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Following our recently released EverWeb 4.4 for macOS and Windows release, EverWeb 4.4.1 is now available. This is a maintenance and stability release that is recommended for all users of EverWeb 4.4. The following fixes are included in this new version:

• •mage masking now exports images based on their visible dimensions, reducing file size and improving accuracy.
• heic and .pdf files now convert properly to PNGs during publishing.
• Transparent image shadows now render correctly without unwanted box outlines.
• Navigation bars no longer appear above image gallery slideshows.
• Drop-down menus in Responsive Row navigation bars now work as expected.
• Shapes set to “Always on Top” are now respected when published.
• Scale to Fit image fills now match EverWeb’s design view, even with small images.
• Export Optimized Images now resizes correctly for small source images.
• Image caching and versioning now work correctly when previewing your site.
• High-resolution images export properly again, maintaining quality.
• Line shapes use the correct stroke color instead of the fill color.
• Radial gradients now render properly when published.
• Some widgets and HTML snippets were missing width/height and not displaying—now fixed.
• Text box editing no longer shifts the element’s top position when resized.
• Page switching no longer causes unsaved changes to be lost.
• Contact Forms Enhanced now supports long-form content in emails without delivery issues.
• Superscript text renders at the correct size and vertical position.

You can download the maintenance release directly from the EverWeb website. In EverWeb itself you use either the EverWeb-> Check for Updates… menu option on a Mac, or the Help-> Check for Updates… menu option if you are using the Windows version.

https://youtu.be/2JKs8XgVib8

The recently released EverWeb 4.4, for macOS and Windows, features a great new way to group objects together in your website – Containers! Containers are perfect for use in both fixed width and especially responsive EverWeb sites. In this post, we will be looking at how easy it is to work with them.

Introducing EverWeb’s Containers Feature

Containers allow you to group objects together within your site’s pages in an easy, flexible way. You can use this feature in fixed width page layouts but Containers are probably at their most useful when added to a Responsive page layout. You can add Containers inside the Responsive Row widget, and you can even nest containers inside each other. As such Containers are a boon to Responsive page designs adding ways to create vertical design features, as well as complex layered design possibilities. Objects in a Container can be arranged in either a Column, Row, or Free Flow format

You can add virtually any object in to a Container, except for the Responsive Row widget. So, you could add, for example, a widget, image, shape, video, and even other containers, in to a container, to get the design you desire.

Creating a Container

There are a number of ways in which you can create a Container and add objects in to them:

• Using EverWeb’s Toolbar: EverWeb 4.4 adds a Container icon to its Toolbar. When you click on this, you will see a dropdown menu with four choices: Container Column, Container Row, Container Free Flow and Responsive Row. The inclusion of the Responsive Row widget on this list is logical as it is, in itself a container as it holds objects within it.
• Using the Object Label Toolbar: Use the ‘+’ (Add) button to add a container to the current object. You will find the ‘+’ button in the Object Label Toolbar of the Responsive Row widget and in any Container object.
• Using Contain As: To create a Container using ‘Contain As…’, select two or more objects on the page that you want to group together. Next, right, or secondary, click and choose the ‘Contain As’ menu option. Choose the type of Container that you want to add the selected objects in to, i.e. Column, Row, or Free Flow.
• Right, or Secondary, Mouse Click: In many instances, you can easily add a new container to the page just by right mouse clicking. Depending on the context, you can either use the ‘Add To Page’ option, or the ‘Add to “selected container”‘ option to a container.
• The last option in the list is the Insert-> Container menu option. Choose the Container type that you want to add from the list.

Container Features

Once you have added a Container to the page, you will notice that it has a number of features:

• Object Label Toolbar: The Object Label Toolbar lets you easily add objects in to the Container using the ‘Add’ button, or change the Container’s layout type, object alignment within the Container, or change the name of the Container using the ‘Settings Cog’ icon. The Toolbar also includes context sensitive up/down arrows so you can easily move the Container up or down the page. There is also a Trashcan icon to delete the Container. Alternatively, make sure the Container is selected then just used the Backspace key on your keyboard to delete it.
• Move Icon: In the top right hand corner of any Container, is the Move icon. This allows you to easily move the Container around your page without accidentally moving objects that may be within the Container itself. If you have nested Containers, i.e. Containers within Containers, you can easily move them in and out of each other. However, if you are trying to move a Free Flow container out of an another container, you will need to hold down the Command key on a Mac, and the Ctrl key in Windows, when drag and dropping the Container using the Move icon.
• Padding Rectangle: By default, EverWeb adds in 20 pixels of padding to the inside of the Container. If you want to change this, go to the Metrics Inspector. Use the Margins and Padding section to change the default values to the ones that you want to use.
• The ‘+’ Button: Simply click on the Add button then choose the Container type that you want to add in to the existing Container.

Adding, Moving and Deleting Objects in a Container

Once you have added a Container to your page, you will see that in the middle of the it is a large ‘+’ button that encourages you to add an object in to the Container! This button is the same as the one you will see if you add a Responsive Row widget to the page. Just click on the button and add the object that you want from the dropdown list.

You will only see this button when you first add a Container (or Responsive Row widget) to the page. You do not have to use it to add your first object in to a Container. You can use the following methods instead at any time to add an object:

• The ‘+’ button in the Object Label Toolbar: Click on the icon in the Container’s Toolbar, then choose the object that you want to add.
• Right, or secondary click: Easily use your mouse to add objects. Right, or secondary, click inside the Container then select the Add to Container menu option. Choose the object you want to add.
• Drag and Drop: Simply drag and drop the object you want to add in to the Container.
• The Insert Menu: With the Container selected, click on the Insert menu and choose the object you want to add.

