IDBE Ribbon Creator for Access 2007 ribbon customization

Anybody else using this product? I've been very pleased with it. I have
created several complex ribbons with good results.

My question: It appears to be a one-use tool. That is to say, you need to
complete your ribbon design in its entirety before you start adding code to
open forms, reports, etc. Because if you don't, if you modify the ribbon
design and import it back into your Access database, you lose whatever code
you added to basRibbonCallbacks for openining your own forms, reports, etc.

I've been tinkering with the XML to modify the ribbon after the first import
but hand coding ribbons in XML is so tedious and backwards, I'd prefer to
work in a visual design environment like IDBE. Access was afterall supposed
to be a RAD tool.

Have I missed something? Is there a way in the IDBE Ribbon Creator product
to add statements like "DoCmd.OpenForm 'frmClients'... so that my customized
code stays with the ribbon designer and gets imported into the Access
database everytime the ribbon is replaced?

I've seen the "Edit Callbacks / Tags" feature but the translation from
German is not very good and I'm having to investigate that by pure trial and
error.

Thanks

Once you do a ribbon or two I find it easier to just tweak the XML by hand
and code the basRibbonCallbacks module.
Of course most of my ribbons are not terribly complex (mostly buttons,
sometimes I hide things dynamically).

If ribbon tweaking is only a few minutes for each database I guess I don't
see the need for the tool.
Figuring out the images I want to use is usually the most work, I just use
that excel spreadsheet with all the images for reference.

I kinda like just having some XML in a table and some code in a module,
without throwing all kinds of extra things into the mix.

Nothing against the tool it's probably a good product and when I started
doing my first ribbon I really wanted a tool to use as well, since then
I guess I got used to manual XML tweaks.

That's my two cents on Ribbon design,
Sorry I don't have any extra knowledge about how the tool works,
I did start on that site by looking at all the examples,
HTH,
Mark Andrews
RPT Software
http://www.rptsoftware.com
http://www.donationmanagementsoftware.com

"dbguyatlanta" wrote in message
...
Anybody else using this product? I've been very pleased with it. I have
created several complex ribbons with good results.

My question: It appears to be a one-use tool. That is to say, you need to
complete your ribbon design in its entirety before you start adding code
to
open forms, reports, etc. Because if you don't, if you modify the ribbon
design and import it back into your Access database, you lose whatever
code
you added to basRibbonCallbacks for openining your own forms, reports,
etc.

I've been tinkering with the XML to modify the ribbon after the first
import
but hand coding ribbons in XML is so tedious and backwards, I'd prefer to
work in a visual design environment like IDBE. Access was afterall
supposed
to be a RAD tool.

Have I missed something? Is there a way in the IDBE Ribbon Creator product
to add statements like "DoCmd.OpenForm 'frmClients'... so that my
customized
code stays with the ribbon designer and gets imported into the Access
database everytime the ribbon is replaced?

I've seen the "Edit Callbacks / Tags" feature but the translation from
German is not very good and I'm having to investigate that by pure trial
and
error.

Thanks

Does manually creating a user interface by typing in XML code give you any
flashbacks to the Clipper and DBASE days when we used to type @SAY statements
all day? Is this what we expect from a RAD tool?

I acknowledge the benefits of using XML to define the ribbon but wow, we're
back to churning our own butter on the front porch.

Nice website by the way, looks like you have a very active/successful
business.






"Mark Andrews" wrote:

Once you do a ribbon or two I find it easier to just tweak the XML by hand
and code the basRibbonCallbacks module.
Of course most of my ribbons are not terribly complex (mostly buttons,
sometimes I hide things dynamically).

If ribbon tweaking is only a few minutes for each database I guess I don't
see the need for the tool.
Figuring out the images I want to use is usually the most work, I just use
that excel spreadsheet with all the images for reference.

I kinda like just having some XML in a table and some code in a module,
without throwing all kinds of extra things into the mix.

Nothing against the tool it's probably a good product and when I started
doing my first ribbon I really wanted a tool to use as well, since then
I guess I got used to manual XML tweaks.

