Situation:
Users have an existing custom ribbon that is added via a .PPAM (combination of VBA macros and Ribbon customization XML).
We want to add a group to that custom ribbon via our managed COM add-in
For custom ribbons from other managed COM add-ins this is feasible via the xmlns:foo="bar" & idQ that can be extracted from the customUI Link
Complication:
Custom Ribbons from non-managed add-ins seem to have no xmlns namespace, they do not show up in the customUI
Even via PowerPoint/Office the user can not customize those ribbons.
Any idea how we could achieve adding buttons?
We can request changes to the non-managed/VBA add-in.
VBA add-ins don't have their own namespace by default, but can have one. If you create a custom namespace, then multiple VBA add-ins can share the same tab on the ribbon, for example.
<customUI xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2009/07/customui"
xmlns:nsMySpace="SomeName">
Then to create a new tab that other add-ins can share:
<tab idQ="nsMySpace:MySpace_Tab" label="MyTabLabel">
In addition to Steve's answer we've discovered that VBA add-ins have a default namespace even when none is specified in their customUI.
You can extract the namespace by adding a control from the ribbon to the Quick Access and then exporting the UI Customizations. The resulting file should show:
<mso:cmd app="PowerPoint" dt="1" />
<mso:customUI xmlns:x1="C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\AddIns\Addin.ppam">
So the default namespace seems to be the complete Path to the add-in.
From a high perspective two add-ins can share a ribbon tab for controls because they are loaded into a single PowerPoint instance. When you develop a macro enabled file with a custom UI - only this file can be opened at the same time. But two add-ins can be run for the file/template. That's why idQ is intended to use by add-ins.
You can read more about the Fluent UI (Ribbon UI) in the following series of articles in MSDN:
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 1 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 2 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 3 of 3)
Related
I have created a dropdown menu with a ComboBox and a small macro.
This dropdown menu only works when I switch to presentation mode.
However, I want to use the dropdown in the edit mode, as a template. Is there a simple way to do this.
I have already found some posts about this topic, but no real solution yet.
You can customize the ribbon UI instead. In that case your custom UI will be available in the edit mode. See Customize the Office Fluent ribbon by using an Open XML formats file for more information.
The Fluent UI (aka Ribbon UI) is described in depth in the following series of articles:
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 1 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 2 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 3 of 3)
You may also find the Custom UI Editor helpful.
I have created a macro that will set the categories of out going mail without needing to open the tag dialog. I have added the macro to the ribbon via the "Customize Ribbon" options on outlook itself. That macro works fine, however I would like the button to be highlighted (toggled on) when the category is set and then regular (toggle off) when the category is no longer set.
I only have basic VB knowledge but have good knowledge of java so the concepts are familiar just not the syntax. This is also the first macro I've ever done.
I have tried searching Google and Stack for an answer but I think due to my lack of knowledge I'm not using the correct keyword to get a useful result.
Thanks for the help.
VBA macros don't allow creating a custom ribbon UI. You need to develop a COM add-in if you want to customize the Fluent UI by adding a toggle button to the Outlook window.
Take a look at the following articles to create a custom ribbon UI:
Walkthrough: Create a custom tab by using the Ribbon Designer
Walkthrough: Create a custom tab by using Ribbon XML
The Fluent UI is described in depth in the following series of articles:
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 1 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 2 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 3 of 3)
I can use custum ui editor for Excel and Word VBA projects to add custom buttons on the ribbon with XML.
I have an Outlook-project (VBAProject.otm) and would like to do the same thing, to add buttons to the ribbon so when I'm deploying the custom buttons move with it.
I don't wont to use VSTO, only VBA.
Any suggestions?
Unlike other Office applications, in Outlook VBA macros can't be used for customizing the ribbon UI. You need to develop a COM add-in (for example, a VSTO based one). Take a look at the following articles:
Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Tab by Using the Ribbon Designer
Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Tab by Using Ribbon XML
The Fluent UI (aka Ribbon UI) is described in depth in the following series of articles:
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 1 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 2 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 3 of 3)
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Is it possible to take a pre-existing button from the ribbon, Shape Fill from the Shape Styles category for example, and display it in a VBA userform?
My add-in manages a large number of shapes, and I would like to allow the user to style those shapes based on the category that they are in in the add-in.
I have read that a color dialog does not exist for us to use in VBA, so I'm trying to think of a way to work around that. Recreating all of the fill, outline, and effects menus seems like too much, there has to be a better way.
No, built-in ribbon controls can be used on the ribbon only. As a workaround you may consider using any ActiveX custom controls on your form.
Also you may consider creating a custom UI on the ribbon. In that case you will be able to add built-in ribbon controls to your own tab by specifying its idMso value. The full list of control IDs can be found in the following documents:
Office 2010 Help Files: Office Fluent User Interface Control Identifiers
Office 2013 Help Files: Office Fluent User Interface Control Identifiers
Office 2016 Help Files: Office Fluent User Interface Control Identifiers
Read more about the Fluent UI (aka Ribbon UI) in the following series of articles:
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 1 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 2 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 3 of 3)
I'm using Visual Studio 2008. It is possible to add a Webbrowser item to a Form item, but is it possible to add a Webbrowser item to a Ribbon item ?
Or is there another way of showing a Web Page on the Ribbon ?
There is something called Ribbon-XML, may that do the job ?
Or is it possible to bind a Form (inheriting a Webbrowser) to the Ribbon ?
No, there is no way to place any third party controls on the ribbon except the ones defined by the Ribbon scheme.
Instead, you may consider placing a web browser control on a custom task pane. See Custom Task Panes for more information in MSDN.
Read more about the Fluent UI (aka Ribbon UI) in the following series of articles in MSND:
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 1 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 2 of 3)
Customizing the 2007 Office Fluent Ribbon for Developers (Part 3 of 3)