasyCMS into a foundry project to change texts and images online?
As far as I know EasyCMS will work within Foundry. Other CMSes like Armadillo, Kuler EditsPro, Poster, and the like should also work just fine within Foundry.
@dogbone If you want a customer to do text and image edits then you can use EditsPro which is the lowest cost RW solution for allowing customers to edit page content. It costs only $25 an can be used on as many sites as you want, has it’s own login security and does not need any admin page. It is easy for end users to use because the edit areas appear in the pages exactly where the editable areas are located.
When you create a web page with RW you do not create a theme, but you create a working web page which is exactly what every other web creation app does.
RW uses the term “theme” in a way that is different to other systems. RW must have a theme selected to work and that theme can even be a blank theme with nothing in it. The original themes are fixed layouts that allow restricted changes to be made. Foundry, is an open form “theme” that allows you use the Foundry stacks to build whatever you want and publish to a web server or save as a project file. You could give the project file to a client, but then the client would also need to buy Foundry, Stacks, any other stacks used and RW to be able to edit that project file.
First of all, I would like to say that i liked the very extensive possibilities of Foundry very well. Especially in contrast to the limited themes. The very practical RW is thereby still worlds better! I was only trying to find certain limits in working with it.
If a customer wants to be able to change only a few content, it is not a problem if he has to buy RW and also a theme. He can learn this quickly and make changes easily. The functionality of Foundry is much bigger and that a customer in such a page with stacks doing changes, is rather too complicated. So if I want to switch from Themes to a RW Framework, I need to know if a customer has the possibility to change texts and images without having to learn a lot.
Often, a customer does not have to do anything on the website or he does not want it. Then this is not a problem. Or he wants to change everything, then I solve that with a database-supported system. Also no problem. My questions were aimed at that between and whether I can use for this a tool like Foundry.
It is important for me and my customers that we can easily use a tool like EasyCMS, EditsPro or others with Foundry-Pages. And if this is so and others have already experiences, then all the better and I look forward to working with Foundry!
The functionality of Foundry is much bigger and that a customer in such a page with stacks doing changes, is rather too complicated.
While the page design of Foundry may be more complex, the content is still the same. Paragraph and Image stacks are quite easy to modify.
Sometimes part of having customers who want to work on their project files themselves is helping them learn to use the project file you’ve created for them. Comes with the territory. Thankfully minor things like text and images is pretty darn simple and straight forward. Like any other tool, if they wish to modify their site built with Foundry they will need Foundry themselves. Many developers I know build costs like this into the project.
It is important for me and my customers that we can easily use a tool like EasyCMS, EditsPro or others with Foundry-Pages. And if this is so and others have already experiences, then all the better and I look forward to working with Foundry!
These sorts of stacks should work perfectly fine within Foundry, like I mentioned before.
@dogbone
Hi Matthias, I can totally recommend Foundry.
Easy to use, lot’s of features and probably much more to come in future updates. Almost all 3rd party stacks work fine with Foundry. Lot’s of options there on using CMS for your clients, they should work perfectly with Foundry. Support from Adam is always great
If a customer wants to work not only on the content, but also on the page structure itself, then I would certainly do so. But these customers I mean want only change a text or a picture as quickly as possible. Absolutely nothing else
That sounds very good and as I said, I’m very curious and look forward to working with Foundry
If a customer wants to work not only on the content, but also on the page structure itself, then I would certainly do so. But these customers I mean want only change a text or a picture as quickly as possible. Absolutely nothing else
In that case something like Kuler Edits Pro or Armadillo are great for that!
