import new design (snapshot)

[Paragon]

Just tried importing the snapshot provided by my former designer and it doesn't work

If I import and select all contents (not orders) then I get the correct layout but not my product catalogue, obviously.
If I import and not select either all contents or orders then I get my product catalogue but a trashed design layout.

Any suggestions how I should be importing this snapshot??

I've read that V8 has issues with importing design snapshots, but am I using the right procedure?

Any help appreciated, looking like I've lost my deposit on a redesign as the 'designer' can't finish the job due to personal reasons apparently and was waiving the remaining payment. But I can't even use the snapshot he has given me.

[Golf Tee Warehouse]

Do you know what version of Actinic the designer used to produce your design

[Paragon]

The versions match, because I gave him my snapshot originally to work from.
So not sure why the snapshot he has given me doesn't even have the product catalogue that I gave him.

Been the longest web-design project, he started December last year and so far I have nothing to show for it. 6 months and money wasted. All I wanted was a refresh of the look/layout.

[jont]

You will have a design snapshot try File > Snapshot > Import Design .... you should not have any option for orders in a design snapshot as it contains purely the layouts.

[Paragon]

Thought it would be something like that.
But only have import site not an import design??

[jont]

Import Design was added in v9 - you are in v8 - my mistake

If you have a design snapshot the File > Import Site is the route BUT you should not get any option of importing orders or content. A design snapshot in v8 has no options other than selecting the .ACD file to use.

It sounds like he has sent you the full site ACD and not exported the design ACD - which is nice.

Couple of options :

1. merge the 2 yourself.

With your live site File > Export to export the products. Using windows explorer find the ActinicCatalog.mdb file and copy this to the desktop.

File > Snapshot > Import Site ... load up the designers ACD to get the new design but not your products. Close Actinic and repeat.

File > Import > Hierarchical and select the export you just did above to import the products back into Actinic

File > Import Orders ... point to the ActinicCatalog.mdb file on your desktop

2. send the designers ACD and the current live ACD to someone with developer version of Actinic and get them to do it for you

[Paragon]

Thanks Jont, will give that a try.
Though what did you mean by 'Close Actinic and repeat',

[leehack]

Close actinic down, then open it and then repeat what you just did .

[Paragon]

Thanks Lee

The repeat must be something because part 3, File > Import > Hierarchical of the original export doesn't work, error in the first line of the file apparently.

[Paragon]

Just tried this on another site and PC and broke it completely - lost all the products.

[jont]

Thanks Jont, will give that a try.
Though what did you mean by 'Close Actinic and repeat',

There used to be a bug with the design snapshot - importing it twice cured this.

With the hierarchical import open the file into Excel find the last column, and in the next column add dummy text for the full length of the spreadsheet - if Actinic encounters an empty field in the last column it will fail.

[Paragon]

Thanks Jont...
Managed to get my product catalog into the new design.

Not happy though, part of the designers remit was a CSS layout, and what have I got? More tables!!
Back to the drawing board..

[jont]

Partial victory at least.

Hopefully now the design is in (with the products) you can strip out the tables and code with CSS as required.

[Paragon]

Don't have the time, which is why I had (at least thought I had) paid someone more competent to do this for me.

[guccij]

If you truly cannot persuade this person to rectify the mistakes made, and they have not stuck to the brief you gave them, then I guess you have to ask for your money back.
You've been very polite so referring them to this thread would help show them what's happened and why you are frustrated.
Failing that, then small claims court I guess.