That's my two cents on Ribbon design,
Sorry I don't have any extra knowledge about how the tool works,
I did start on that site by looking at all the examples,
HTH,
Mark Andrews
RPT Software
http://www.rptsoftware.com
http://www.donationmanagementsoftware.com

"dbguyatlanta" wrote in message
...
Anybody else using this product? I've been very pleased with it. I have
created several complex ribbons with good results.

My question: It appears to be a one-use tool. That is to say, you need to
complete your ribbon design in its entirety before you start adding code
to
open forms, reports, etc. Because if you don't, if you modify the ribbon
design and import it back into your Access database, you lose whatever
code
you added to basRibbonCallbacks for openining your own forms, reports,
etc.

I've been tinkering with the XML to modify the ribbon after the first
import
but hand coding ribbons in XML is so tedious and backwards, I'd prefer to
work in a visual design environment like IDBE. Access was afterall
supposed
to be a RAD tool.

Have I missed something? Is there a way in the IDBE Ribbon Creator product
to add statements like "DoCmd.OpenForm 'frmClients'... so that my
customized
code stays with the ribbon designer and gets imported into the Access
database everytime the ribbon is replaced?

I've seen the "Edit Callbacks / Tags" feature but the translation from
German is not very good and I'm having to investigate that by pure trial
and
error.

Thanks

.

I wasn't much of a Clipper or DBase guy, I did a lot of Turbo Pascal and
Borland C back in the days before Windows.

However I agree with your point and yes it would be better if Microsoft
built in the Ribbon editor right into Access.
It would be better if there was more power/options for a ribbon as well. I
guess my point was why use a third party
tool when copying an existing ribbon and making a few tweaks is easier.
You got to live with what you get.

Thanks I made the website myself, it's not very graphical but gets the job
done. Business is going well so far this year.
I did create the website mostly using notepad so maybe I'm the type of guy
you doesn't mind a little markup in the mix?

I haven't looked at Access 2010 yet, I think there is some Ribbon
enhancements in that version?

Wish you luck,

--
Mark Andrews
RPT Software
http://www.rptsoftware.com
http://www.donationmanagementsoftware.com




"dbguyatlanta" wrote in message
...
Does manually creating a user interface by typing in XML code give you any
flashbacks to the Clipper and DBASE days when we used to type @SAY
statements
all day? Is this what we expect from a RAD tool?

I acknowledge the benefits of using XML to define the ribbon but wow,
we're
back to churning our own butter on the front porch.

Nice website by the way, looks like you have a very active/successful
business.






"Mark Andrews" wrote:

Once you do a ribbon or two I find it easier to just tweak the XML by
hand
and code the basRibbonCallbacks module.
Of course most of my ribbons are not terribly complex (mostly buttons,
sometimes I hide things dynamically).

If ribbon tweaking is only a few minutes for each database I guess I
don't
see the need for the tool.
Figuring out the images I want to use is usually the most work, I just
use
that excel spreadsheet with all the images for reference.

I kinda like just having some XML in a table and some code in a module,
without throwing all kinds of extra things into the mix.

Nothing against the tool it's probably a good product and when I started
doing my first ribbon I really wanted a tool to use as well, since then
I guess I got used to manual XML tweaks.

That's my two cents on Ribbon design,
Sorry I don't have any extra knowledge about how the tool works,
I did start on that site by looking at all the examples,
HTH,
Mark Andrews
RPT Software
http://www.rptsoftware.com
http://www.donationmanagementsoftware.com

"dbguyatlanta" wrote in message
...
Anybody else using this product? I've been very pleased with it. I have
created several complex ribbons with good results.

My question: It appears to be a one-use tool. That is to say, you need
to
complete your ribbon design in its entirety before you start adding
code
to
open forms, reports, etc. Because if you don't, if you modify the
ribbon
design and import it back into your Access database, you lose whatever
code
you added to basRibbonCallbacks for openining your own forms, reports,
etc.

I've been tinkering with the XML to modify the ribbon after the first
import
but hand coding ribbons in XML is so tedious and backwards, I'd prefer
to
work in a visual design environment like IDBE. Access was afterall
supposed
to be a RAD tool.

