First thoughts / feature requests

Wappler General
#1

Loaded up Wappler for the first time and I think it’s a good start but there’s some mild annoyances that are preventing me from purchasing.

File Manager

  • I’d prefer it to be over to the right of the application, or to at least have the ability to move it to the right
  • Why is there an upload button at the top and in the context-menu but not a download one? Is downloading not an option? (On further inspection, it turns out that downloading isn’t an option. Clicking “Get” downloads the entire site. WTFF?)

Code Editor

  • Files always open in Design view. I have no intention of using Design view so it’s a PITA having to switch to Code every single time
  • App Structure/Styles/DOM panel can’t be removed. I don’t need this so it’s just a waste of screen real-estate

Bugs

  • When I first tried to define a site, it refused to save if I entered any kind of target. It then crashed when I clicked the “Abort” button on the editor view
  • I opened the settings and a giant green splodge appeared behind the modal window. Then the text disappeared or only partly rendered whenever I switched categories (I’ve seen this happen on websites in Chrome, is this another electron-based IDE?).
#2

It begs the question, if you want to hand code rather than build visually then why choose wappler? I was a die hard hand coder 6 months ago , now I do 99% of my work visually. It just so much easier and faster to work visually in Wappler .

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#3

If you are primarily a hand coder, this may not be a good fit for you. Although you can use the code editor, Wappler is mostly for visual web development. The App Structure/Server Connect panels are the core pieces for creating dynamic web sites within Wappler. The DOM panel is pretty amazing as well. @George and his team has done an amazing job with this software so someone can create some pretty sophisticated dynamic websites very easily. You have all the power of Angular and React but no where near the learning curve, and mostly visual. Give it a shot for what it does, I think you will be impressed.

3 Likes
#4

It is an option. Expand the file menu to show both the local and remote files. Right click on the folder or file you want to download and select download.

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#5

This was my feeling at first too - and I raised the issue. George said he wanted to keep things simple and this wouldn’t be an option. I now think he was right. I’ve got used to the file panel being where it is and actually think it’s just as good in this position. While I was used to having it on the right in Dreamweaver, I hadn’t noticed that I use it on the left in text editors such as Brackets and UltraEdit (and I don’t think it can be moved in these cases).

It wouldn’t make sense to have a download button here; the files on the left are local files. However, as has been pointed out, a download button is available in the appropriate place.

This is not correct. The files will open as you left them, whether in design, split or code view. This applies to multiple files in multiple sites. The chosen layout persists as you switch files, sites or after you have closed/reopened the application.

If you really don’t need them, you don’t need Wappler (as has been pointed out). Having said that, I think the organisation of panels on the right of the screen needs some improvement.

No it’s not, but I’m afriad I can’t help you with the green splodge. I expect someone else will be able to help.

2 Likes
#6

My 2 cent’s worth: Just a couple of weeks/months ago there was a conversation about how great App Connect and Server Connect is as frameworks. This is why I use Wappler. Because of the easy entry point to these frameworks. Let us not alienating people that prefer to handcode some. I do everything except the frameworks in code. And yes, Wappler makes is super easy for one to use the visual way. If visual is your jam, do it. I just know from 12+ years of coding experience what works for me.

Why does it have to be one or the other? I believe Wappler is a tool for anyone at any experience level to mix and match what they need and want and how they want to work.

Would hiding away a “Default to code view” switch in the settings be such a big deal? Or any of the other options requested with a more code view focus?

I think Wappler can be all inclusive, but I understand the current focus of the creators on the visual side. I do hope when that is finished(to where they want to take it), we, the bit more code focused, will also feel the love.

Lastly I do not think we can’t expect Wappler to be everything for everyone. Like Dreamweaver and the other tools had their shortcomings, depending on your needs, Wappler also is very strong in so many areas, but also has sections that need improvement. And many of the reported “weaknesses” have workarounds or might not even be neccesary if one adjusts his ideal workflow a bit.

The worst thing for the community around Wappler would be to start majoring on the minors. The support for @George and his team has been incredible and likewise we see the blood, sweat and tears? they pour into this product.

That is the end of my little friendly-ish rant.

2 Likes
#7

Wappler is built with NW.js, which is similar to Electron (source).

#8

if you want to hand code rather than build visually then why choose wappler

If you are primarily a hand coder, this may not be a good fit for you

Fair point, if it’s not for me it’s not for me. Just looking for another editor now that Dreamweaver has been seemingly-abandoned by Adobe. Most of the ones I tried were terrible (in my opinion) - Wappler being the exception.

The files will open as you left them, whether in design, split or code view

This didn’t happen for me, might have been a bug?

Wappler is built with NW.js, which is similar to Electron

Huh, Google must have inherited that hardware acceleration(?) rendering bug from webkit and never fixed it after the blink fork

#9

My two cents, also being a purely hand coder for many many years, i leave split view open at all times and check every single thing that is done through the design side because I am nervous it might do something strange that i do not want.
Sometimes this has been a help but most often it honestly does things exactly like i expected it to.

I have also been a long time user of DMXZone tools and to be very honest if I were giving Wappler a one 2-3 day trial without having come from DMXZone I probably would not be here. It takes a little time as almost everything works different but once you get there, then oh my, I would never go back. I am literally creating stuff in a quarter the time that i used to, and of a higher quality.

Are there some minor bugs here and there, yes, or maybe bugs is a bit harsh, lets rather call them minor irritations, but once you get used to the way things operate then to be honest I do not even notice them. To make a proper go at it you need at least a week to play with it.

#10

You may like to read my feedback after 1 month with Wappler.