Once you have added the objects that you want to the Container, you can manipulate them in the same way as you would if they were just in the design canvas. As you would expect, in a Container Column, you can only move objects up or down, and in a Container Row, from side to side.

You can move objects out of a Container just by drag and dropping them or by right mouse clicking and choosing the Remove from Container option. If you are using a Container Free Flow, you will need to hold down the Command key on a Mac, or the Ctrl key in Windows, when dragging an object out of a Container.

As you would expect, to delete an object in a Container, just select it then hit the backspace key.

Naming Containers

If you are using a large number of Containers in your page, we recommend that you name them for ease of reference. This is especially useful if you are nesting containers within each other or using Containers in conjunction with other objects such as the Responsive Row widget.

Nesting Containers

One of the great features of Containers is that you can nest containers within containers. You can nest to as many levels as required. Nesting Containers also means that you can mix the Container types that you use within each other if you need to. Nesting Containers means that you can layer your design, for example, you could create a product sales Container with the outside Container being a column Container acting as the background. Inside this Container, you could have a TextBox title and description, an image, and a button shape. You could also have buttons in a row Container acting as a visual rating system for the item you’re selling (e.g. the item rates 3 stars out of 5.)

Nesting Containers give you many design possibilities. Note though that containers are fixed width so make sure that you design with this in mind. We usually recommend a width of about 320 pixels. You can, however, use EverWeb’s Full Width feature to make your design more versatile, for example, by setting the outer most container as Full Width in the Metrics Inspector, but with a Maximum Width value set to, for example 600 or 800 pixels.

EverWeb’s new Containers will revolutionise your responsive designs and we’re hoping to add more capabilities in the future! Stay tuned for more developments!

We are thrilled to announce the immediate release of EverWeb version 4.4 for macOS and Windows. Our latest update is packed with lots of new features! Containers, Scrolling Effects, Mouse Effects, Padding and Margins and much much more! See below for a full list of what is new, updated and fixed our latest EverWeb release.

Which Version of EverWeb is for You?

EverWeb 4.4 is available to you on the following Operating Systems:

• If you are running Microsoft Windows 10 or 11.
• If you are running an Intel Mac running macOS High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma or Sequoia.
• If you are running an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur or Sonoma, EverWeb will run natively without the need to use Rosetta 2.

Older Operating Systems can run the following versions of EverWeb:

• If you are running OS X 10.10 – macOS 10.12 (OS X Yosemite, OS X El Capitan, macOS Sierra) EverWeb 3.4.2 is for you.
• If you are running OS X 10.7 – 10.9 (Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks) EverWeb version 2.9.1 is available for you.

EverWeb 4.4 Includes…

New Features

• [NEW] All New Web Framework Engine –We have revamped and re-written the entire EverWeb website framework. Your websites will load faster and are much more efficient. All shape elements and borders use CSS instead of images.
• [NEW] Scroll Effects Engine – Pin elements (top/right/bottom/left), pin-stack, pin-push, set custom scroll start positions, and add live scroll actions: fade, blur, color-swap, rotate, remove, scale, and custom scroll speed.
• [NEW] Container Object – A single control that groups elements as Row, Column, or Free Flow. Convert multiple selections via Right-click, Contain As or Arrange, Contain As.
• [NEW] Selection Label & Inline Actions – Drag from the new element label; quick-access Delete, Settings, and “+” (adds items inside Responsive Rows/Containers).
• [NEW] Margins & Padding (Inspector, Metrics) – Per-element margin/padding, including text inside textboxes.
• [NEW] Mouse Effect Transitions & Live Preview – Hover or click to trigger animations; effects now preview inside the EverWeb Design Canvas.
• [NEW] Rectangle Per-Corner Radius – Independent control for each rectangle corner radius.
• [NEW] Image Shadow – New image based shadows in addition to color shadows.
• [NEW] Navigation Bar Selected-Page Style – Use Mouse-Down fill as an active-page state for your navigation bar.
• [NEW] Contact Form “Show Password” – Toggle to reveal hidden input.
• [NEW] Drag-and-Drop Video Fill – Drop video files, YouTube, or Vimeo URLs directly onto Video fill objects; dropping an image sets the thumbnail for the video
• [NEW] Head-Code Validator – Flags common mistakes next to the Head Code field in Site Publishing Settings.
• [NEW] Caching Improvements on Publish – Image files should appear more reliably after publishing websites avoiding browser caching issues.
• [NEW] Expanded Mouse-Effect Properties – Shadows, opacity, borders now supported for different mouse states.
• [NEW] Improvements to Google Fonts – updated and improved Google Fonts support
• [NEW] You can now rename your Project file directly from the Projects Window
• [NEW] When creating new websites, the default name NEW WEBSITE now increments e.g. NEW WEBSITE 1, NEW WEBSITE 2 etc.

Changes

• [CHG] Border & Stroke Options Combined – Unified in one panel.
• [CHG] Toolbar Icons Unified – Consistent Mac/Windows artwork; Rotate and Mask buttons removed. Add new Containers button.
• [CHG] Insert Menu Shortcuts – Quick add: Video, Map, Slider elements.
• [CHG] Site Search Widget – Performance improvements.
• [CHG] Localization – Most new features localized.

