7 reasons why Canvas Page Builder 2 is going to make you happy [sneaky peek]

It’s no secret that Canvas Page Builder is our most popular Canvas Extension. We have been working on a few enhancements based on our continued use of it for customers of our WordPress Xpress days and, more importantly, your feedback.

We’re hoping to launch it next week and so here are a few ‘sneaky peek’ screen grabsΒ of some of the new features. Let us know what you think in the comments (we know you will!)

1. User Interface improvements

The first thing to mention (or it will confuse you) is that we have made some simple, but effective user interface face improvements.

Screenshot 2014-10-24 09.22.19

  • Firstly, we have changed the add row, widget and layout icons to words, so it is easier to understand.
  • Secondly, we have changed the icons to official WordPress icons to better blend into the WordPress environment and better describe what each option does (for example we have changed the delete row option from a ‘-‘ icon to a ‘x’ icon and moved it over the left, out of the way). Credit goes to Rob Elings (robelings.com) for this one! Thanks Rob!
  • Finally, we have also added an add widget icon (the round circle in the middle of each row) so that widgets can be added directly from a row. This saves going right to the top a long page to add a widget.
  • We have also added an add row icon at the very bottom right of the interface so that you don’t have to go all the way back to the top on long pages to add a row.

Although these improvements will take a little time to get used to, weΒ hopeΒ they will save you time!

2. Clearer widget naming

Screenshot 2014-10-24 08.25.03

We have made the naming of each widget a lot clearer so that you can easily see what is inside each widget. The Pootle Visual Editor widget now has a title that displays as the main widget title, with the name of the widget below it in smaller type. So you can set a title for each widget making it easier toΒ edit each widget if you have a large page.

By default this title does not appear on the site, by you have an option to show it. See below:

Screenshot 2014-10-24 08.21.26

Β 3. Widget level styling and customization

Screenshot 2014-10-24 08.30.57

There is now a new option for styling on a widget by widget basis. You can style background color, widget border, widget padding and rounded corners without custom CSS! We have kept the padding as % because this will make your widgets work much better responsively (e.g. on smart-phones)

Screenshot 2014-10-24 08.32.32

4.Β Duplicate rows with 1 click

Screenshot 2014-10-24 08.34.58

We have introduced a duplicate rows button that allows you to duplicate a row with 1 click. This one is a real time saver!

5. Keep content at siteΒ width for full width rows

Screenshot 2014-10-24 08.52.07

This is actually an update in the next version of Page Customizer, but it is meant to work great with Canvas Page Builder. It is something a lot of you have been asking for.

This feature works for full width pages and rows and sets the content inside those rows to the same width as the site. See the screen grab below for a very simple representation.Β HereΒ the row background image (or it could be color)Β remains full width. The background red color you are seeing hereΒ is the widget background…

screencapture-nickburne-thisistap-com

6. Drag and drop widgets to use with Canvas Page Builder

There is a new tab in Settings > Page Builder called ‘Widgets’. It allows you to choose which widgets you use with Canvas Page Builder so that it’s much easierΒ to select the right widgets. It works by dragging and dropping widgets around. If you work with clients then this is a great feature as it allows you to simply the widgets they have to choose from to stop them using widgets that can cause issues.

Screenshot 2014-10-24 08.55.59

7. Reduce time costly mistakes with deletion safety

We have moved the delete row icon to the left hand side of the row so it is away from the other option and changed it from a ‘-‘ icon to a ‘x’ icon.

Screenshot 2014-10-24 08.42.50

We have also added a confirmation box on both row delete and widget delete options. This, plus keepingΒ original undo message at the top of the screen, means it is harder than ever to make a costly mistake.

Screenshot 2014-10-24 08.38.51

So there you go. Some of the cool things in Canvas Page Builder 2.Β We’re hoping to launch it next week! Comments and thoughts below…


Comments

47 responses to “7 reasons why Canvas Page Builder 2 is going to make you happy [sneaky peek]”

  1. Excellent. These look like a great round of updates – thanks guys!

    Nick, if we use the ‘Keep content at site width’, will the row background colour still cover the whole width of the page? The example image looks like it doesn’t…

    (Currently I achieve the above with a custom Class and a custom ID).

    1. Hi Mike, good question and sorry image was not clear. Yes, the row background image or width remains full width. The background red color you are seeing there is the widget background. No more CSS needed for this one! Will edit post. Thanks!

      1. That’s great Nick. I’ve been using it, and it’s solid!

        How about if we want one row to be full-width but the other rows not to be full-width. Example scenario: a contact page with nice wide full-width Google Map area… and standard content underneath it (not full-width). I guess we will have to revert back to some custom CSS and a custom class here?

        Cheers,
        Mike

  2. Vidyadasa Avatar

    Excellent,i was just talking with a colleague yesterday about the need for some of these features e.g padding etc..THANK YOU and well done look fwd to using it!

    1. Thanks Vidyadasa!

  3. Love this guys! Thanks so much for taking many of the suggestions on board. Can’t wait to get my hands on it!!!!

    Much appreciated and again thanks for your efforts to build a great product!!!

    cheers
    Rob

    1. Thanks Rob! Thanks for all your ideas. I will edit the post to give you credit… gimme 5 mins.

    2. Just gave you a hat tip in the article with a web link – hope that’s cool! ; )

      1. Nick, that’s excellent and thanks for the mention β€” it wasn’t expected but totally appreciated!

        Super cool!!!

