Sandboxie-Plus Migration Guide

I have created a graphical migration guide that shows the location of every classic feature in the new plus UI in 33 side by side slides with short explanatory texts, it can be found on the homepage: https://sandboxie-plus.com/sandboxie-plus-migration-guide/

If desired I could also post the content here but would need 4 posts due to the 10 images per post limit.

Please let me know what you think and how it could be improved to make the move to the plus UI even easier.

Here a couple previews what to expect in the guide:

 

So is this indirect confirmation that Classic will be phased out in the future?

Can't all the Classic info be under one tab or is that too much? Also, the language for the two UIs might be considered to be the same, not just similar.

For example: "Start Sandboxie when Windows starts" for both UIs.

Edit: also, to repeat a request or yea/nay for the following: to switch the order of Terminate all Processes and Pause Forcing Programs to go at the bottom of the right-click menu. Currently, they're in the middle and it's more convenient visually maybe to put at the bottom.

 

No, there are pragmatic Reasons to keep sbiectrl.exe around, at least for the time being.

With the soon to come ARM64 support, if we would keep the current Release scheme we would have not 4 but 6 installers and that would start to get confusing "do I need arm64 or amd64 or what was the other one..." so we will be going to introduce a unified installer for all platforms.

Now the modern UI is based on the Qt framework and that's about 15+Mb/architecture, providing a 60+MB installer does not sound very user friendly though. So presumably the modern UI will be only included as x64, hence the installation options will be as follows:

x86: Classic UI only
x64: booth Plus and Classic UI
arm64 on Windows 11: Plus UI only

Windows11onARM64's capability to run x64 code allows us to use the x64 plus UI for booth x64 and arm64 platforms, at the same time the user base for native 32 bit systems should be negligible, so offering only classic to those few 32 bit users left standing sounds reasonable enough.

That said of cause the more people use the plus UI the better,
or let me phrase it this way the more users switch to the Plus UI on their own the less reason there will be to deprecate the Classic UI

 

Thanks once more, David, for all your efforts.

I just made a first quick look at the guide. So I cannot say something about details. But perhaps a principal suggestion. (I have always in mind users like me who are not so intelligent and need as simple as possible explanations. )

Perhaps you could modify the guide in two simple things:

- You could give a number to every "chapter" (or unit). So it is more easy to refer to a certain part und to see where one unit ends and the next begins.
- A small detail: To my mind it is more comfortable to use such guides when the text which belongs to an image group comes before the image (and is followed by a colon). (At the moment the order is the reverse: Images --> Text).

Here what I mean:

 

Sounds good to me.

 

A)
Concerning the text for the first picture group:

Here I would add something like: "... of sandman.exe is exactly the same as the old one of sbiectrl.exe when the "Simple View" is chosen. If the "Advanced View" is chosen there are three additional tabs on the bottom of the window ("Sbie Messages" etc.):"

So it corresponds with what can be seen in the right picture.

B)
Concerning the text for the 3rd picture group:

If I understand the preset feature correctly, it is something completely new in SBIE Plus - without a direct connection with the copy feature. Therefore I would simply write:

"The "Create New Box" command opens the new box dialog. Unlike in classic here a box type* preset can be selected.

The feature to copy an existing box can be found now on another place. (See the following unit.)"

*["type" instead of "config" in order to have the same terminology as on the UI]

 

feal free to contribute on github: https://github.com/sandboxie-plus/sandboxie-docs/blob/main/Content/PlusMigrationGuide.md

 

I have no experience with Github and moreover finally you are the master and have to decide. I make only humble suggestions.

 

- Concerning the text for the 5th picture group:

Here I would add, preferably in brackets: "at the bottom (visible in case that the "Advanced View" is chosen)."

In the 6th picture group:

Perhaps "replaced by" (or something similar) is clearer than "moved ... to".

"The modern Sandboxie UI has replaced the 'Files and Folders' view by a separate window which can be opened from the box context menu:

- Concerning the text for the 6th picture group:

As far as I see from the picture, the new window is simply named "Files". So in order to avoid confusion about the terminology I would use the same expression in the text (instead of "Files and Folders window"):

"The window 'Files' offers the same functionality as the old view, but enhances it by providing a full windows context menu."

- Concerning the text for the 7th picture group:

I would
- add the information how the window can be opened
- and the word "vertical" (tabs) (as later on there also mentioned the horizontal sub-tabs).

"The new Sandoxie UI has a global settings window (Options --> Global Settings) where all options are located together on vertical tabs instead of havin to open individual windows."

- Number 8 (if I still count correctly):

Again only in order to have a clear terminology, I would write (as on the UI):

"In the modern UI it is possible to not only change the file system root path, but also the registry root and the IPC root."

- Number 9:

Here I would mark by a frame the relevant part in the right window so that it can be seen at first sight:



Here I will stop (at least for the moment).

 

I think I got lost with the numbers. It must be around the 10th picture group. There is the text:

optin = option [I assume]
and I would clarify:
"... now an option in the box context menu ..."

- The next one:

I would suggest something like::
"Also the compatibility dialog is integrated now into the window with the global settings* (tab 'Compatibility')."

*) By the way: This window perhaps should be named "Global settings" (instead of simply "Settings"). So for the user it is always clear that what he is doing in this window refers to all his boxes (on contrast with the Box settings).

