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]
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:
ToolBook’s key features are:
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