I have been a big fan of NeoBook going back to my DOS days. Now with Windows NeoBook has gotten more powerful and easier to use and with version 5.0 it has taken a quantum leap ahead.

 

For those that don’t know what NeoBook is it is an easy to use but powerful multimedia publishing package. Using NeoBook you can create standalone (.exe) scrap books, presentations, games, photo albums, software programs, screen savers, browser plug-ins, software setup programs and much more.

 

Unlike some of the other multimedia programs on the market NeoBook makes it very easy to do the programming for buttons, scrollable text boxes, graphics, images and more. Basically you choose from a list of what you want and then fill in a questionnaire. For example say you want to make a graphic button in to an exit button. You choose the exit option from the list of actions (What NeoBook calls the programming part of itself) and then enter in the title for the exit dialog box and the text that will be displayed in the dialog box. You can even preview the exit dialog box before you commit to it. Even after you choose OK to commit to it you can go back and edit it anytime, the actions are all done in plain and simple to read and understand text.

 

There are many programming options besides creating an exit dialog box. You can create menus, print text files, write and read files, copy files, delete files, show and hide things like graphics, buttons, text, etc. and much more. You can even apply these and many more actions to the left click, right click, mouse enter, or mouse exit for things like buttons, graphics, etc. You can also attach actions to the starting or exiting of your compiled multimedia application and even to the pages themselves. You have full variable capabilities so that you can ask questions and store the response for other uses. NeoBook also offers logic programming options like if/then/while and you can even create subroutines so that you can program things once and call them from any place.

 

The programming capabilities of NeoBook is extensive and the easiest to use I have seen. But, NeoBook doesn’t stop there. You can create buttons, scrolling text boxes, text boxes, place .rtf text files or plain .txt files, graphics like .tif, .gif, .jpg and even transparent .png files which comes in very handy for special transparency effects. You can apply actions to any NeoBook object you want. NeoBook also has built-in page. Things like fade, dissolve and even page turns. You can place video and audio files in your publications. NeoBook is also extendable via plug-ins. There are plug-ins for using Acrobat PDF files and even one for creating, changing and using databases, plus much more. Some of these like the database one are free and others have a small fee.

 

One of my favorite plug-ins is Billenium Transitions for NeoBook Pro 5.0. This low cost plug-in package includes 14 different families of transitions and hundreds of variations. It even includes one that allows you to use a grayscale image as a transition. This is kind of hard to explain, but trust me it is way cool and it gives you the opportunity to add an unlimited number of transitions to your publications. You can by Billenium Transitions for NeoBook Pro 5.0 for $49.00 at http://www.billeniumsoft.com. They you can also get Billenium Transitions for Authorware and Director.

 

Once you have your publication done the way you want you can compile it to a standalone .exe file or you can create a single setup.exe file that includes a setup routine for creating a directory and placing your NeoBook files in that directory and it even creates the icon in Windows that your user would use to launch your compiled publication. You can also compile to a windows screen saver, a system tray application or a web browser plug-in. There are many options available for your compiled publication so you can get it just right.

 

The NeoBook interface is very clean, attractive and easy to use. You can either have floating palettes or you can dock them so they stay out of your way. You have many tools to help you with managing variables and subroutines so you don’t have to scratch your head trying to remember what you have done. You can even do a search and replace in your actions for easy changes and updating.

NeoBook is capable of so much that it would be impossible to cover it all in this review. There is a trial version available and I highly recommend you take the time to download it and try it out. I can’t recommend it enough.

• Use simple drag and drop actions to create complex applications.
• Import pictures and illustrations created with your favorite paint or drawing software.
• Import formatted text documents created with your favorite word processor or use NeoBook's built-in text editor.
• Add navigation and user interface controls including: push buttons, check boxes, radio buttons, text entry fields (with validation), list boxes, combo boxes, media players, track bars and timers.
• Play Animated GIF files.
• Display web sites and live Internet content inside your application.*
• Create and send email messages directly from your application.
• Use the built-in text editor to create formatted text with tables, multiple fonts, bookmarks and hypertext commands.
• Create advanced applications using the powerful, integrated scripting language. Includes conditional statements, looping, variables, file i/o, string processing, etc. Script commands can be typed manually by experienced users or selected from a list and added interactively by filling out a simple questionnaire.
• Perform calculations and tabulate scores for computer-based training exercises.
• Use transition effects between screens, such as wipes, dissolves, weaves, etc.
• Store and retrieve information from external files and the Windows Registry.
• Create applications with custom shaped windows.
• Play sound, music, video, animation and other multimedia files.
• Display alert boxes, messages, popup images, menus, Custom Dialog Boxes, etc.
• Create your own animated cartoons using the included NeoToon utility.
• Launch Windows or DOS programs including other compiled NeoBook applications.
• Send keystrokes and mouse clicks to other Windows applications.
• Access your favorite word processor, sound editor, animation editor and/or paint program directly from NeoBook to edit text, images, audio and animation clips.
• Enhance NeoBook's functionality with simple to use, yet powerful plug-ins.
• Test, debug and spell check your projects without leaving the NeoBook environment.
• Use NeoBook's Compiler to assemble your projects into 32-bit Windows applications (exe), Windows screen savers (scr), Windows system tray applications or web browser Plug-In/ActiveX controls (ocx). Compiled applications may be distributed or sold - without paying royalties or additional license fees!
• Create a professional Setup/Installation for your applications, complete with compression and multi-disk capabilities.
• Import files created with previous Windows and DOS versions of NeoBook.
• New NeoBookDB plug-in lets you read and write database files directly from your NeoBook publications. Included free with NeoBook purchase!
• And more...

