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Proof Websites in Ziflow

Mike Salyga
Mike Salyga
  • Updated

  • Summary: Ziflow allows you to review websites using two different methods:

    1. Snapshot: Ziflow creates a snapshot of the web page so that your reviewers can comment on the proof like they would on a document. Feature available on all Ziflow editions

    2. Live website: Your reviewers can comment and interact with the live website content as if viewing it in their browser. Your reviewers can comment and interact with the live website content as if viewing it in their browser. Feature available on all Ziflow editions.

    Where is the feature applied? On the proof creation screen. Simply enter a website URL, or multiple URLs, into the website field. You can choose to take a snapshot or view the live content.

    Enter website URL while creating a new proof in Ziflow

    Ziflow captures website proofs of the snapshot style at a resolution of 1920px, ensuring that your proofs accurately reflect the quality and clarity of your website or web application on screens of all sizes.

    This means that your clients and stakeholders can view your website proofs in their original resolution and get a true representation of your website's design and functionality.


    Proofing a static website proof

    Once a website proof has been created, you can enter the Ziflow Viewer to begin the approval process. You'll notice that a website snapshot looks exactly the same as any standard image proof.

    Reviewing a static website proof

     

    Proofing a live website proof

    You'll notice a small bar at the top of the Ziflow Viewer when proofing live website captures.

    Reviewing a live website proof in Ziflow

    1. Website resolution allows you to display the proof in other screen resolutions to see how the website looks on other devices. There are over a dozen different options to choose from.

    2. Change orientation - rotates website orientation according to the selected resolution. This feature works only if you switch resolution from your default browser resolution to some custom value selected from the website resolution picker.

    3. Interactive/panning mode - allows you to switch between interactive and panning modes. When the arrow button is blue, then the interactive mode is on. It means that you can browse the proof as a normal website (play videos, interact with all the content). If you draw a markup or use any other proofing tool, the proof will remain in the panning mode, and browsing won’t be possible (the interactive mode button will be greyed out). You can start browsing the review once the interactive mode is switched back on.

    4. Refresh - reloads the whole proof to the initial HTTPS address.

    5. Home - click the button to redirect you to the home page address.

     

    Why is my live website proof not loading correctly in the viewer?

    The Ziflow Viewer is hosted securely (HTTPS). To support "non-secure" sites (HTTP), we load them using our own proxy servers since the browsers don't allow mixed content (secure and non-secure) to be loaded at the same time.

    If the non-secure site contains any direct links to other non-secure content, the browser will load this directly, and it will not be proxied via our servers. The browser will block the content in this case, and your site may not load correctly.

    There are two ways to fix this:

    1. Host the website securely (HTTPS)

    2. Change links in the web page from absolute to relative paths. You can either do this by editing your original website, or you can let Ziflow attempt to do this automatically when loading the website:

      • Go to Manage Account > Proofing Settings > Proof Viewer > Other options and activate Live websites: URL rewriting.

    Why Ziflow Users Should Prioritize HTTPS for Proofing Sites

    If you encounter issues when accessing or viewing proofing sites over HTTP, consider switching to HTTPS for a more secure and stable experience. HTTPS is now the industry standard for safe communication on the web, offering several critical benefits for proofing workflows in Ziflow.

    Understanding HTTP and HTTPS

    • HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is the basic protocol for online communication but does not include data encryption. Without encryption, information shared between your browser and the proofing site is unprotected, making it vulnerable to interception or tampering.

    • HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) is a secure extension of HTTP that employs encryption (TLS/SSL) to protect communication between your browser and the proofing site. This ensures that all data exchanged remains private and resistant to unauthorized access or modification.

    Benefits of Using HTTPS for Proofing Workflows

    1. Enhanced Security: HTTPS encrypts information transmitted between users and proofing sites, safeguarding sensitive data—such as user credentials, confidential proofs, and feedback—against interception.

    2. Data Integrity: HTTPS prevents data from being tampered with during transfer, ensuring that what you view is accurate and unaltered. This is crucial for proofs, where any unintended changes can impact reviews and approvals.

    3. User Privacy: With HTTPS, Ziflow users and reviewers can be assured that their browsing activities and feedback are protected from third parties.

    4. Browser and SEO Compatibility: Major web browsers flag or restrict access to HTTP-only sites due to security risks, and search engines prefer HTTPS sites in rankings. Ensuring proofing links use HTTPS provides a seamless experience across devices.

    HTTPS as the Standard for Security and Trust

    Given the importance of data security, HTTPS has become the default standard for websites. Many browsers now require HTTPS for specific features and may block HTTP-only sites. Switching to HTTPS for proofing ensures a secure, trusted, and reliable review experience for you and your collaborators.

    If you encounter access issues with HTTP-only proofing sites, check for an HTTPS version. Using HTTPS can significantly improve security and help ensure an optimal proofing workflow within Ziflow.