  4. Superb updates as usual.

    I think the site width option on a full width row was a needed update and great you guys clearly listened to your customers regards this.

    I think the ui changes make it much clearer to see the options and the ability to change the style of each widget on an individual basis saves the need to do this task via custom css saving me even more time when creating a page.

    Can’t wait for next week now, looks an awesome update.

    1. Thanks Steve! Glad you agree with us. It helps that we use our own products with customers every day too. Your feedback is really encouraging! ; )

  5. keith whalen Avatar
    keith whalen

    Great updates Nick. Its like you guys have a hidden camera over my PC and just keep picking up on my requirements.

    1. : ) we just listen Keith. Sure you had some input on this update somewhere!

  6. Jerome Dutton Avatar
    Jerome Dutton

    Great – couldn’t have asked for more! You’ve certainly tidied up any gripes I have had with it in the past. Looking forward to the release – chop chop though as I have work to do and it will be a darn sight easier with the new features. Thanks All.

    1. : ) Thanks Jerome. Next week hopefully if final testing goes well.

  7. This was good news to read and will solve an padding issue I have been struggling with for weeks.
    Also, thanks again Nick and Jamie for giving me great support!

    /Cheers

    Osten

    1. Thanks Osten! ; )

  8. This looks amazing! Just to be clear though, is this going to be a plugin update for those of us with page builder already or will this require a separate purchase?
    Thanks!

  9. That’s correct Kimmy. If you have already purchased Page Builder it will be a free upgrade : ) We are going to be putting up the price on launch and converting to the 3 licence levels like Menu Customizer, but we are going to keep the prices the same for everyone who has purchased already…

  10. Nick
    Update looks awesome. What is the upgrade path for current users? I just bought a few months ago. Thanks!

    1. It will be a free upgrade and you should just be able to delete the old plugin and add the new one. However we always recommend doing this on a staging or dev/test server first. Also backing up your site and having FTP details at the ready is best practice!

  11. Great news – I’ve been holding off creating 2 new sites waiting for the naming function.

    When the upgrade is applied to existing sites with Page Builder already installed, will existing widgets be updated to include the new functionality?

    1. Yes – widgets should have all the functionality. If you’d like an advance copy to test, email me (nick at pp)

  12. Awesome! I can now see giving this to clients. It was confusing before looks much clearer now.

    1. Cool- thanks Karen.

  13. Look forward to the update
    One issue I noticed on three separate PC’s is when adding a media image into a pootle visual editor, in HTML view it doesn’t import the image or any code. I can only import images in visual view. I can paste type into either view.
    Thanks Al

    1. Thanks for that bug report Alan – we will get that fixed. You can always use our support form to log these too https://www.pootlepress.com/support-form/ Thanks!

  14. Excellent stuff. It looks like Pootlepress will now be the leading light in the page builder side of WordPress. Well done guys. I’ve got a couple of client sites lined up and l look forward to using your page builder to help create those. πŸ™‚

    1. Great Simon, email me (nick at pp) if you want an advanced copy to test…

  15. Wow! It just keeps getting better and better! Love the added functionality Pootle brings to Canvas. Nice work!

  16. Hey Nick, looks good! I see you added new formatting for adding widget background color.

    What about row background color? Is that an option in the future?

    Thank you,

    Sue

    1. Hi Sue, row background color has been a feature since version 1.1 ; )

  17. Raf Rizk Avatar

    Congrats to the whole team, Nick for a creation that continues to mature and blossom like a fine wine.

    Eager to use it.

    You are saving 100s of hours of work for each of us over the course of a year.

    Thx
    Raf

    1. Hi Raf, thanks! Saving time is one massive advantage of Page Builder for sure. Got your email and will send you an advance copy for testing.

      1. Would like an advance copy to try if its not coming out this week

        1. Hi Walt, it has been released into PootlePress accounts (not yet as an upgrade inside WordPress). We are having a few issues with accounts today, so please submit a support request here and we will give you a copy.

  18. I have to say I love new features. I can’t wait to use it.

    I am a big fan of you I bought Page Builder and I did my best investment

    Thank you. πŸ™‚

  19. Julie Moose Avatar
    Julie Moose

    So excited to see this update launch you have really addressed a bunch of items that I was hoping you would get to and just in time for me to implement before one of our current projects goes live. You’ve not only made my job easier but will also be making my clients. Thank you!

  20. Wow! You guys are on top of it. You addressed every issue I had. Great job!

  21. Joe Hann Avatar

    This is great,
    the naming the widgets that doesn’t show up on your website is a great idea.

    The full size background images, while keeping the text with borders is a great addition.

    Thanks

  22. Great news!

    Missed a blog post

    Regards,
    Igor

  23. Faith Sanderson Avatar
    Faith Sanderson

    Hiya – love this item. Where can we download all the Pootle Widgets such a Pootle visual editor, Pootle text and post loop (potle) ?

    Thanks

    1. Jamie Marsland Avatar
      Jamie Marsland

      Hi Faith,

      They come included with PageBuilder πŸ™‚

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