- The next one:

Similar as above, I would write "in the window with the global settings" (or something like that). And I would also add the name of the tab:

"The setting protection options are available in the Global Settings Window as well (tab 'Config Protection')."

- The next one:

In the second sentence I would clarify:
"Double click on the box name now opens the Box Settings."

And again concerning terminology (I think that's important):
We have now "Global settings" and "Box settings" (which obviously in the UI are called "Options").
So if I do not misunderstand something, "settings" and "options" describe the same functionality: The user can choose something concerning the way that Sandboxie and its boxes work.
If this assumption is correct, you should consider to use everywhere the same term:
Either "Global settings" - "Box settings" or "Global options" - "Box options"
[Das heißt: einheitlich "Einstellungen" oder einheitlich "Optionen" - in den Fensternamen, den Menüs usw., und sowohl für globale als auch für Box-individuelle Konfigurationsmaßnahmen.]

- The next one:

If "browse the File Root" means "Explore Contents" (that's what I assume from the picture that belongs to the text) it should be written in that way:

"In addition to being able to explore contents (or content ?), the Box Content sub menu allows ..."

- The next one:

For me first it was not not clear what it is exactly meant with "Sandbox Options dialog".
Now I understood. It is what you also call (above) "Box settings". I would remove the word "dialog" and simply say:

"All functionality from the old Sandbox Settings are now located in the Sandbox Options*."
*) [or "Box Options" or "Box Settings" or "Sandbox Settings" - whatever you will use as term]

- The next one:

Even if it is visible from the picture, I would add the name of the tab.
And a quite unimportant detail: Were these really "tabs" in the old Sanboxie UI? I don't think so and would simply call it "options":

"The options for Quick Recovery and Immediate Recovery have been merged into one tab ('File Recovery')."

- The next one:

Again only something to avoid confusion with the expressions:
"... have been moved to the sub tab (or: vertical tab) 'File Options' of the tab 'General Options'."
[It does not sound elegant but I think it is more important to be easily to understand. ]

- The next one:

Similar to the above ones I would suggest:
"The Delete Command option can now be found on the sub tab (or: vertical tab) 'Triggers' of the tab 'Advanced Options'."

It's really enough for now.

 

all done what else: https://github.com/sandboxie-plus/sandboxie-docs/blob/main/Content/PlusMigrationGuide.md

 

@stapp thanks fixes applied to the github version wil update the webpage later today

 

Fine. And I see that at Githubs there are titles too which makes it easier to refer to a certain chapter.

So I come to the section "Program Groups":
Only a typo: "like" instead of "liek".

- "Forced Programs and Folders":

Here I would specify again the location:
"Forced programs and Folders are also merged into one tab ('Program Control', sub tab 'Force* Programs')."
*) The title of the sub tab is "Force Programs". I don't know if this is by intention ("force" as a command --> "erzwinge", or if it should be "forced" as in the past ( ---> "erzwungene").

- "Lingering Programs & Leader Programs":

Either "behaviours" (if this can be said in English?) or "Program stop behaviour options"

- "File migration":

Here again perhaps better: "... into the File Options sub tab of the General Options tab"

- "Internet Access":
Typos: "blocking" // "Windows Filtering Platform (WFP)" // "compatibility"

- "Network Access":

I would add again: "... can be configured (tab 'Internet Restrictions' --> sub tab 'Network Firewall Rules')."

- "Drop Rights":

Similar as above:
"... of the General Options Tab ..."
and a typo: "enhancements"

- "Network Files":

Only small things again:
" 'Block network files and folders access' has been moved to the 'Access Restrictions' sub tab of the General Options tab."

- "Resource Access":

Perhaps again adding the location: "... without removing them (tab 'Resource Access', sub tab 'Resource Access Rules')."

- "Application Compatybility Templates":

Typo ("Compatibility") and location:
"The Compatibility Templates are now also presented as a joined view (tab 'App Templates', sub tab 'Compatibility Templates')."

- "User Accounts":

--> Typos and a clarification:
"Last but not least the ability to restrict a box to selected users, has been moved to the sub tab 'Users' of the tab 'Advanced Options'."

- And in the last sentence only typos:
"As is apparent Sandboxie-Plus has much more additional options not shown here, as this guide is only meant to facilitate the migration from Sandboxie Classic to Sandboxie Plus."

(--> My suggestions refer primarily to some formal things and a few typos. I am no expert for the english language. So for possible linguistic modifications - if needed - other members should write something.)

 

changes applied

 

Great endeavor, this guide. And it will also alleviate pointing out the exact location of any configuration-changes you might request us test-users to perform in the future as I've already asked you to tell us more precisely about the exact location where to perform those "tweaks" before.

 

Yea I was kind of hoping people would be willing to do the documentation on their own in exchange for free supporter certificates, but that did not work out until now so I have to do it.... Or I lock out some functionality for TYPE: CONTRIBUTOR certificates only that might work better.

 

Good stuff. And I had just posted elsewhere than if there is to be an annual or version fee then better docs are needed.

 

I'll add the migration guide the the sbiectrl.exe's help menu:


making it open in a webview



what do you think?

 

I'm probably stating the obvious, so this is just a quick confirm. Either now or in the near future, it'll be better to completely uninstall (as opposed to download on top) "classic" and download "plus" as the preferred replacement.
I'll probably do that anyway. Wanted to be sure in either case. Thanks in advance!...