VSys One: Volunteer Management Software

Dynamic vs. Fixed Layout Applications

Dynamic layout applications can only be used by VSys Live and VSys Web Advanced, not VSys Web.

Dynamic layout applications

Dynamic applications aren't visual like fixed ones - you don't see on your screen how the application is going to look when it's done - but they're much more flexible and easier to make consistent. Instead of putting the fields in the right places:

• You put them in the right order,
• Add line breaks where you want them (VSys Live will add them where they're needed to fit on the screen),
• Assign HTML styles and classes to fields, and

VSys Live renders them in the user's browser in a way that makes sense. Small browser window, large fonts, or both? You'll get a long application, but one that fits horizontally. Wide window and small fonts? VSys Live will put in line breaks only where it needs to, plus where you tell it to.

There is very rarely a good reason to use a fixed layout application with VSys Live. They're only supported for purposes of backwards-compatibility where those applications were created in the past. Best practice is to convert these older applications to dynamic layout applications: they'll work far better on mobile devices, scale better for users with vision issues, and will almost always look better as well!

Fixed layout applications

These applications have - as indicated by their name - a fixed layout. That is, you put the fields on the application exactly where you want them, and VSys Live renders them just as you've set.

Fixed layout applications are easy:

• Drag and drop fields onto the form where you want them.
• Move by dragging and dropping some more.
• Visually see where things are going to go.

Fixed layout applications are hard and ugly:

• Getting fields aligned is a pain.
• They scale badly: if a user cranks up the font size in their browser, or uses the application from a mobile device, the application doesn't know how to re-arrange itself.
• Adding new fields usually means re-arranging all of the existing ones.
• Deleting fields or re-sizing fields usually means re-arranging the existing ones.

Converting applications

Existing fixed layout applications can be left as-is: there's no immediate need to change them unless you want to. When you want to, right-click on the application and select Convert to a dynamic layout application to have VSys re-make the application in a dynamic layout, and all existing submitted and new applications will use the new layout. (After conversion, if the application is all wrong, just don't Save it and you'll have your old layout back.)

Or right-click and select Make a copy as a dynamic layout application. VSys will take your existing application, make a copy, and turn it into a dynamic layout application. Your old application remains unchanged.