CommandBar customizations and the "Add-Ins" tab (2007)

[Eric Smith]

I remember reading somewhere that an add-in that does UI customization in the
2003 style with CommandBars will continue to work with 2007, but those
customizations will appear on an "Add-Ins" tab on the ribbon.

This isn't the case for my COM add-in. In 2003 it adds a top-level menu with
several commands to the menu bar just left of the Window menu, and another
command in the File menu. But with my add-in loaded, there is no "Add-Ins"
tab on the ribbon, and no sign of the customizations.

The add-in runs in Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but I haven't seen an
"Add-Ins" tab in any application yet.

Are there limitations or guidelines about what customizations would show up?

 

[Patrick Schmid]

Hi Eric,

I remember reading somewhere that an add-in that does UI customization in the
2003 style with CommandBars will continue to work with 2007, but those
customizations will appear on an "Add-Ins" tab on the ribbon.

Yes, this should be the case.

This isn't the case for my COM add-in. In 2003 it adds a top-level menu with
several commands to the menu bar just left of the Window menu, and another
command in the File menu. But with my add-in loaded, there is no "Add-Ins"
tab on the ribbon, and no sign of the customizations.

Did you check Options, Add-Ins that it is really loaded?

The add-in runs in Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but I haven't seen an
"Add-Ins" tab in any application yet. Weird.

Are there limitations or guidelines about what customizations would show up?

There are some. E.g. I have seen that comboboxes in menus don't show up.
Not sure yet if this is a bug or not.

If you'd like me to take a look, send me an email with a zip file of
your add-in and I'll see what I can see here. You can get my email from
my website.

Patrick Schmid

 

[Eric Smith]

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for verifying for me that it OUGHT to behave as I described. That was
enough for me to dig in a little... and remember that the add-in has an
explicit Office version check (for 10 and 11) before it does anything at all.

Having fixed that, er, subtle defect, the menu customizations appear as
expected.

Thanks for your willingness to help,
Eric