ToolBook
Knowledge Base
Release Notes: ToolBook II Instructor 8.5
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Article: P680
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The information in this article applies to:
Product: ToolBook II Instructor
Component: All
Product version(s): 8.5
Release Notes - March 7, 2002
New features
Creating software simulations
In this 8.5 release of ToolBook Instructor we've added a sophisticated new simulation object in the Action Objects category of the ToolBook Instructor Catalog which facilitates the development of software simulations. With the simulation object you can define steps to complete a task, evaluation objects, trigger events, feedback, and more. In a software simulation a learner can try out or view the steps to accomplish a task in a controlled setting which provides a response to user input. User interaction with simulations can be scored.
Two samples of software simulations are available. If you install the sample
files on your hard drive, look in these default folders:
- c:\program files\click2learn\instructor85\samples\OutlookSimulation
- c:\program files\click2learn\instructor85\samples\WebSimSample
To view each sample in a Web browser, open the exported DHTML version of the simulations which are located in the DHTMLversion subfolder for each simulation sample. If you do not choose to install the sample files on your hard drive, the sample files are available on the Instructor program disc in the samples folder.
Working with the Aspen Enterprise Learning Platform
The ToolBook Web Specialist gives you the option to deliver your ToolBook content to any component of the Aspen Enterprise Learning Platform from Click2learn.
Additionally, a new Aspen category in the ToolBook Instructor Catalog provides buttons and other objects that will add preprogrammed functionality to your content when it is deployed through the Aspen Learning Experience Server (LXS) or the Aspen Content Development Server (CDS). Look in the Aspen CDS - LXS category of the Instructor Catalog to view and use these objects.
Moving from 16-bit to 32-bit functionality
Developers who program in OpenScript and use functions in 16-bit dynamic link libraries (DLLs) can continue to use this functionality in ToolBook Instructor 8.5. In future ToolBook releases support for using OpenScript to interface with 16-bit DLLs and controls will be removed. With this release, 32-bit equivalents for 16-bit interfaces are provided to allow developers who want to prepare existing scripts for use in future ToolBook releases. New 32-bit OpenScript functionality is available for converting existing 16-bit properties, functions, messages, and commands to 32-bit. In the online Help index, click "New OpenScript topics" for more information.
More options in the Web Specialist
When you prepare ToolBook applications for delivery with the Web Specialist, you can now choose to package an exported DHTML application as one ZIP file. Other new options include:
- Launching a DHTML application in a Web browser without opening a new window.
- Specifying whether or not ToolBook changes the name of media assets and graphics during export to DHTML.
- Specifying whether exported files are compressed during the publishing process.
- Choosing whether or not parameters are encrypted in exported DHTML content.
- Specifying if the exported JavaScript code is obfuscated. This is useful for advanced developers who want to view the exported DHTML code.
If your ToolBook application will be distributed through a learning management system, you can take advantage of these new options in the Web Specialist:
- Generate AICC course descriptor files. These are small text files used by some learning management systems.
- Create a compressed file that contains the DHTML content. This makes it quicker to deliver files to the Aspen CDS.
New objects in the ToolBook Instructor Catalog
A password field is available in the Text Field category. When text is entered in the password field, each character will display as an asterisk. This field can be used for entering and verifying a user's password.
The Catalog now contains a placeholder for displaying current versions of PowerPoint presentations. Any PPT file created with PowerPoint 97 through PowerPoint 2002 can be shown through this placeholder in Internet Explorer.
Linking to DLLs
There is no longer a need to use the linkDLL statement to access functions the following DLL files that ship with ToolBook: TBDOS.DLL, TBWIN.DLL, TBDLG.DLL, TBREG.DLL, and TBFILE32.DLL. The functions in these DLLs have been added to the ToolBook code base and you do not need to declare the functions in these DLLs before using them. Existing scripts that link to these DLLs will not be affected by this change.
Notes
The following items are known issues with this release.
Working with earlier ToolBook versions
Any books created in the 8.1 version of ToolBook that are opened and saved in 8.5 can no longer be opened in version 8.1.
ToolBook Instructor 8.5 includes a utility that you can use to update books created in earlier versions of ToolBook. To run the Version Updater utility, from the Start menu on your Windows desktop point to Programs, ToolBook, Utilities 8.5, and then select Version Updater.
