Download a free ToolBook SmartStyle and learn how to build one yourself
Build a smartstyle, or download a free SmartStyle, or win a custom SmartStyle
How to build ToolBook SmartStyles
If you are like me you really like the SmartStyle feature which came with ToolBook 9 and the fact that they allow you to really quickly create content by dragging in pages from the pages category of the catalog.
And if you are like me you probably don’t think the built-in SmartStyles which comes with the product match all your needs for a visual treatment. I mean who’d want to use the Rainbow SmartStyle for a regulatory health and safety course – anyone? Maybe Austin Powers?
Before I get in too deep sounding like I don’t like the built in ones let me just say that “I do”, some of them are very useful. The problem lies if your company’s color scheme does not work with the built in ones then you need to build your own.
SmartStyle Documentation
SumTotal have provided documentation which will help you get started rolling your own SmartStyles, you will find it here: http://www.toolbook.com/demos/CreatingSmartStyles/index.html
The summary version of the documentation is as follows:
- SmartStyles are defined by .tbstyle files which are located in the C:\Program Files\ToolBook\Instructor 9\Spclst\Styles\Style Definitions directory
- .tbstyle are really just .zip files which have been renamed
- The .tbstyle file contains images and a css file
- The css file uses css 3 - including a some work based on a wc3 draft on CSS Grid Positioning (http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-grid/) - but is not a full implementation of css3 (look in the documentation of what is supported, or easier look in one of the existing SmartStyles). In my experience most of things you would like to do is supported.
Generally it is a lot easier and more productive to start from an existing SmartStyle and just replace the graphics and edit the css.
Note if you want to create a SmartStyle to create content for the Iphone (ToolBook 9.5 only) you would off course use one of the Existing Iphone SmartStyles as a starting point
A few common gotcha’s regarding SmartStyles
- The CSS used in the SmartStyle is NOT used when the content is published to HTML.
- Updating a SmartStyle will NOT cause all content using the SmartStyle to update as well - you’ll need to reapply the SmartStyle to the content.
Download a free SmartStyle
In any case I have created a SmartStyle that I use for my samples. You can download it and use it for free from the download page. It is called ToolBookConsulting.tbstyle. (Note you need to login to access the download page. If you dont have a login you can create one for free. We will not share your email address with anyone - nor will we bombard you with commercial emails)
How to install and use Custom SmartStyles
Download the file ToolBookConsulting.tbstyle.zip unzip it. Copy the file ToolBookConsulting.tbstyle to “C:\Program Files\ToolBook\Instructor 9\Spclst\Styles\Style Definitions. Open ToolBook; drag the ToolBookConsulting style from the catalog onto your page and you are good to go.
Note the very first time you do this ToolBook will compile the SmartStyle and generate some some files it needs.
Win a customized SmartStyle
Note that I am currently running a marketing campaign where you can win a customized SmartStyle with your own branding, read more here.
As always, questions and comments are welcome
Tomas