Ribbon Bar Customization
The biggest advantage of the ribbon menu is its ability to be customized to fit a user’s needs. It can be streamlined for a user or even for a specific task.
To access the customization dialog. First press the button to access the backstage
Select Options , then in the “Customize Ribbon” option section a resizable Customize Options dialog will be presented. It presents the ribbon bar structure in a tree format and allows a user to search and locate needed commands, control button visibility, add new tabs/group/buttons, and define MP-based buttons if desired.
Basic capabilities include:
-
Search Ribbon Bar. The “Search Ribbon Bar” operation allows to find a command location on SA Ribbon Bar. User needs to enter a keyword and press “Search” button. The found entries are expanded and highlighted in the tree. Additionally, there are two buttons “+” (Expand All”) and “-“ (Collapse All) may help to control the ribbon tree presentation to locate needed item.
-
Ribbon Bar Node Visibility. To hide/unhide ribbon bar node (tab, group, button, or menu entry), user needs to check/un- check a corresponding node in the ribbon tree and save the changes. A “Select All” button allows quickly check all nodes in a tree. If saved, it will make all nodes in the Ribbon Bar visible. The visibility of all default and custom tabs, groups, and buttons can be controlled.
-
Import and Export from XML File. The SA Ribbon Custom Configuration can be imported/ exported from XML file. By default SA pulls its configuration from the C:\Analyzer Data\Templates\SARibbon.xml file. Editing this file will edit SA's starting display.
-
Reset to Defaults. The Reset to Defaults operation restore the original SA Ribbon Bar configuration. It removes all custom nodes, makes all default nodes visible, and restore the original order of tabs.
Currently SA's default tabs cannot be edited or removed. Their visibility can be controlled as well as the order in which they are displayed but new buttons cannot be added to them. A New tab must be added with user defined buttons.
-
Add New Tab. User can add a new tab to the SA Ribbon Bar. Once added, new tab is considered as a Custom Tab.
-
Add New Group. User can add new group to any current tab. Once added, new group is considered as a Custom Group. User needs to select a tab in the tree and press “New Group” button. The application automatically adds new groups after the last default group of the tab.
-
Add New Button. User can add a New Button to a Custom Group only. Once added, a new button is considered a Custom Button.
User needs to select a custom group in a tree and press “New Button” button. The application automatically adds a new button to a custom group and popup “Ribbon Bar Custom Button Settings” dialog where user can define the custom button properties and operation.
-
Button Location. The button location is defined by Tab and Group set. The dialog presents the current button’s location. User can change the button location by picking new tab or group from the combo boxes. The Tab combo box lists all rib- bon pages that have at least one custom group. The Group combo box lists all custom groups of the selected page.
-
Button Name. User can define or edit button’s name. Small buttons have a single line name. Large buttons may have a name presented as two lines.
-
Ribbon Command Based Custom Button. User can select and assign a command from default ribbon Tabs. Once selected, the application automatically sets all known information to a new custom button including button name, command id, screen tips, default icon and button size. User can modify any of these properties through Ribbon Bar Custom Button Set- tings dialog.
-
MP Script Based Custom Button. A custom button can launch a pre-defined MP script. The Ribbon Bar Custom Button Set- tings dialog allows user to define MP script location (embedded or external file).
-
Button Size and Icon. Custom button’s size can be configured as large with 32x32 bmp icon or small with 16x16 bmp icon. Please note that currently single button launches a single command. No drop-down menu items for a button are supported. When configuring a custom tab, please keep in mind the button’s size and the space they take.
-
Three small buttons can create a column on the ribbon tab. In the same space only two large buttons can be created. By default, the application uses a default button icon. However, user can specify location of custom *.bmp file to use instead of default.