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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.^[7]

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.^[8]

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:

OpenScript: ToolBook includes a very capable built-in programming language called OpenScript, which is similar to HyperTalk. OpenScript is object oriented and event-driven, where chunks of programming code are associated to the different elements within the lesson. The OpenScript language only functions within the Native engine of ToolBook. It does not function in DHTML-delivered content.
Actions Editor: The Actions Editor is another programming environment where the syntax is virtually identical to OpenScript. The biggest difference is that the Actions Editor is not as powerful a language as OpenScript. Whereas OpenScript has over a thousand commands and functions, the Actions Editor contains perhaps 80. However, Actions Editor programming code works equally well within ToolBook (Native) as well as in a web browser (DHTML).

Features

ToolBook’s key features are:

Catalog - The Catalog is a repository of objects that can be added to your project. For example: Text fields, Buttons, Question Objects, Rectangles, Navigation Controls. You can even add your own objects to the catalog so that they can be used later in different projects.
Book Explorer - The Book Explorer will display a tree-view breakdown of all objects on a given page.
PowerPoint Converter - The PowerPoint Add-on (called SumTotal Publish To ToolBook) will allow you to convert a PowerPoint presentation into a ToolBook file. Once installed, you'll find this Add-on within the main Ribbon within PowerPoint.
Simulation Recorder - The Simulation Recorder will watch and record you interacting with another application, and allow you to import that simulation into ToolBook as an interactive simulation (this is not a video recording).
Simulation Editor - You can create your own simulations manually or edit/modify a simulation you recorded using the Simulation Recorder. Simulations can be played back in 3 modes: Demonstration (sit back and watch), Practice (provides detailed next-step instruction to user, allowing them to complete the simulation), Assessment (let the user attempt the simulation by themselves).
Path Animation - Any object in ToolBook can be configured to move (animate) across the page using a simple or even complex path.
Media Players - ToolBook supports the ability to play Audio and Videos in a wide variety of formats, supported by these 4 media technologies: Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, QuickTime, Flash.
SCORM/AICC - ToolBook provides SCORM and AICC support within web-published lessons for use in SCORM/AICC compliant Learning Management Systems.
AutoPackager - In order to distribute a Native lesson or application to a Windows computer (in non-DHTML format), the AutoPackager is used. It has the ability to wrap your lesson into a Windows Installer so an end user can install it onto their computer.
Quiz - Many question objects (True/False, Multiple-Choice, Match Item, etc.) exist in ToolBook to allow you to create a training lesson. Various scoring behaviors also exist, such as Score This Page (or Range of Pages). Using the Actions Editor, you can design complex navigation within a lesson based on individual question scores.

Version history

Below is an historical list of English versions of ToolBook:^[9]

1990 ToolBook 1.0
1991 ToolBook 1.52, 1.53
---- There was never a 2.0 release
1994 ToolBook 3.0 and 3.0a

Computer Based Training (CBT) edition released

Allowed for the creation of training lessons

Multimedia edition released

Introduced full media support

1995 ToolBook 3.01
1996 ToolBook 4.0
1996 ToolBook 5.0, 5.01
1998 ToolBook 6.0, 6.1, 6.1a

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

1998 ToolBook 6.5

Coach added

Templates feature added

HTML export now offers true object positioning

Neuron's Impulse improved by adding compression abilities

1999 ToolBook 7.0
1999 ToolBook 7.1

DHTML Export added

Actions Editor added

Universal Media Player added

Lesson Design Specialist added

Agent added to read Coach text

2000 ToolBook 7.2
2000 ToolBook 8.0

eLN Support added

HTTP Post added to Actions Editor

Array support added to Actions Editor

SCORM and AICC Support added

Catalog completely redesigned

2001 ToolBook 8.1

Questions now offer Media feedback

Print command added to Actions Editor

Backup feature added

2002 ToolBook 8.5

Simulation support added

DHTML: Export now support encryption & obfuscation

DHTML: Creation of ZIP package file added

2003 ToolBook 8.6

Sun JVM now supported

Cross Domain HTTP Post now supported

2004 ToolBook 2004 (aka 8.9)

Simulation Recorder added

Action Methods support added

Execute SCORM action added to Actions Editor

2004 ToolBook 2004 SP1

Various Simulation enhancements added

Ability to set or clear focus added to Actions Editor

2005 ToolBook 2004 SP2

DHTML export no longer relies on JVM

Firefox and Mozilla support added

SCORM 2004 support added

QuickTime support added to the Universal Media Player

2005 ToolBook 2004 SP3

Added support to store Actions Editor variables in LMS

TotalLMS catalog objects added

2007 ToolBook 9.0

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

2007 ToolBook 9.01

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

2008 ToolBook 9.5

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

2009 ToolBook 9.5 Service Pack 1

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

2009 ToolBook 10.0

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

2010 ToolBook 10.0 Patch 1

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

2010 ToolBook 10.5

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

2011 ToolBook 10.5 Update 1

Added BlackBerry Mobile Device support

2011 ToolBook 11

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

2012 ToolBook 11.5

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

References

^ Keep, Christopher; McLaughlin, Tim; Parmar, Robin (1993). "HyperCard". The Electronic Labyrinth. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
^ Crabb, Don (July 9, 1990). "ToolBook Enables Easy Windows 3.0 Programming". InfoWorld. pp. 63–64. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
^ Crabb, Don (August 26, 1991). "ToolBook upgrade easier to learn, faster". InfoWorld. pp. 60–61. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
^ Gibson, Steve (September 16, 1991). "Windows developers finally have the right tools for the job". Tech Talk. InfoWorld. p. 38. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
^ Schulz, Peter (August 19, 1991). "Microsoft Windows gets back to 'Basics'". InfoWorld. pp. 59–60. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
^ Petzold, Charles (June 16, 1992). "The Visual Development Environment: More than Just a Pretty Face?". PC Magazine. pp. 195–237. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
^ Windows 3.0, 1990, retrieved 2018-12-30
^ "PRODUCT END OF LIFE (EOL) NOTICE". SumTotal. June 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
^ "List of ToolBook versions which have previously shipped". SumTotal Systems. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2023.