Fixes

• [FIX] Parallax Scrolling – Works on mobile; multiple bugs fixed.
• [FIX] Responsive Row Rotation of Embedded Elements– EverWeb Design Canvas matches browser output.
• [FIX] Responsive Row Image Fill + Opacity – Accurate rendering below 100% opacity.
• [FIX] Navigation Bar Height (Responsive) – Correct size calculation.
• [FIX] Link Menu Children – No ghost sub-pages after folder deletion from link menu.
• [FIX] Hidden Objects & Inset Margins – Behave correctly in Responsive Rows.
• [FIX] Copy/Paste Reliability – Works across pages/projects, maintains positions, handles Containers.
• [FIX] “Do Not Publish” on Main Page – Bug preventing re-enabling is resolved.
• [FIX] Linking With Scroll Positions – fixed creating a link with a scroll position to another pages

How To Update EverWeb for Windows

You can easily update EverWeb for Windows by either:

1. Launching EverWeb then opening a project file. From the Help menu at the top of the screen select ‘Check for Update’ or by
2. Downloading EverWeb from the EverWeb website.

After downloading EverWeb, double click on the EverWebSetup.exe file. Note that the file name may have the version number appended to it and that you may need to initially trust the file to be able to download it.

Follow the instructions in the Installation Wizard until the installation is finished. You can delete the EverWebSetup.exe file afterwards by dragging it to the Recycle Bin.

How To Update EverWeb for macOS

You can easily update EverWeb for macOS by either:

1. Launching EverWeb then going to the EverWeb menu at the top of the screen and selecting ‘Check for Update’ or by
2. Downloading EverWeb from the EverWeb website.

After downloading EverWeb, double click on the EVERWEB.DMG file. A window will open. Drag the EverWeb icon on to the Applications folder icon.

Once the file has been copied, you can close the installation window, delete the .DMG file and eject the EverWeb disk on the desktop by dragging it to the Trashcan.

About Your EverWeb Update

Remember, you won’t lose any previous data when updating as your website project files are stored elsewhere on your computer.

The update is free for EverWeb + Hosting users and EverWeb Standalone users who are within their 1 year of free upgrades and support period.

You can easily check your EverWeb update period from your EverWeb-> Preferences… window on macOS, from your Edit-> Options menu on Window,s or from your client area.

If you have passed your one year of free EverWeb updates, you can purchase 1 more year of upgrades and support from your Client Area.

You can easily re-download earlier versions of EverWeb from your client area if you are not ready to purchase an additional year of updates and support.

Login to your Client Area and go to the ‘Manage Product’ page. On the left of this page, select ‘Downloads’ and choose the version of EverWeb that you need.

More Information About EverWeb

For more information about the new version of EverWeb, please check out the following resources:

• The EverWeb website which has up to the moment information in its blogging section.
• New EverWeb videos on YouTube.
• The EverWeb User Manual in EverWeb’s Help-> User Manual menu.
• The EverWeb Discussion Forum.

If you can’t find what you need, or have any other questions, comments or feedback please let us know.

When it comes to building your site, there are always some essentials that you should include. So before you embark on building your site in EverWeb, you might want to include some of the following…

1. Show Clear Purpose & Branding

The first essential about your website is that you are clear on what its purpose is, and that you clearly communicate this purpose to your site’s audience. If you’re clear on what your own site is about, it will make it easier for you to build effective content that is correctly focused.

Having a clear focus also benefits those who visit your site. If your site is a muddled collection of ideas and themes then you probably will not be able to find your target audience. It is usually better to focus on who you are targeting, rather than trying the splatter gun effect and hoping that something sticks.

In addition to purpose, having a clearly defined brand identity will also help. Again, this is something that helps you focus, and it should be easy for your audience to identify with.

Lastly, make sure that the pages in your site all have the same look, i.e. the same fonts, colors etc. When you first create your EverWeb site, we recommend setting up paragraph styles which will make this task easier!

Attaching a Master page to all of the regular pages in your site is the other important task to complete here. Master pages should be used for objects that you would use consistently on all pages, e.g. company name, logo etc. You can even set up your page background color as well to make your life easier.

The added advantage of using Master pages is that if you need to update your company logo, for example, all you will need to do is update the logo on the Master page. This will save you time and effort and will guarantee a consistent looking site.

2. Make Site Navigation Easy

We all know what it is like when you find yourself trying to navigate a seemingly impossible to navigate site! It’s frustrating and can lead you to click away from the site if you know that there are other alternatives. So, when it comes to building your own site, keep things simple. Your menu structure should be simple and one level deep at most. Look out for the upcoming EverWeb 4.4 release which has a couple of cool new features to help make navigation easier than ever!

Make sure as well to keep the labels used in the navigation menu short and to the point. Remember as well, that each navigation menu item is a hyperlink so naming them properly may benefit your SEO as well as your visitors! Also, generally, use a hamburger menu icon for when your pages are being displayed on mobile devices.

When designing your navigation, keep the essentials there. Anything else (e.g. legal notices etc.) should be consigned to the footer area of the page.

If you have a large site with a large number of pages, you may also want to consider using a search function on your pages. Use EverWeb’s Search Field widget if you need this functionality.

3. Use Mobile Responsive Pages

As you are probably aware, most internet searching and browsing these days is done on some form of mobile device. For this reason, search engines like Google and Bing, prioritize content that is made for such devices. This typically means that as a website builder, you should ultimately gravitate towards building responsive websites rather than fixed width ones.

4. Create a Compelling Home Page

The Home, or landing page will typically be the first page that your visitors will reach when accessing your site, so you have to make sure that it will be engaging with a strong headline and an engaging image or video. Don’t forget to use an H1 tag on your page headline for your site’s SEO!

The Home page is also a great venue to tell your visitor about what your site is about, what goods and services you offer, maybe a little history of how and why you are here online,if relevant, plus a clear call-To-Action such as “Get Started,” “Shop Now,” “Contact Us” etc.