Have I missed something? Is there a way in the IDBE Ribbon Creator
product
to add statements like "DoCmd.OpenForm 'frmClients'... so that my
customized
code stays with the ribbon designer and gets imported into the Access
database everytime the ribbon is replaced?

I've seen the "Edit Callbacks / Tags" feature but the translation from
German is not very good and I'm having to investigate that by pure
trial
and
error.

Thanks

.

Turbo Pascal was a terrific product. I remember looking at database libraries
for it and was considering switching to Turbo Pascal for database projects at
one point. Some products are so well done they are fun to use. Very, very
rare these days it seems to me.

I'm guessing Microsoft hasn't bothered to provide any visual design tools
for the ribbon in Access 2010 either. The subject of the thread, IDBE Ribbon
Creator, appears to have an Access 2010 beta in the works.



"Mark Andrews" wrote:

I wasn't much of a Clipper or DBase guy, I did a lot of Turbo Pascal and
Borland C back in the days before Windows.

However I agree with your point and yes it would be better if Microsoft
built in the Ribbon editor right into Access.
It would be better if there was more power/options for a ribbon as well. I
guess my point was why use a third party
tool when copying an existing ribbon and making a few tweaks is easier.
You got to live with what you get.

Thanks I made the website myself, it's not very graphical but gets the job
done. Business is going well so far this year.
I did create the website mostly using notepad so maybe I'm the type of guy
you doesn't mind a little markup in the mix?

I haven't looked at Access 2010 yet, I think there is some Ribbon
enhancements in that version?

Wish you luck,

--
Mark Andrews
RPT Software
http://www.rptsoftware.com
http://www.donationmanagementsoftware.com




"dbguyatlanta" wrote in message
...
Does manually creating a user interface by typing in XML code give you any
flashbacks to the Clipper and DBASE days when we used to type @SAY
statements
all day? Is this what we expect from a RAD tool?

I acknowledge the benefits of using XML to define the ribbon but wow,
we're
back to churning our own butter on the front porch.

Nice website by the way, looks like you have a very active/successful
business.






"Mark Andrews" wrote:

Once you do a ribbon or two I find it easier to just tweak the XML by
hand
and code the basRibbonCallbacks module.
Of course most of my ribbons are not terribly complex (mostly buttons,
sometimes I hide things dynamically).

If ribbon tweaking is only a few minutes for each database I guess I
don't
see the need for the tool.
Figuring out the images I want to use is usually the most work, I just
use
that excel spreadsheet with all the images for reference.

I kinda like just having some XML in a table and some code in a module,
without throwing all kinds of extra things into the mix.

Nothing against the tool it's probably a good product and when I started
doing my first ribbon I really wanted a tool to use as well, since then
I guess I got used to manual XML tweaks.

That's my two cents on Ribbon design,
Sorry I don't have any extra knowledge about how the tool works,
I did start on that site by looking at all the examples,
HTH,
Mark Andrews
RPT Software
http://www.rptsoftware.com
http://www.donationmanagementsoftware.com

"dbguyatlanta" wrote in message
...
Anybody else using this product? I've been very pleased with it. I have
created several complex ribbons with good results.

My question: It appears to be a one-use tool. That is to say, you need
to
complete your ribbon design in its entirety before you start adding
code
to
open forms, reports, etc. Because if you don't, if you modify the
ribbon
design and import it back into your Access database, you lose whatever
code
you added to basRibbonCallbacks for openining your own forms, reports,
etc.

I've been tinkering with the XML to modify the ribbon after the first
import
but hand coding ribbons in XML is so tedious and backwards, I'd prefer
to
work in a visual design environment like IDBE. Access was afterall
supposed
to be a RAD tool.

Have I missed something? Is there a way in the IDBE Ribbon Creator
product
to add statements like "DoCmd.OpenForm 'frmClients'... so that my
customized
code stays with the ribbon designer and gets imported into the Access
database everytime the ribbon is replaced?

I've seen the "Edit Callbacks / Tags" feature but the translation from
German is not very good and I'm having to investigate that by pure
trial
and
error.

Thanks

.

.