After you install version 8.5, if you wish to remove version 8.5 and continue to use version 8.1, follow these steps to revert back to version 8.1:
1. Uninstall version 8.5 using the Add/Remove Programs utility.
2. Delete these folders:
\Program Files\click2learn\Instructor85
\Program Files\click2learn euron
\Program Files\click2learn\TBSystem
3. Reinstall ToolBook 8.1.
Adding actions to Catalog objects
Catalog objects often have preprogrammed functionality that depends on a specific execution sequence. For this reason, assigning additional actions (created in the Actions Editor) to Catalog buttons is not supported. Most of Catalog buttons have equivalent functionality that is available in the Actions Editor. If you want to expand the functionality offered by a Catalog button, use a blank button and program the functionality for the button in the Actions Editor.
User interface controls with Windows 3.1 look will not be supported
The controlStyle property has a Win3 value that is supported in this release. This value controls how various user interface (UI) elements in the book are drawn (buttons, fields, etc.). In future we will not support drawing UI with a Windows 3.1 look.
Netscape browser cannot use PowerPoint placeholder
The new Power Point 97+ placeholder shows presentations only in Internet Explorer. Netscape is unable to display PPT files in the expected manner.
Duplicating a step in a software simulation
In the Properties for Simulation dialog box you can choose to duplicate a step (by clicking the Steps tab, selecting an existing step and clicking the Duplicate button). This will create a copy of the existing step. However, if the existing step contains an action (defined on the Actions tab of the Edit Step dialog box) then these actions are not copied to the new step.
Quiz scores and SCORM compliance
To generate content that conforms with SCORM guidelines, do not to generate scores that might have a negative number.
Running ToolBook content in the Aspen Learning Experience Server
When a ToolBook course is exported to DHTML and packaged for the Aspen Learning Experience Server(LXS), only completion status will be tracked in the Aspen LXS. The score and progress details are not saved. To track detailed scoring information, ToolBook content can be published through the Aspen Learning Management Server(LMS).
Leaving a quiz in the Aspen Learning Experience Server
If a learner is in the middle of taking an assessment in the Aspen Learning Experience Server and decides to navigate outside of the assessment, the answers to questions will not be saved unless the learner clicks some type of Exit Lesson button to save their data. For this situation, include a Catalog button from the Scoring category, such as Suspend or Mark as Complete, to allow answers to be saved.
Using the Discard button from Scoring and Tracking category
The Scoring and Tracking category of the ToolBook Instructor Catalog includes a Discard button. Use of the Discard button is not supported in content that is intended for SCORM deployment or in content that will be exported for the Aspen Content Development Server or the Aspen Learning Experience Server.
Path information in the Universal Media Player
When using the Universal Media Player and referring to a media file that will be played, use an explicit path with a drive letter, folder name(s), and file name. If you point to a file at a UNC location (such as "\\aarons\shared\chemistry1.avi"), the Web export process will not be able to process the file location.
Running a presentation without a PowerPoint viewer in Netscape
If a user does not have PowerPoint installed and attempts to view an exported page that includes a PowerPoint 95 presentation, the user should be prompted to download the viewer. This prompt fails to appear when running Windows XP with some versions of Netscape Communicator.
Netscape 6 is not a supported
For ToolBook Instructor applications that are exported to DHTML, Netscape 6 is not a supported browser.
Exporting to DHTML before publication
When you are ready to prepare the final version of your book for release as a DHTML application, export all of the pages in the entire book to DHTML. The partial page export functionality in the Web Specialist is designed for interim use during the authoring process. In some situations, a partial export may affect dependencies between pages, such as when a global variable affects the functionality of a page.
Running Windows 2000
If you are running Windows 2000 with Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2, Microsoft provides a fix for a memory allocation error that affects some authoring experiences for ToolBook users, and we recommend that you install the patch file provided by Microsoft. To download the patch file, visit http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=29465 for the English version of this patch. For versions of this patch file in languages other than English, the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q288165 describes how to locate the correct file. Current information about this fix is available in the ToolBook Knowledge Base in article:
http://kb.sumtotalsystems.com/community_kb_tb_display.asp?id=Q101571523627710
| OPENSCRIPT NOTICE The OpenScript programming examples found in many articles may need modification in order to work in ToolBook 9.0 or higher, particularly if the article was written for an older version of ToolBook. To learn more, click here. |
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