5. Use an About Page / Trust Signals

Your website should always be authentic. It is important to convey this so that your visitors know that your site is real, and not a fake. Some ‘personalisation’ may help in this respect, as well as making your site stand out from ‘generic’ websites. Using an ‘About’ page in your site is one way to achieve this.

Adding images of your physical site (and a map if appropriate), adding bios of staff or the founder(s) of the business may also be advantageous. If you can, get testimonials from your clients to add in, as well as showing off any awards that your business may have garnered. Some of these items you may also be able to add on the Home page (e.g. testimonials) so take care when choosing where to place this type of content.

An About page may also be a useful place to include necessary, or legally required, information to your site. Remember, though, that some information should be on all pages, e.g. copyright notices should be in the footer of every page in your site, and not just on the About page.

The goal of your About page should be to build, and maintain, credibility and trust with your visitors, for now and the future.

6. Contact Information

How many websites today either lack a way for their visitors to make contact, or make it very hard to do so? Adding an easy way for your visitors to make contact with you, using either a contact form, email, phone, or physical address (if appropriate) may give you the customer service edge that others don’t provide. EverWeb makes it easy to add social media buttons to your site. You also have the Google Maps widget or the Shape Fill Maps option, and the Contact Form Advanced widget with Contact Forms Enhanced addon if you need it to make sure you and your visitors keep in touch with each other. Alternatively, a blog with an enabled Comments section will allow more dynamic interaction through Disqus or Facebook Comments.

7. Add High-Quality Content

One of the key tenets of a good website is well written, quality content. Your visitors will appreciate this and will come back for more. This type of content is also good for your SEO, as Google and Bing also prefer quality over quantity.

Remember to write clearly and watch your grammar and spelling along the way. Use the tools that are available to check what you have written if in doubt. For search engines, you may want to use bullet points where appropriate as this will also help your SEO as well as making your content as faster read for your visitors.

In addition, you may want to consider writing a blog or include other media such as video and good images in your site. In all cases, though, keep your content up to date as much as possible. Websites that clearly have only old content usually turn visitors away…

8. Don’t Forget Legal & Technical Essentials

Sometimes you might need to add in items to your site because of local laws, or to help protect your own content. For example, adding a copyright symbol, current year and your company name (e.g. “© 2025, ABC Company”) in the footer of each page in your site is a must have to deter people from stealing your content.

Check out your local policy on Cookie notices, and terms of service, and include what you legally need to include in your site. As this is the Internet, you may have a global audience, not just a local one, so your site may have to cater for legal obligations in other countries as well as your own e.g. EU laws.

In addition to legal obligations, you should also secure your site that uses HTTPS and not HTTP. If you are an EverWeb+Hosting user, you can easily upgrade your site using our Site Shield Addon.

The last aspect of your site to check for is page loading speed and including SEO as required. Check out the links provided here for these.

Making sure you have the essentials down in your site will benefit you now and in the future as your site will remain focused. This in turns helps your visitors and hones your target audience. Coupled with a simple navigation, responsive design, consistent look and feel of your site and some SEO tweaks, and you’re up and running!

We are thrilled to announce the availability of the first public beta of EverWeb 4.4 for macOS and Windows. The upcoming EverWeb release will be one of our biggest, as it introduces Containers which will take your website designs to the next level. There will also be mouse transitions and animations, scrolling effects, borders, margins and padding, a new publishing framework and new options for the Navigation Menu widget. Plus a whole lot of other new and exciting features and improvements that will take your website building even more dynamic than it is today.

Before You Download The EverWeb 4.4 Public Beta Software…

As beta software is beta this means that it is likely that there are still bugs to be ironed out of the software. Although we have tested the software extensively before releasing the public beta, there is still scope for corruption of project files and crashes to occur. If you want to try out the new EverWeb 4.4 features in advance of its official release we advise the following:

1. Do not use the beta test software on live project files. Only use beta software on test project files.
2. Be aware that if you load existing project files in EverWeb 4.4 (beta), that you will no longer be able to open these project files in older versions of EverWeb anymore.
3. If you install the public beta version of EverWeb, it will overwrite your existing product version. You may want to rename your currently installed version of EverWeb before installing the beta version, so that you have the current official EverWeb release available as well as the beta version.
4. If you need to re-download the current, officially released version of EverWeb available to you, go to the Support-> Downloads area of your EverWeb Client Area to redownload it.
5. When installing EverWeb software, your Project files will not be overwritten as they are stored elsewhere on your computer.
6. Make sure you back up your EverWeb project files. You can do this within EverWeb itself which is recommended. We also recommend backing up your project files when you back up your computer.
7. When running EverWeb Beta software, a backup will be made automatically the first time you open the project file in the new beta version.

Accessing the New EverWeb 4.4 Public Beta Version

As stated at the top of this post, the new public beta release of EverWeb is now available to current EverWeb users. To gain access to this beta test version

1. Log In To your EverWeb Client Area
2. Once logged in, click on the Support Menu, and select the Downloads option
3. In the Categories section, Click on the ‘EverWeb Beta’ option.
4. You can now select to download the EverWeb version of your choice, macOS, Windows, or both.

Installing the EverWeb 4.4 Public Beta

Once you have downloaded the version of EverWeb that you want to install, you will either have an everweb44b.dmg file (macOS) or an everwebsetup44b.exe file (Microsoft Windows) in your file download location.

Before installing the beta software, check the Before You Download… section of this post again. Once you have done that, just click on the .dmg file, or double click on the .exe file to kick off the installation process. Follow the prompts to complete the installation of the software.

Testing and Feedback

One of the most important things about issuing a public beta of EverWeb is to get your feedback. If EverWeb does crash at all, please make sure that you send in the crash report, so that we can fix the crash. If you find issues when using the product, use the EverWeb Forum to document the issue and we will report back to you. Sometimes, recording a video may help here, but it depends on the issue that you are experienceing.

