Office Ribbon Control

Francisco Castanedo · May 03, 2009, 05:02:03 AM

I want to use this Microsoft UI in my new app. Never mind if it is good or bad. I think it is another way to present the many options a program has and it is the latest and coolest now. So I want to have that new look in my app.

I haven´t much expertise (in fact I have none) in themes and ownerdrawn buttons and controls and from past experience I learned that it is simpler and faster to buy the software I need rather than to spend months mastering the innards of the beast.

José, I have seen your work here and it is impressive and I think you have the expertise need to make this a reality for PowerBasic. I´m willing to pay a third party for the ribbon control provided I can get help to translate the necesary code into PB9 so it can be use from PB.

I´ve investigated a little and found that there are such tools available out there but not for PB. Here is one I think looks promising:
https://www.componentsource.com/features/toolbar/other/delphi/index-es.html

Any ideas and help will be welcomed. And if things get tough we may explore paying for your work.

Many Thanks

Edwin Knoppert · May 03, 2009, 01:16:35 PM

If i am right Office uses a separate top Window but makes it appear as one complete window.
One of the sorriest implementations of MS imo.
Hopefully this dll you found does it in the same Window.
A technical opinion though, if it works, it works right?

Nowdays the better stuff is all in .NET, skins, toolbars whatever.
If you look for the ribbon it is all .NET except the one you found.

Unf. one needs to give his email to use the trial.

José Roca · May 03, 2009, 04:28:29 PM

Hi Francisco,

My OLE Container doesn't support ActiveX controls that are containers for other controls, so probably it won't work. Maybe it will work with the container written by Dominic Mitchell for Phoenix, although I don't know.

Francisco Castanedo · May 03, 2009, 04:32:57 PM

Hi José. Bad news you bring. But maybe the following link can help:

A Professional Ribbon You Will Use (Now with orb!)
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/toolbars/WinFormsRibbon.aspx

It was posted by Jordi Vallès in the thread I posted in the PowerBASIC Forum at
http://www.powerbasic.com/support/pbforums/showthread.php?p=314796#post314796

José Roca · May 03, 2009, 04:41:51 PM

Can't see how. It is written in C# for .NET.

Francisco Castanedo · May 03, 2009, 06:36:24 PM

I figured that since it has a dll, maybe it can be called from PB...

José Roca · May 03, 2009, 06:47:42 PM

It is not an standard .dll, but a .NET assembly.

Francisco Castanedo · May 04, 2009, 12:28:18 AM

I can see this dll is a whole new different animal.
Perhaps if we go the Delphi or C++ way we might get there.

Do you think it is worth a try?
http://www.componentsource.com/products/expressbars/index.html

José Roca · May 04, 2009, 12:54:02 AM

VCLs can only be used by Borland Compilers.

Francisco Castanedo · May 04, 2009, 12:58:35 AM

So, there's no use. I can´t use the ribbon control unless I draw one myself. Right?

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Office Ribbon Control