v8.0 & backwards compatibility with v7.0

[golles]

I am currently an owner and fairly large user of Actinic Designer v7.0.

I have setup and manage various online stores both for my company and for clients.

I am keen to explore the benefits of migrating to v8.0 designer, but I have one major concern. If I upgrade to Designer v8.0 will I still be able to manage stores that have been created in Designer v7.0 with Designer v8.0? Without having to purchase the catalog or business version of the product for each store?

Also on a related matter I have clients that do not wish to upgrade at this time their version of catalog or business, but still want me to manage and work on the design elements of their stores – if I move to v8.0 will I be able to manage and v7.0 stores of my clients.

Hope this makes sense

Regards
Simon

[jont]

You can install the v8 software alongside v7. I asked the same question months back (during Beta Testing) via email to Kiran Chandran (actinic) and received the following reply:

"There should not be a problem with your V7 sites even after you have a full version of V8 installed. What we are suggesting to all our customer who what to upgrade is to install V8 as separate piece of software and not as an upgrade of V7. By doing this you will not interfere with your V7 sites in any way .

Once the V8 installation is complete you can then export a snapshot of any V7 site and import it into V8 and let it go through the upgrade once that is done switch to test mode and test out your V8 site to see how it is. In this way you will not disturb your V7 sites in any way. If you are then satisfied with your V8 site you can think about making it live."

HTH

[wjcampbe]

CAVEAT: You cannot manage ANY sites with Designer v8 - not v7 sites, not v8 sites - NONE.

To manage sites and also do designer type work you will need v8 Business Multi Site.