Also, remember to check back regularly on the EverWeb Forum as we often issue updates to the public release based on our continued testing and your user feedback. These updates will appear usually in the Public Beta Announcement Post. Checking the forums is also a good idea to check on updates for any issues that you have previously reported.

The Official Release Version…

We are often asked the question about when will the next version of EverWeb be available. We are just as keen to get a new version out with new features, but we will only do so once we are satisfied that the new version is really ready for release and has been tested thoroughly, both internally and ‘out in the field’

If you decide to help us with the new EverWeb 4.4 Public Beta, thank you for taking the time to do so and to help us with testing the product. We’re looking forward to your feedback about all of the exciting new features that are being introduced!

The EverWeb User Interface (UI) lies at the center of your website building project. We call the main UI the Project Window as this the area where you create your website. Everything that you need to build a great website is here at your fingertips. The UI has a lot to of features to explore which might seem daunting if you are a new user, but we have made the UI so that it is as easy to use as it can be. Secondly, there are also lots of ways in which you can customize the UI for a more personalized experience so that EverWeb is set up in the way that is best for your workflow. Here are some features that will help you get the bet out of EverWeb’s User Interface.

Light and Dark Mode

This is probably something that you will set as a system preference on your PC or Mac and EverWeb supports whichever mode you choose.

To use dark mode on a Mac,

1. Go to System Settings using the Settings Cog in the dock or by using the Apple Icon -> System Settings menu option.
2. Click on the Appearance section in the left hand column of the System Settings.
3. In the pane to the right you will see the Appearance options. At the top are three screen representations. Choose either Light, Dark or Auto.
4. Your Mac will update the screen automatically for the mode that you have chosen.
5. If you have chosen Auto, the screen’s light or dark mode will change depending on the time of day.

To use dark mode on a Windows PC

• Click on the Start menu button
• Click on Settings
• Next click on Personalization
• Chooser Colors from the list
• In the ‘Choose Your Color’ section, you can choose between Light, Dark or Custom.
• The Custom option will give you options for Default Windows and Default App modes.
• Once you have chosen the option you desire, close the Window.

Adjusting Widths and Heights

When you are working in EverWeb’s Project Window, there are two areas that can have their width and height adjusted. the first is the Web Page List that runs down the left hand side of the UI and lists all of the pages in your project. If you have long page names, these may become obscured, and there may be times where you want to see the whole page name. You can easily do this quickly by moving the mouse cursor to the right hand border of the Web Page List, adjacent to the left hand side of the Editor Window. As you do so, the cursor eventually change to a vertical line with a double headed arrow through it. When this icon appears, click and drag the icon to the left or right until you see as much of the Web Page List as you want.

In addition, you can use the same method but vertically to increase of decrease the spacing between the Master page section of the Web Page List and the regular page section. Additionally, you can also adjust the three sections of the Blog Posts page in the same manner. In the Blog Post list section at the top of the Blog Posts page, you can adjust the width of each section as well.

Changing these settings is a system wide change in EverWeb. When you log out and log in to EverWeb, the changes will be preserved. If you have more than one project, you will notice that the changes will be applied to all of your projects.

Show and Hide Features

The Window menu is the place where you can really customize how you want Everweb’s UI to look. Some options on this menu are system level ones so will be retained when you log back in to EverWeb the next time, some are only session specific. In our description below, we will indicate which is which.

• The Inspector Window: You can hide the Inspector Window that contains the Inspector, Assets and Widgets tab. Typically you will want to do this if you want to maximize your screen real estate for the Editor Window. Toggling this setting is not a system level change, but is only valid in your current EverWeb session. The next time you log in to EverWeb, the Inspector will be available again.
• The Toolbar: Hiding the Toolbar is a great way to gain screen real estate and is a system level change. If you hide the Toolbar, you can still access all of its features through the menu system, apart from the Check Page feature.
• Presentation Mode: This is a great way to preview the current page without having to use Preview! The Toolbar, Web Page list and the Inspector Window’s are all removed leaving just the Editor Window displayed. As you would expect, this setting is valid only in your current EverWeb session.
• Hide Layout: Usually when you are designing your website’s pages you will want to have the layout lines, icons and so forth displayed. At times, however, you might want to get a ‘clean’ look at the page without the design layout displayed. If so, this is the option for you! This is a system level change, so will be retained in your next EverWeb session.
• The Ruler: EverWeb will display the ruler that runs across the top and left hand side of the Editor Window. If you do not want this displayed, you can turn it off using the Window-> Show/Hide Rulers menu option.
• Breakpoints: This is usually an option that is hidden as EverWeb automatically takes care of the points at which objects will wrap on devices. If this is important in your design, you might want to keep this visible. Showing Breakpoints is a system level setting so they will be visible when you log in again to EverWeb.
• Show Hidden Objects: This option is by default unchecked. If you use Hidden Objects in your EverWeb designed pages, you may want to set this option on. This option is also session specific.

EverWeb Settings

The last settings that affect EverWeb’s UI are to be found in the EverWeb-> Settings (formerly Preferences) menu option on a Mac, and in Edit-> Options if you are a Windows user. Under the General tab, you will find options to show or hide alignment guides, show or hide hyperlink indicators, and an option to show small or normal sized layout buttons in the Editor Window.

EverWeb’s UI features gives you control and customization options to help you get the best working environment to design your website in!

