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The Linguist's Shoebox

Integrated data management and analysis for the field linguist

Understanding the Shoebox transition

Shoebox 5 is the last major version of the software. No more features will be added. Training and software support for Shoebox will continue as long as there is a need. The leaders of SIL International and JAARS, Inc. have decided that the time has come to concentrate on developing a new generation of computer software (SIL FieldWorks). Also, bringing the Shoebox project to an orderly conclusion makes it possible for the team to turn its attention to translation-related tasks for which there have been fewer computer solutions.

The Field Linguist’s Toolbox is built on Shoebox 5 and is upward compatible with Shoebox. It adds Unicode support, automatic keyboard switching with Keyman 5 and 6, and verification of interlinear text. If you are currently using Shoebox, you can upgrade to Toolbox without any change to your data or settings files.

In what ways is Shoebox 5 different from version 4?

Will upgrading to Shoebox 5 be difficult?

The process of upgrading from an older version of Shoebox for Windows and Macintosh is straightforward. Upgrading from Shoebox for MS-DOS might require some assistance from a computer specialist. Shoebox automatically converts your settings files when you open an existing project in Shoebox 5. If you don't like Shoebox 5, you can go back to Shoebox 4. However, older versions of the program cannot know about new features that you might have turned on.

Note: If you share data and settings files with others and frequently copy those files to and from multiple computers, arrange to use the same version of Shoebox and to install upgrades at the same time.

How should I plan for the future?

Until the next generation of software becomes available, both Shoebox and the LinguaLinks® Linguistics workshops will be recommended to SIL members for managing and analyzing language data on the computer. Therefore, if you have been using Shoebox, you can continue using it. You can upgrade to Shoebox 5, if its new and improved features will be useful to you. We intend for all Shoebox users to take advantage of the more powerful consistency checking capabilities of Shoebox 5 to minimize inconsistencies in their data before importing it into any of the new language software tools.

Will Shoebox continue to be supported?

Local SIL computer specialists are likely to continue supporting Shoebox as long as it is widely used in their areas. JAARS, Inc. will also continue to provide training classes and software support for Shoebox. While this product support is primarily intended for SIL members, we also assist others as we are able. As time and resources allow, we might put additional product support information on the web site.

What should I do if I find a problem in Shoebox?

If you are having trouble using Shoebox to accomplish a particular task,

  1. Run the self-paced training program (Windows only), use Shoebox Help, read the documentation, and look for relevant tips on the product support web site to see whether there is an explanation.
  2. If you still cannot get it to work, please consult your local computer specialist. There might be a work-around. In some cases, a Consistent Changes table can be set up to accomplish an advanced customization or make up for a deficiency in the program.
  3. If the problem appears to be caused by an error in Shoebox, you can report it to the product support email address: . Serious problems that are reported before the end of the "maintenance" phase will be fixed, if at all possible.

What should I do with suggestions for additional features?

Unfortunately, Shoebox 5 does not include several hoped-for features. With limited programming resources and a project deadline, priorities had to be established. Understandably, some users will feel frustrated about important computing needs that were never met in Shoebox. We remember during the DOS-to-Windows transition that it seemed for a time as if we were standing still (or even taking steps backward) before software users saw the next step forward. Although the Shoebox team will not be able to act on any more suggestions, we encourage interested users to continue being involved in SIL language software development. For example, information is already available online about a new project, Graphite (an extensible rendering engine for complex writing systems).

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