 

New features added to NeoBook Pro 5.0

 

• Enhanced program interface including floating tool palettes that can be positioned anywhere on-screen or docked onto the main application window; outline style object list; object position/size palette, redesigned actions wizards; MouseCam/screen magnifier; and more.
• Completely new Action Editor with improved syntax highlighting, search/replace, formatted printing, line numbering, undo/redo, increased capacity and more.
• Improved preview/test mode that runs publications in a separate window that more closely mimics how the compiled publication will work. No more discrepancies between test mode and compiled mode.
• New Container object which is primarily intended to be used as a surface for other objects. Works sort of like a group, but objects placed on a container can be easily moved and edited. Containers can also be set to "snap" to the edge or center of the pub window, which will allow the creation of publications that automatically resize themselves. To add objects to a Container, simply draw them directly onto the container, or cut and paste them with the Container selected.
• New Flash object for playing SWF files. SWF files can be compiled and do not need to be extracted for playback. Flash object can also be used to play SWF files over the Internet. You can even embed NeoBook actions in your SWF files using Flash’s FSCommand.
• New Polygon / Hotspot object can be used to create basic shapes, but also has the ability to display images. The polygon even has the ability to shape itself using the transparent portions of the image.
• New Linked Article object allows text files to be easily distributed (flowed) across multiple pages.
• Both the Polygon and Simple Text objects can be configured to support "drag and drop" operations. Drag and drop modes include None, Manual and Automatic. Manual allows the object to be dragged anywhere on the page. Automatic allows you to specify other objects to serve as drop targets. When using automatic mode, NeoBook will only allow the dragged object to be dropped on objects that appear in the drop target list. You can modify the behavior of both of these modes programmatically using the "Drag Drop" action.
• 256 and 16 million color icons.
• Page turn transition effect.
• Option to generate autorun.inf files when compiling CD-based publications.
• The new Variable List displays a list of all global and local variables used within a publication. The list can be accessed from the Book menu or via an icon found next to fields that permit variables.
• The Embedded Files option allows you to create a list of additional files to be compiled inside your pub exe. This option can be accessed from the Book menu or from the new advanced file options dialog. Embedded files can be specified in code by replacing the file’s original path with special embedded file variable. For example: [Embedded]Sample.jpg
• The Function Library and the Call action now support functions with parameters.
• The ability to execute and control external applications has been greatly improved with the addition of several improved and new action commands: Run, RunEmbedded, CloseApp, IsAppRunning, SendKeys, SendMenuCommand, DropFile, SetWindowsPos, GetWindowPos, BringAppToFront, SendAppToBack, DisableApp and EnableApp. RunEmbedded is particularly interesting because it allows you to run an application inside a rectangle.
• The compiler now supports HTML files! Simply place an HTML file inside a Web Browser object, and the compiler will parse the file and include any linked images, other HTML files, etc. automatically. HTML content does not need to be extracted for viewing.
• The PrintPage action now supports both draft and high resolution printing. The high resolution mode vastly improves printing of most elements, especially lines, circles and text. PrintPage also now supports the printing of multiple pages with a single command.
• The new SetObjectFill, SetObjectLine and SetObjectFont actions allow an object’s appearance to be modified programmatically.
• Appropriate objects now include a Snap Position property that can be combined with the new Container object to create publications that can be resized. Objects located on the page surface will snap to work area. Objects attached to a Container will snap to the bounds of the Container.
• The Menu Designer (Book Properties > Menu) allows you to add a custom menu bar to the top of your publication's window. Each menu item can have its own action. Submenus can also be created.
• Custom menus are also available for publications compiled as system tray application.
• Improved Debugger and error handling. Controls are included to adjust script execution speed. You can even edit live variables from the debugger while your publication is running.
• Typed variables are now supported. Using the new DefineVar action, you can specify variables that are only compatible with specific types of data (string, integer, boolean, etc.). You can also define local variables that only exist within the current script.
• The Track Bar object now allows you to define your own images for the thumb and the track.
• The Line object now includes an option to add arrow heads to one or both endpoints.
• The Picture object now offers three different options for tiling images.
• The PushButton, CheckBox and RadioButton objects now include an option to draw them using the current Windows XP theme. (On older versions of Windows, these objects will be drawn normally.)
• The Timer object now includes a "stop after one execution" option and a variable to keep track of elapsed time (in milliseconds).
• The Plug-In SDK includes the following new options: custom plug-in about box, printing of rectangle-based components, enhanced transition effect plug-in interface and access to NeoBook's file stream.
• New Global Variables: [MyDocuments], [ProgramFiles].
• There are many new action commands like RunInRectangle, CloseApp, IsAppRunning, SendKeys, SendMenuCommand, DropFile, SetWindowsPos, GetWindowPos, BringAppToFront, SendAppToBack, DisableApp, EnableApp, MoveObjectAlongPath, StopMovingObject, SetObjectFill, SetObjectLine, SetObjectFont, SetObjectCaption, SetObjectFileName, FlashPlay, FlashStop, FlashRewind, FlashGoto, FlashForward, FlashBack, FlashGetVar, FlashSetVar, FlashPause, BrowserFind, BrowserLoadFromStr, ShowMenuItem, HideMenuItem, EnableMenuItem, DisableMenuItem, FileList, FolderExists, ChangeFileExt, FileToVar, CheckInternetConnection, ConnectToInternet, DisconnectFromInternet, DownloadFile, InternetFileExists, InternetFileSize, InternetPost, InternetGet, and many more.

* Requires Internet Explorer.