In today’s web design world, responsiveness is essential. With users browsing on phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, your website needs to adapt to every screen size. One of EverWeb‘s best tools for responsive layouts is the Responsive Row widget

First debuted in EverWeb 2.8, the Responsive Row widget was part of a larger debut, Responsive Website Design in EverWeb. That was back in back in 2018 and much has happened in the intervening years, with the upcoming EverWeb 4.4 release taking the next leap forward in responsive design. So remember to check back here over the next couple of months for more news!

What Is the Responsive Row Widget?

The Responsive Row widget is a layout tool that helps you arrange content horizontally in a way that automatically adapts to different screen sizes. Think of it like a flexible container for your content —TextBoxes, images, shapes, buttons, widgets and so forth. When the screen size gets smaller, the Responsive Row adjusts by wrapping or stacking the items inside it, so that there is no manual resizing needed!

Why Use the Responsive Row Widget?

There are a number of reasons for using the Responsive Row widget in your site”

• Responsive by default – Your content looks great on all devices.
• Drag-and-drop simplicity – Build layouts without writing code.
• Full control – Adjust spacing, margins, alignment, and wrapping behavior.
• Combine with other widgets – Use it with FlexBox, Text Section, or other responsive widgets for powerful layouts.

When Not To Use The Responsive Row Widget

Whilst the Responsive Row widget to use in Responsive Web Design, it is not always necessary to include it in your page design. Remember that when you are creating your page designs in EverWeb, when you come to publish your site, your design gets converted to code. If you use design elements that are not needed in your pages, your code will become less efficient. The following is a list of when you do not, or should not, use the Responsive Row widget in your pages:

• When You Are Using A Fixed Width, Center-Aligned, Page Layout: If your page is not a Responsive Page Layout i.e. you are using a center-aligned layout, we do not recommend using the Responsive Row widget at all. In this layout style, elements are positioned manually and do not resize or stack for mobile devices so responsiveness isn’t a factor.
• When You Only Need One Full-Width Object: If you’re adding a single object such as a full-width TextBox, image or Navigation Menu widget it is likely that you do not need a Responsive Row to hold it. You can set that object’s width to Full Width in the Metrics Inspector, and it will stretch across the screen on its own. It is a common trap to add a full width object in to a Responsive Row widget when it is not needed.
• When You Are Using Widgets That Already Handle Responsiveness: Some widgets, such as the FlexBox, Text Section, or Responsive Image Gallery widget are already designed to be responsive on their own. If you’re using these, placing them inside a Responsive Row is optional—and sometimes unnecessary. Check the EverWeb User Manual for more details.

How to Use the Responsive Row Widget

1. Add the Widget To The Page: From the Widgets tab in the Inspector Window, drag and drop the Responsive Row widget onto the page. you will see the Responsive Row widget on the page together with information on how to use it.
2. Add Content Inside the Responsive Row: Once the widget is on the page drag and drop text, images, buttons, or other widgets in to the widget.
3. Moving Objects Inside the Responsive Row: You can easily move objects inside the Responsive Row to a different location. Just drag and drop the object you want to move to its new location. As you do this, a blue vertical guide bar will display to help you correctly locate where to drop the object being moved.
4. Deleting Objects from the Responsive Row Widget: To delete an object from the Responsive Row just select it then press the backspace key on your keyboard
5. Moving Objects Outside Of The Responsive Row: You can move and object outside of a Responsive Row if you need to e.g. you may want to move the object in to another Responsive Row. In this case, just drag and drop the object from one Responsive Row to the other. There may also be times where you want to remove the object completely from the Responsive Row e.g. you might want to move a TextBox outside of the Responsive Row. In this case, right, or secondary, click on the object (in this example, the TextBox) then select the option ‘Remove from Responsive Row’. When you do this, the object becomes a fixed width object ‘floating’ on the page. In our example, the next step would be to go to the Metrics Inspector and check the ‘Full width’ box so that the TextBox becomes responsive.
6. Moving the Responsive Row itself: As you build your Responsive page, you will have rows of full width objects that from time to time you may want to re-order. Use the Up/Down arrows attached to these full width objects to move them up and down the page.
7. Adjust Settings: Use the Widget Settings and Metrics Inspector to:
   • Set top and bottom margins and padding
   • Choose left, center, right, justified, justified-center or overlap alignment
   • Enable or disable wrapping
   • Control how content flows as the screen resizes by setting the Maximum Content Width value as desired.
8. Preview Your Page: Use the Preview button to test your design on different screen sizes.

More Tips on Using The Responsive Row Widget…

We have looked at the basics of the Responsive Row widget in this post, but there is more to discover… Here are some tips to help you further:

• Break your page into multiple Responsive Rows for better control.
• Keep each row focused—avoid placing too many items in one row.
• Combine with Full Width settings for edge-to-edge design.
• Use the FlexBox and Text Section widgets as fixed width objects inside a Responsive Row for complex layouts.
• Check out Show on Device for those times where you want to hide content e.g. you may want to hide a TextBox on a mobile device if its content is too long.
• Check out the Responsive Websites chapter in the EverWeb User Manual for more information.

Next Steps…

If you want to build clean, modern, mobile-friendly websites in EverWeb, the Responsive Row widget is essential. It’s simple to use but incredibly powerful when used right.

Whether you’re designing a product page, portfolio, or homepage, learning how to use EverWeb’s Responsive Row widget will improve your site’s performance and user experience across all devices. There will be also be more responsive tools coming in EverWeb 4.4 for macOS and Windows, so stay tuned for some exciting developments!

