How I think SiteBuilder should work

[ZeroSixty]

I've been struggling to understand the logic behind how SB3 works. I would like (and kind of expected) SiteBuilder to behave in the following way:

We install SiteBuilder and enter servers (hosts) that it is permitted to publish to. (maybe IP ranges could be an option?)

We install SiteBuilder module on all Plesk servers (hosts).

Once those 2 tasks have been done:

When setting up a client (or client template) in Plesk, we check an option to 'Allow SiteBuilder Publishing' then enter number of domains the client is permitted to publish.

Admins job complete.

When a Plesk client creates a domain under his/her account, he/she checks a box to 'Allow SiteBuilder Publishing'.

Domain owner creates site in SiteBuilder and clicks the 'Publish' button. Screen displays 'FTP Host (Domain Name)', 'Publish Path' (httpdocs entered as default), 'FTP Username', 'FTP Password'.

I'm not a programmer so have no idea about permissions and such! But when the SiteBuilder user submits his/her publishing details, SiteBuilder checks that the domain is hosted on a server (or IP range) the admin has entered in the config area, then proceeds with logging in and publishing the site. If the domain is not hosted on the correct servers then an appropriate error is displayed.

This process seems very easy and logical to both the admin and end user, do you not think? Of course, let us all know how you think SiteBuilder should behave

 

[khokies]

I'd just be happy if it worked.

I'm kind of disappointed because there are some features that in my mind were advertised, like the 'upload your own header image' thing--but I've gone through all of the templates and less than a quarter of them support header image upload. And there isn't any separation of what does and does not support header image upload so it's like a blind squirrell trying to find a nut--I spent a good hour trying to figure out what did and did not accept template header upload.

Plus the responses on this forum are few & far between--SB3 works really slowly with my internet connection and I can't even get a simple response as to whether or not there are any optimal browser settings I should be using. I continually get kicked out of SB and that's just plain annoying.

I upload 5 pictures to a photo gallery and it gets in there 4-fold for a total of 20 images. No response to that post here either.

Plus I keep getting this 'license has expired' message, and my host has been after SWSoft to take care of that and they have YET to respond (it's been over a month now).

I can't wait to see what other little cat-box goodies I uncover...sorry, I'm just very frustrated at SWSoft's apparent lack of caring.

 

[ZeroSixty]

Still trying to figure out how to use this thing!

What is going on with the Remote Admin module for Plesk (Plesk integration)? First, clicking on Plesk Resellers (what is this? Plesk doesn't have 'Resellers', only 'Clients') brings up a list of domains!

If I enable one of my clients domains (under Plesk Resellers) the client now has access to the SiteBuilder as an admin!! They have access to system info which should be admin only as it is of no concern to my clients what license I have! They have access to Server admin where they can add 'Hosts', why? They can view all trial sites created by my sites visitors and 'Own' these sites! They can add other user/reseller accounts!

Basically, the remote admin is useless to me, I don't see how it can be used without being abused. All they should be able to do is publish a site from SiteBuilder to domains under their account, if I enable SB publishing under their account preferences. Simple.

Why why why is it not as simple as the steps in my original post?

How do I offer SiteBuilder publishing to my Plesk clients (with no interaction from myself, admin)? From what I see, there are 2 publishing options. 'Publishing to location specified by provider', clicking this just produces errors. 'Publishing to known FTP host', I thought this would check the host the user enters is actually hosted on a 'Host' I have setup in the SB configuration before publishing. But nope, it allows the user to publish a site to ANY server! I have successfully published to domains on 'Hosts' I have not authorized!

How do you all offer SiteBuilder publishing to your Plesk clients?

 

[Azazriel]

Well, I see I'm not alone...

Does anyone who actually understands how Sitebuilder 3.x works participate in these forums?

Again, I've got the same questions and issues with how Sitebuilder integrates (or doesn't) into Plesk.

I think I've got it figured out enough to use it for our clients, but it certainly wasn't easy or intuitive. Initially, I was coming here to make sure that "I did it right" and to get a few of my questions answered, but after browsing through the forums for over an hour, I'm not so sure that's gonna happen.

Anybody?

 

[Jllynch]

I've also discoverd the hard way that one can't siply publish a site to any server and expect it to work. Even a modern uptodate server. To use the modules like the gallery you need the hosting server to have the exact nonstandard php settings that sitebuilder requires. But sitebuilder alows the client to publish to any old server on the net with no warning.

And I discoverd today that if you first publish to one server then to another sitebulder will wipe all the images in the gallery as the details are stored on the hosting server and not in sitebuilder! So we are facing manualy putting back in about 60 images.

Our clients are all confused by all the admin panel stuff also. They just want an application that will publish a clean HTML site to any server.

 

[Azazriel]

The problem here is that SWSoft have completely oversold SiteBuilder as a product and have a policy of complete non-support unless you're willing to pay between 3 and 10 times the original purchase price of SiteBuidler for a totally unrealistically priced support plan.

SiteBuilder does NOT work as advertised. SiteBuilder is NOT supported properly (evidenced by the completely and totaly lack of responses to this and any other topics I can find in this forum by an authorised SWSoft Support Engineer). And SiteBuilder has cost our company many times more than it's purchase price in support and maintenance problems.

Unfortunately, if you're on these forums, you've probably already bought SiteBuilder. But after using it for nearly 6 months now, my advice to anyone reading these forums for research purposes in advance of purchasing SiteBuidler is to stay as far away from it as possible.

Taking into account the costs of set-up, support and lost customers due to poorly designed, poorly implemented and poorly supported software, it would have been cheaper for us in the long run to spend a few grand on a reseller license for Contribute and provide a free copy to our clients.