ToolBook explained

ToolBook was a Microsoft Windows based e-learning content authoring application, initially released in 1990 by Asymetrix Corporation, now SumTotal Systems. ToolBook uses a book metaphor — a project file is thought of as a book containing pages of content. This is very similar to Microsoft PowerPoint’s use of the metaphor where presentations contain various slides. ToolBook was often compared to HyperCard[1] [2] [3] and Visual Basic.[4] [5] [6]

The first version of ToolBook was demonstrated in 1990 episode of The Computer Chronicles, in an episode about Windows 3.0.

The final version of ToolBook, 11.5, was released in December 2012. SumTotal Systems ended all sales and support of Toolbook on December 31, 2021.[7]

Runtime environments

ToolBook allows for the creation of applications and training materials for Windows and/or the web. To support these two distribution models, ToolBook contains two different programming environments:

Features

ToolBook’s key features are:

Version history

Below is an historical list of English versions of ToolBook:[8]

Computer Based Training (CBT) edition released

Allowed for the creation of training lessons

Multimedia edition released

Introduced full media support

Librarian integration

HTML Frame Support added

Neuron Impulse added

AutoPackager replaces the Setup Manager

InstallShield Express templates

Object Browser added

Page Browser added

Log Reader added

Coach added

Templates feature added

HTML export now offers true object positioning

Neuron's Impulse improved by adding compression abilities

DHTML Export added

Actions Editor added

Universal Media Player added

Lesson Design Specialist added

Agent added to read Coach text

eLN Support added

HTTP Post added to Actions Editor

Array support added to Actions Editor

SCORM and AICC Support added

Catalog completely redesigned

Questions now offer Media feedback

Print command added to Actions Editor

Backup feature added

Simulation support added

DHTML: Export now support encryption & obfuscation

DHTML: Creation of ZIP package file added

Sun JVM now supported

Cross Domain HTTP Post now supported

Simulation Recorder added

Action Methods support added

Execute SCORM action added to Actions Editor

Various Simulation enhancements added

Ability to set or clear focus added to Actions Editor

DHTML export no longer relies on JVM

Firefox and Mozilla support added

SCORM 2004 support added

QuickTime support added to the Universal Media Player

Added support to store Actions Editor variables in LMS

TotalLMS catalog objects added

Now a 32 bit product

Introduction of the Book Explorer

Introduction of Smart Styles

Universal Media Player updated to use WMP9 instead of WMP6.4

Textline, Item & Word added to Actions Editor

RGBStroke and Transparent added to Actions Editor

Retired dBase and Pardox database support

Fixed printing issues

Fixed various AutoPackager issues

Fixed UMP (On Media Complete) issue

Fixed centering of text for long word-wrapped question answers

This was the last version of ToolBook Assistant, now retired

License Key product activation technology added

PowerPoint conversion added

TBKX (ToolBook XML) file format introduced

Voice Recording added

PNG image support

Certificate catalog category added

iPhone/iPod touch support, and Safari browser too

Universal Media Player now offers feature to Hide at Reader

Mozilla no longer officially supported

Windows 2000 is no longer supported

Term "Instructor" dropped from product name

Fixed sluggish performance caused by Book Explorer

Admin rights no longer needed to publish to DHTML

MSI Installer for IT Groups created

PNG Transparency now works in IE 6

Catalog now matches look of the Book Explorer

Quiz Summary feature added

Match Item Question enhanced to draw smooth lines in DHTML

Image object type added

All Bitmap Resources now stored in native compressed format

Google Android Browser support added

Commonly Used Objects category added to catalog

Ability to designate Question Text for any given question object

Ability to Play/Stop/Pause a voice recording

Universal Media Player now offers a Show Speaker Icon feature

Borderless Scrolling Field added

PowerPoint Converter now converts speaker notes

PowerPoint Converter now converts audio

Fixed: Opening previous version TBK not displaying warning dialog

Fixed: Unable to force a Fill In The Blank question object into focus

Fixed: Unable to create a new catalog

Fixed: Unable to export a catalog category

Fixed: Image Object appears out of position by 1 pixel in DHTML

Fixed: Images within Recordfields missing in DHTML

Geolocation support

Resizable SmartStyles

iPad and Windows Mobile DHTML support

Drag/Drop support added to iPhone

Resized images now utilize a smooth resizing technology

Ctrl-Shift-V pastes unformatted text

Improved support for pasting in Word formatted text

Added BlackBerry Mobile Device support

Startup Dialog replaced with entirely different interface

Question Wizard added

39 New SmartStyles added

Arrows Category added to Catalog

BlackBerry 6 and Chrome 5 support added

Neuron officially retired and pulled from the product

Two Tools Added: Move Pages and Reassign Pages

Two Tools Added: Delete Unused Extensions, Delete Unused Resources

Two Tools Added: Randomization - Configure and Validate

Customize Catalog option added to Edit menu

Draw Objects enhanced to use Antialiasing and true transparency

Overhaul of Publish to Web interface, to simplify DHTML Export

Enhanced logging of errors/problems when Publishing to Web

Improved Resource Manager

Voice Recording enhancements

Various Bullets and Seals added to the Clipart Catalog category

Delete Page utility added

Character Map added

Display Book Information utility introduced

Various right-click menu enhancements

Resource Lookup tool added

Copy/Paste of text now include field images

Discontinued DHTML support for Firefox 2 and IE 6

Use of JS file: Path is now stored as a relative path

Notes and References

  1. Web site: HyperCard . The Electronic Labyrinth . Christopher . Keep . Tim . McLaughlin . Robin . Parmar . 1993 . April 16, 2018.
  2. News: ToolBook Enables Easy Windows 3.0 Programming . Don . Crabb . InfoWorld . July 9, 1990 . 63–64 . April 27, 2018.
  3. News: ToolBook upgrade easier to learn, faster . Don . Crabb . InfoWorld . August 26, 1991 . 60–61 . April 27, 2018.
  4. News: Windows developers finally have the right tools for the job . Tech Talk . Steve . Gibson . InfoWorld . September 16, 1991 . 38 . April 27, 2018.
  5. News: Microsoft Windows gets back to 'Basics' . Peter . Schulz . InfoWorld . August 19, 1991 . 59–60 . April 27, 2018.
  6. The Visual Development Environment: More than Just a Pretty Face? . Charles . Petzold . PC Magazine . June 16, 1992 . 195–237 . April 27, 2018.
  7. Web site: June 2021 . PRODUCT END OF LIFE (EOL) NOTICE . 7 October 2022 . SumTotal.
  8. Web site: List of ToolBook versions which have previously shipped . 7 November 2023 . SumTotal Systems . https://web.archive.org/web/20210517201023/https://tb.sumtotalsystems.com/KBFiles/kb/History.html . May 17, 2021. dead.