Your computer’s mouse is a powerful tool that has been with us since its invention by Doug Engelbart back in 1964. For desktop users a mouse, or equivalents such as a trackpad, remain essential, even 60 plus years later on… You can take advantage of the mouse in your EverWeb project! Here’s how…

About The Three Mouse States…

First of all, we need to look at the three ‘mouse states’ as this is key to adding features to your site in EverWeb. When you use a mouse or trackpad, it will be in one of three states at any time. The first state is ‘Normal’, where you use the mouse to cursor, or move, from A to B on screen. The second state is when you hover, or ‘Mouse Over’. something on screen, e.g. hyperlinked text, or a button, which leads to a change in the target object’s behavior. The third state is ‘Mouse Down’ where an action results when you click on the target object that you have hovered over, for example, clicking on a menu item will take you to another page in your site.

EverWeb allows you to control what happens for each of these states using the Shape Options tab in the Inspector Window.

Example: Creating a Button…

In this example, we are going to create a button which we are then going to use to demonstrate how the mouse states work in EverWeb. Begin by adding a Regular Rectangle shape to the page, using the Toolbar. We can then size the button as desired using the grab handles.

Next we can add a label to the button simply by double clicking inside the shape, then typing the text label we want, in the same way that we would do if we were adding text to a TextBox. After styling the text, or applying a Paragraph Style to the text, the last step is to center the text within the button. To do this we just click on the Horizontal Alignment Center button and Vertical Alignment Middle button in the Alignment section. The button text is still not perfectly centered though as we need to set the After Paragraph value in the Spacing section to zero. Our button is now complete. With the button still selected, we click on the Shape Options tab in the Inspector Window for the next steps!

Using Shape Options…

Now that the button is complete we can apply Shape Options to it. Let’s start with the Fill section. Notice that to the right of the word ‘Fill’ is a dropdown menu with ‘Normal’ as its current setting. This corresponds to the ‘Normal’ mouse state as it relates to the currently selected object. If we click on the dropdown menu, we can see the other two states: ‘Mouse Over’ and ‘Mouse Down’. When working with objects and their Shape Options, always remember to check the selected object’s ‘State’ first, before adjusting any options.

When we add a shape to the page, by default its Color Fill will be blue, unless the default has been changed using the Format-> Default Styles… menu option.

We can change the Color Fill to something else if we want, just by clicking on the menu then selecting the desired Fill type e.g. Advanced Gradient Fill, or even Image Fill. As we are working with a button, it is likely that only a few options will apply here. In our example, we will stay with Color Fill as it is simple and clean in appearance to air visitors.

The next step is to think about what we want to happen when our visitor you mouse over the button. In our example, we want the background color to become yellow when moused over. To start we click on ‘Normal’ menu option and change it to ‘Mouse Over’. Next, we select the type of Fill which we is currently set to ‘None’. In our example, we will choose ‘Color Fill’ again. Finally, we will click on the color swatch below the Fill Type menu, then choose the yellow color swatch.

The button in the Editor Window will not change when we mouse over it, but that is alright for the moment. The final step is to repeat the above process, this time changing the mouse state menu option from ‘Mouse Over’ to Mouse Down. In our example, we would again set the Fill Type to be ‘Color Fill’, then select a green color as the choice for when our visitor clicks on the button.

To test the button, use Preview, then hover over and click on the button. You should see the color change to yellow then green respectively.

The final step is to change the colors of the button text. As the button is going to take the visitor to another page in our site, we will need to hyperlink the button text..

Hyperlinking The Button Text

One final thing where the mouse state has an effect is when you hyperlink text. In this example, we could hyperlink the button’s text to take the visitor to another page in our site. To set up the hyperlink, simply highlight the text in the button, then click on the Hyperlink Inspector in the Inspector Window. Check the box, Enable as Hyperlink to enable the hyperlinking features. In this example, we would hyperlink to another page in our site.

In the hyperlink Formatting section, we can choose the colors of the hyperlink in all three mouse states as desired. In addition to this, we can also choose whether to include an underline to indicate that the text is a hyperlink. In the case of a button, we recommend turning off the underline for all three mouse states.

Preview to test before publishing.

Using EverWeb’s Normal, Mouse Over and Mouse Down states to create active buttons gives you many more creative options and act as great Call To Actions for your visitors. It is also a useful feature for other shapes and images in your site to bring more attention to them.

Look out for the upcoming EverWeb 4.4 for macOS and Windows which is going to take mouse options to the next level! Coming Soon…

Building a website using a ‘no coding needed’ Windows app became easy with the introduction of EverWeb for Windows at the end of 2022. EverWeb for Windows released as version 3.9.1, using the same version numbering as its macOS counterpart.

From its launch date onwards, EverWeb’s Windows and Mac versions are usually released in synch with each other. That means there is no feature lag between the two versions – the new features and enhancements you get in one, you get in the other! Currently, EverWeb for Windows is on version 4.3, with a new 4.4 release almost ready to enter beta testing. The upcoming EverWeb 4.4 public releases expected in the next few months.

Try EverWeb for Windows Before You Buy!

One of the great things about EverWeb is that you are free to try the product for as long as possible before you purchase it. If you download the demo product from the EverWeb website, you get the latest version of the product, so you can try all of its features in full. The only caveat to this is that you cannot publish your site without purchasing an EverWeb license.

Taking a Second Look at EverWeb for Windows…

EverWeb for Windows launched at the end of EverWeb’s version 3 cycle, and a lot has happened with EverWeb version 4, so why not take another look? Here are some of the features that you may not yet know about…

• Fully redesigned Text Inspector.Now it is super easy to select fonts for the pages of your site. In addition to adding ease of use, you can now save font parameters in to Paragraph Styles that can be applied to any text, over and over again!
• All NEW PayPal Modern widget. As PayPal evolves, EverWeb keeps pace with the changes and new features PayPal adds.
• Text Justification so that you can now add justified text anywhere in EverWeb!
• Scrollable TextBoxes
• Copy Pages and Objects between EverWeb Projects
• Map and Video Fill Options for even more flexible page layouts
• Lazy Loading Images
• …and much more!