    Proofing pages protected with reCaptcha

    If you want to proof page, which is protected with reCaptcha, please:

    1. Go to https://www.google.com/recaptcha/admin

    2. Open the Settings of your v3 API Account

    3. At the Domains option, only put in proof-proxy.ziflow.net domain

    Supporting Material:

  • Summary: Ziflow allows you to review websites using two different methods:

    1. Snapshot: Ziflow creates a snapshot of the web page so that your reviewers can comment on the proof like they would on a document. Feature available on all Ziflow editions

    2. Live website: Your reviewers can comment and interact with the live website content as if viewing it in their browser. Feature available on all Ziflow editions.


    Where is the feature applied?     On the proof creation screen. Simply enter a website URL, or multiple URLs, into the "Review a website" box. You can choose to take a snapshot or view the live content.

     


    Reviewing a static website proof

    Once a website proof has been created, you can enter the Ziflow Viewer to begin the review and approval process. You'll notice that a website snapshot looks exactly the same as any standard image proof.

     

    Reviewing a static website proof

     

     

     

    Reviewing a live website proof

    You'll notice a small bar at the top of the Ziflow Viewer when proofing live website captures.

     

    Reviewing a live website proof in Ziflow

     

    1. Website resolution - allows you to display the proof in other screen resolutions to see how the website looks on other devices. There are over a dozen different options to choose from.

    2. Change orientation - rotates website orientation according to the selected resolution. This feature works only if you switch resolution from your default browser resolution to some custom value selected from the website resolution picker.

    3. Interactive/panning mode - allows you to switch between interactive and panning modes. When the arrow button is blue, then the interactive mode is on. It means that you can browse the proof as a normal website (play videos, interact with all the content). If you draw a markup or use any other proofing tool, the proof will remain in the panning mode, and browsing won’t be possible (the interactive mode button will be greyed out). You can start browsing the proof once the interactive mode is switched back on.

    4. Refresh - reloads the whole proof to the initial HTTPS address.

    5. Home - click the button to redirect you to the home page address.

     

    Why is my live website proof not loading correctly in the viewer?

     

    The Ziflow proof viewer is hosted securely (HTTPS). To support "non-secure" sites (HTTP), we load them using our own proxy servers since the browsers don't allow mixed content (secure and non-secure) to be loaded at the same time.

     

    If the non-secure site contains any direct links to other non-secure content, the browser will load this directly, and it will not be proxied via our servers. The browser will block the content in this case, and your site may not load correctly.

    There are two ways to fix this:

    1. Host the website securely (HTTPS)

    2. Change links in the web page from absolute to relative paths. You can either do this by editing your original website, or you can let Ziflow attempt to do this automatically when loading the website:
      ​

      • Go to Manage Account > Proofing Settings > Proof Viewer > Other options and activate Live websites: URL rewriting.

     

    Proofing pages protected with reCaptcha

    If you want to proof page, which is protected with reCaptcha, please:

    1. Go to https://www.google.com/recaptcha/admin

    2. Open the Settings of your v3 API Account

    3. At the Domains option, only put in the proof-proxy.ziflow.net domain
      ​

     

    Proofing staging or password-protected websites

    If you're in need of reviewing staging or password-protected websites, we allow passing login credentials inside the proof URL so reviewers don't need to sign in when they open the proof.

    Please note that this bypass method supports websites that are behind some basic auth methods, but if the website is protected by some more advanced auth (session-based authentication, token-based authentication, or OAuth/OpenID Connect protocols), it may be blocked from viewing within the Ziflow Viewer.

    While it's technically possible to pass credentials in the query string of a URL to bypass a login screen, it's an extremely insecure practice and should never be used in a production environment. This method poses significant security risks, as the credentials are transmitted in plaintext and can be easily intercepted by malicious actors.

    Additionally, web applications typically do not authenticate users solely based on the presence of credentials in the query string. They employ more secure authentication mechanisms such as session-based authentication, token-based authentication, or OAuth/OpenID Connect protocols.

    Using the query string for passing credentials can lead to:

    1. Security Vulnerabilities: Transmitting sensitive information, such as usernames and passwords, in plaintext exposes them to interception by attackers.

    2. Risk of Exposure: URLs with credentials can be logged by web servers, proxies, and browsers, potentially exposing them to unauthorized access.

    3. Violation of Best Practices: Storing credentials in the query string violates security best practices and industry standards.


    There are two formats for passing the credentials along with the URL:

    1. https://mywebsite.com/?bypass=(username)-(password) (this solution has to be implemented on the website to be working properly)

    2. https://username:password@mywebsite.com/

    Simply replace mywebsite.com with your staging website address and supersede both username and password with your website credentials.

     

    Now, create a live website proof with a generated URL and open the proof to see if the authorization worked.

     

    Proofing staging or password-protected websites

     

    Our recommended way to proof staging websites is to configure them only to be accessible from specific IP addresses (including Ziflow). This guarantees the website's security and prevents anyone outside the specified IPs from accessing it.
    ​
    After allowing HTTPS and WSS traffic through the following IPs, your website should display inside the Ziflow Viewer without any issues.

    • 3.217.63.90

    • 3.218.57.116

    • 52.0.97.84

    • 54.196.210.150

    • 34.231.210.90

    • 3.212.239.47

    • 3.228.239.233

    • 34.239.40.84

    • 52.40.115.54

    • 3.219.6.198

    • 3.215.49.22

    • 34.198.41.161

    • 52.87.96.158

     

    Supporting Material:

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