What's New in ToolBook Instructor 2004 SP2?

This page provides a look at the latest release of ToolBook, ToolBook Instructor 2004 SP2. Initial testing of HTML products produced with this release show that this is going to be a good release. As with any new release, issues are beginning to pop up but it seems that the SumTotal ToolBook team is addressing these issues.

At this time, I have no plans to rewrite my latest book, The Actions Editor, HTTP Post, and Simulations in ToolBook Instructor 2004 since the scope of the lessons in that book does not change. I will provide on this page information and screenshots that relate to any overall changes. Likewise, the Introductory book I have written, An Introduction to ToolBook Instructor 8.5 remains a good resource for those just getting started with ToolBook Instructor 2004 (either SP1 or SP2).

Also, as announced on the ToolBook listserv, I have updated all my demos and tutorials with SP2.

 

 

Credits: A lot of this information is a compilation of the Release Notes for SP2, information posted to the ToolBook listserv, the SumTotal Website, and Denny Dedmore's Website.

New Features

  1. Little Need for Java Virtual Machine. Perhaps the most significant change is that HTML content produced with SP2 can be run in Browsers without the need for the Java Virtual Machine. The runtime now utilizes JavaScript instead of Java. Prior to this release, we have had to deal with the variety of different Sun Java  Virtual Machine releases with several releases not being supported by ToolBook.  Typical problems encountered when an SP1 product is loaded in a Browser that was not running a proper version of the JVM include: 

Exceptions to this:

  • Sending data to a different Server using HTTP Post including the AICC communication model where content is on a different server from the LMS. In these cases, you must check Use signed applet for AICC and HTTP Post option in the Web Specialist as shown here.

 

  • Communicating via E-mail if you select the option for emailing the score or log file from the Web tab of the Properties for Lesson.

  • Selecting Java decryption for Question answer parameters if you have chosen to encrypt them.

If any of these features are used, the user will be prompted to accept the signed applet when the application is first launched in the Browser.

So far, testing of this has shown highly favorable results.

  1. Single HTML Document per ToolBook Page.  This change produces a ToolBook product that displays in the Browser just as any other HTML document might display.  Prior to SP2, there were issues with Browser's locking up as more pages loaded as well as slow downs in navigation between pages. There are tradeoffs with regards to this issue. In SP1, we see very smooth transitions between pages due to the way objects are hidden for current page and shown for the next page. We need to be prepared now for some minor page flashes as each new page is loaded. Denny first mentioned a "fix" for this and then Tim took credit for it, not really a fix but something that can be done to reduce the effect of the page flash. The suggestion was to make the mat color something that is same or nearly the same as the background color of the book. Initial testing showed problems with a black screen showing momentarily in most applications since I normally accept the default mat color of black.  Of course, this will work most effectively when there is a common background throughout a book. The most significant place where this new feature might show an impact is with software simulation lessons. In SP1, going from one page to the next (one step to the next) where the screenshot did not change very much gave a highly desirable result. Now, we might need to be prepared to see a bit more of a change as a new page is loaded. One thing that could help is Peter Jackson's Graphics Preloader.

  1. More Browser Support. The Browsers now supported include:

  • Internet Explorer 5.5 SP1 and higher

  • Netscape Navigator 7.2 and higher

  • Firefox 1.0+

  • Mozilla

 

  1. SCORM 2004 Support. For those using an LMS, this is an important new feature. Support for SCORM 1.2 standards still exists.

 

Changes

  1.  Support for Quicktime.  The Universal Media Player has been enhanced to support the current Quicktime file format.

  1. New Actions Editor Properties. The following properties can now be set in the Actions Editor for many objects (allowing us to change the size of an object at runtime):

  • width

  • height

 

  1. Autoexec.nt Problem. A fix for a Windows problem with the autoexec.nt file will help alleviate issues that users may have faced when running applications on Windows XP SP2 machines.

  1. Neuron in Mozilla and Firefox. Neuron can now be used on Mozilla and Firefox Browsers.

  1. LMS Fixes. Several fixes are in place for applications running through an LMS. These fixes relate to closing the Browser window with X and a scoring issue.

  1. Reset of Animated Cursor in Sim Demo Mode.  This is something not addressed by SumTotal as far as a change but has become an important issue to me. In SP1, I had to resort to a JavaScript fix to make the animated cursor "go home" on a second visit to a page where a Simulation is run in Demonstration Mode. Now, not only does this happen automatically, but the animated cursor is reset a second time, etc. while on the same page if the Simulation is reset. Thus, there is no need for the JavaScript fix.

Tom L. Hall (tomhall@tcc-pub.com)