EverWeb For Windows System Requirements

Before getting started with EverWeb for Windows you will need to make sure that you are running either Windows 10 or Windows 11 operating system. If you are, then you can go ahead and download and install EverWeb for Windows.

Installing EverWeb for Windows

Once you have downloaded EverWeb for Windows from our website, installation is super easy. Just double click on the EverWebSetup.exe file. This will kick off the EverWeb for Windows Installation. Simply follow the steps of the Installation Wizard, then at the end choose if you want to add a desktop shortcut for EverWeb.

Updating EverWeb for Windows

Usually when there is a new version of EverWeb available, you will be automatically notified when you launch the product. You can control this feature by going to the Edit-> Options menu option. The Account tab is displayed. At the bottom of the dialog box you have an option to ‘Automatically Check for Updates’. By default this option is toggled on. If you do not want to use this feature, simply uncheck the option.

You can check for updates to EverWeb at any time using the Help-> Check for Updates… menu option.

Mac and Windows Version Licensing

If you run in a mixed OS environment, you can easily purchase a license to run both EverWeb for Windows and EverWeb for Mac. Start by going to your EverWeb Client Area. Once you have logged in to your Client Area, click on the Services menu, then select My Services. Next click on the down arrow to the right of the Spanner icon which itself is to the right of your current EverWeb purchase (e.g. EverWeb Standalone or with Hosting.) Select the Manage Product option. On the next screen choose the ‘Upgrade/Downgrade’ menu option then select the version of EverWeb – macOS or Windows – that you want to add to your current license.

EverWeb for Windows is a great way to build a website in Windows. There are also over 200 themes to choose from if you do not want to create your own layout! As EverWeb is drag and drop, it is easy to quickly customize and make any theme your own. And if you are more experienced, you can create more complex designs using Responsive Web Design and you can add your own code if you want as well.

EverWeb is great for both novices or experienced website designs! And if you need help at anytime, there is our 7×24 support service to answer your questions as well as our lively Discussion Forum!

Find out more about everything EverWeb at www.everwebapp.com.

EverWeb’s in-site search widgets debuted with the introduction of EverWeb 3.5. These widgets easily let your visitors search your website on specific, predefined keywords, displaying the results either on the same page of your site, or on a dedicated search results page.

Why In Site Search Benefits You and Your Business

Using EverWeb’s in-site search widgets can of benefit to your business:

1. A Better User Experience – your visitors can find what they want quickly, which is beneficial for visitors who know what they are looking for. This results in a satisfied rather than frustrated visitor. You benefit too as there is a high probability of selling goods and services to this type of visitor.

2. Higher Conversion Rate: Those who use in-site search are often high intent visitors, so the prospect of converting them from visitor to buyer is higher, up to 5 to 6 times higher than a non-intent visitor.

3. Reduced ‘Bounce Rate’ – You usually want to keep your visitors in your site as long as possible, but often if a visitor cannot find what they want quickly, they will ‘bounce’ out of your site to somewhere else. Having an in site search feature will help reduce this risk.

4. Great for Mobile Users – Having to work through menus on mobile devices is not fun to do, so having a search field instead can save mobile visitors time and frustration.

5. Using In Site Search may have an SEO Spin off – Though not directly tied to Google SEO, a search function helps visitors access SEO-optimized internal pages more easily. It may also help index and expose older or buried content that still holds value.

EverWeb’s Search Field and Search Results Widgets

EverWeb, from version 3.5 onwards, includes two widgets that are dedicated to providing in site search.

Search Field Widget – This is the main widget you use to facilitate in site search. Once added to the page, you will see a search box and search button that you can configure in a number of ways in the widget’s Widget Settings.

Search Results Widget – Use this widget when you want search results to be displayed on a separate page in your site.

In addition to these widgets, if you implement search in your site, you can customize which page to use the Search on. This is useful as you may not want all the pages on your site to be searchable. To toggle this feature on or off per page, click on the Inspector button, click on the Page Settings tab if it is not already selected, then go to the Site Search section. Toggle the ‘Use in Site Search’ checkbox on or off, depending on whether you want the current page to be included in your site search or not.

Should You Use Site Search in Your Site?

You should include EverWeb’s in site search in your site if:

• You have more than 15–20 products or pages.
• You publish blog posts, articles, or tutorials.
• You sell similar or customizable items e.g. different colors, different sizes etc.
• You want to track demand or improve your user experience over time.

Using the Search Field and Search Results Widgets

If adding in site search capabilities is for you, then add the Search Field widget to your site. Usually you will want all of your pages to be able to access the widget’s search box, sort is recommend to add the widget to your site’s Master page. For more information on using the Search Field widget, check out our previous post. If you prefer your search results to be displayed on a separate page in your site, then use the Search Results widget.

Creating and Maintaining Good Search Practices in Your Site

EverWeb will look at fields such as your page’s text as well as fields that you use for SEO. As such, it is a good idea to take an SEO approach to completing fields on pages where you are using search. Typically this will mean completing the Web Page Title, Navigation Menu Display Name and Web Page Descriptions fields in the Page Settings tab. Additionally add in relevant keywords to the Search Engine Optimization section of the Page Settings tab as these will also be picked up for the in site search.

If you have many products and/or pages in your site, adding and maintaining a current list of keywords may take time and organization. You will want your list of keywords to always be up to date when you have added, removed, or changed products within the pages of your site.

Using in site search can be a real boon to your business and can help your visitors quickly and easily find what they are looking for. So it should be a win-win for your business and your visitors!