Comments on: Convert Your PSD’s into Web Pages with SiteGrinder 2

By: JamJunior

JamJunior — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:24:58 +0000

Cheating? I dont think so. The truth is that soon or later typing codes gonna stay in the pass and we should get ready for that. For now lets try focusing on using the new programs that are available.

By: Matt B

Matt B — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:16:14 +0000

I’ve just used sitegrinder 2 for a project and I’m still on the fence. As mentioned, it does use position: absolute quite a bit which I can see creating problems down the line if we ever want to add more content to a page, tweak layouts, etc. Luckily I know CSS and HTML well enough that I was able to use sitegrinder to kick out a blank template, then go in and rework some code to make the positioning: relative – to get a nice clean template to use as a starting point when continuing on & building the rest of the pages. So far, it seems like this is the best application for sitegrinder unless you are doing strictly static sites that won’t have many layout changes.

By: Sharlene

Sharlene — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:12:38 +0000

If you think Sitegrinder’s code is clean, herein lies the problem and you don’t understand code.

It’s good for a designer who has absolutely no understanding of best practices, semantic coding, or load time.

Designers and developers may not be the same, but what separates the mediocre from the rock star is having an understanding of how sites are technically built.

By: Sharlene

Sharlene — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:08:58 +0000

That’s not really an accurate analogy.

SiteGrinder produces really superfluous code. I used it, and Axure Pro produces better code and that’s just for wireframing.

Definitely agree about the separation of designer and developer, but someone using Sitegrinder to sell a deliverable website is labeling themselves a developer.

Sitegrinder sites take forever to load because it creates thousands of extra lines of code in the CSS.

By: That Guy John

That Guy John — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:56:43 +0000

Chuck, I understand where you are coming from, but this is also where you separate “designers” and “developers”.

None the less, you always want to go through and clean up code after using any program to do the coding for you.

IMO, I see nothing wrong with using a tool to help development and design move faster.

Having been a mechanic for over 13 years before moving into web design and development, to me your comment would be the same as saying it isn’t fair for me to have a tool chest full of specialty tools.
Know what I mean?

By: Duncan

Duncan — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:45:09 +0000

promotional led blog post and not a affiliate link in sight? hmmm…

By: Alias

Alias — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:59:26 +0000

I agree that nothing can beat coding your own sites for maximum control but the reality is that some designers do all forms of design – print AND web and aren’t always the best at coding.

That is what web developers are for and so whilst some of you are expressing elitist attitudes, I think that things like Site Grinder have their place for those that don’t have time to learn new coding languages overnight etc. I do think that knowing code is a great skill to have though. But like anything, it takes time for some to learn new things.

Plus the time it takes to slice, dice and code a complex PSD can be time consuming. It is a handy program and you get far less code bloat than with other programs. It’s quite clean actually.

I often use it when i am short on time or get asked to start a job that needs to be up in a ridiculous amount of time, then I’ll spit out a template file and then go modify the SG files and code as necessary. you can change the absolute positioning to whatever the heck you wish to. Still shaves hours off project time.

I recommend it to designers who may not have a grasp on the coding side (though highly suggest learning at least basic coding languages like html/css as you go or when you get some time) or those that want to increase productivity.

Sure it may not be the finest choice for major complex sites, but can be used as a base. You can see sample sites on their website (pretty basic ones mostly) and read more about the program and how it codes in the support section of the site: http://www.medialab.com/sitegrinder/sg2learningcenter.php

Everyone has a different working method and preference and whilst it may not suit the purist coders, think it is a great solution for others. You can always try the demo first and judge for yourself.

By: Andy Waldrop

Andy Waldrop — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:41:51 +0000

Site Grinder 2 is a pretty awesome tool. It is not the preferred choice for larger database driven sites, but for your typical 5-20 page site it is perfect. My design time IS 90% of my development time. While you are designing it is so easy to begin labeling your PSD layers. By the time it is client approved you can literally press “Build”. I’ve built around 20 sites with SG2 and am very satisfied. The code is clean and SEO friendly and to make any necessary edits or additions and I’ve added CushyCMS to most of my SG2 sites for easy simple client editing. I highly recommend this product.

By: J Nickson

J Nickson — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:45:39 +0000

Serious, serious, serious thumbs down for endorsing this weak product so blatently. As one poster above mentioned, all SiteGrinder does is write bloated code with position:absolut set on everything. Nothing can replace writing your own code!

By: Ed

Ed — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:39:38 +0000

I’ve been using SiteGrinder 2 for quite some time and absolutely love it. It’s easy to work with and consistently produces webpages/websites that look and work great regardless of the platform. Media Lab has a samples gallery on its website at:

http://www.medialab.com/sitegrinder/examplepages.php