Office Toolbar

[Rogan]

I am using the toolbar supplied with Office XP, customising it by adding my
own buttons.

One such button is to enable my wireless network (I do not like having it on
all the time). To add this button, I create a shortcut from my Wireless
Network Connection, on my desktop.

This button works fine from there. But, when I drag it onto the Office
Toolbar, it stops working. You can click and double click it as many times as
you like - nothing happens.

Please help me if you can!

 

[Gordon]

I am using the toolbar supplied with Office XP, customising it by adding
my
own buttons.

One such button is to enable my wireless network (I do not like having it
on
all the time).

May I ask WHY you don't like having your wireless on all the time?

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I am using the toolbar supplied with Office XP, customising it by adding my
own buttons.

One such button is to enable my wireless network (I do not like having it on
all the time). To add this button, I create a shortcut from my Wireless
Network Connection, on my desktop.

This button works fine from there. But, when I drag it onto the Office
Toolbar, it stops working. You can click and double click it as many times as
you like - nothing happens.

Office toolbar buttons execute either commands built into the individual Office
programs or macro code. They don't know what to make of shortcuts.

Have you considered enabling the Quick Launch feature on the Windows taskbar and
dragging the shortcut from your desktop to it instead? Then it'd be available
no matter what program you're using, not just from within Office apps.

 

[Rogan]

May I ask WHY you don't like having your wireless on all the time?

--
Asking a question?
Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
your OS, Service Pack level
and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

It goes back to the days when I was on dial-up, and trying to save on telephone costs. But I also feel more susceptable to virus and spyware when continually online.

My OS is Windows XP, SP3. There is no error message: that's the trouble -
nothing happens. Office version is 2002, no SP mentioned.

Please see also my reply to Steve Rindsberg.

Thanks,
Rogan.

 

[Rogan]

Office toolbar buttons execute either commands built into the individual Office
programs or macro code. They don't know what to make of shortcuts.

Have you considered enabling the Quick Launch feature on the Windows taskbar and
dragging the shortcut from your desktop to it instead? Then it'd be available
no matter what program you're using, not just from within Office apps.

Thanks, Steve, that works and is an acceptable work-around.

But I'd still like to know why it doesn't work on the Office Toolbar. I have
many non-Office shortcuts on it (even some non-MS ones - eq Acrobat and
Winzip) and they all work.

Rogan.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Thanks, Steve, that works and is an acceptable work-around.

Glad to hear it.

But I'd still like to know why it doesn't work on the Office Toolbar. I have
many non-Office shortcuts on it (even some non-MS ones - eq Acrobat and
Winzip) and they all work.

Acrobat installs an Office add-in that creates additional toolbars/buttons. When you click
these, it runs code in the add-ins. I'd bet that Winzip does the same. So do a lot of
other Office add-ins.

And in fact, if you really wanted to, you could write your own add-in that creates a button
or two, and code that runs when you click the buttons. Your code could launch the same
program that your desktop shortcut currently does.

But the desktop shortcut itself won't work in Office.

 

[Beth Melton]

FWIW, the Office Shortcut Bar was removed in Office 2003. Most of those who
answer questions here use either Office 2003 or Office 2007. IOW, we don't
use the OSB and have no way to determine why your shortcut doesn't work so
this may remain a mystery.

Now, I do have a guess for you: It could be the OSB can't launch a target
that that doesn't include a command path. If you view the properties for
your other shortcuts on your OSB more than likely they have a command path
in the Target text box (such as C:\Program Files...) and the Target Type is
some of file. Such as a File Folder, Application, Office document, etc. The
target type and target to your wireless network connection is a Globally
Unique Identifier (GUID) which is known to Windows but unknown to Office. I
suspect the OSB can only launch shortcuts that use a File as the target type
and not a GUID. Now, I don't know for sure if this is the case since I'm
unable to test this myself, but it sure sounds logical, doesn't it? <grin>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton
What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

Guides for the Office 2007 Interface:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/HA102295841033.aspx

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

FWIW, the Office Shortcut Bar

[SelfDopeSlap!]
OSB, not app toolbar, Steve.
Sheesh

 

[Beth Melton]

FWIW, the Office Shortcut Bar

[SelfDopeSlap!]
OSB, not app toolbar, Steve.
Sheesh

I was wondering if that's what you were thinking.

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton
What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

Guides for the Office 2007 Interface:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/HA102295841033.aspx

 

[Rogan]

FWIW, the Office Shortcut Bar was removed in Office 2003. Most of those who
answer questions here use either Office 2003 or Office 2007. IOW, we don't
use the OSB and have no way to determine why your shortcut doesn't work so
this may remain a mystery.

Now, I do have a guess for you: It could be the OSB can't launch a target
that that doesn't include a command path. If you view the properties for
your other shortcuts on your OSB more than likely they have a command path
in the Target text box (such as C:\Program Files...) and the Target Type is
some of file. Such as a File Folder, Application, Office document, etc. The
target type and target to your wireless network connection is a Globally
Unique Identifier (GUID) which is known to Windows but unknown to Office. I
suspect the OSB can only launch shortcuts that use a File as the target type
and not a GUID. Now, I don't know for sure if this is the case since I'm
unable to test this myself, but it sure sounds logical, doesn't it? <grin>

Thanks, Beth, the mystery is gradually being cleared up. The shortcut to the
wireless network connection has a target of a whole lot of hex characters
within curly brackets - presumably the GUID. The shortcut to Winzip points
straight to the .exe file in Program Files.

BUT

I have had a shortcut to the wireless connection on the OSB before, and it
worked! Then something changed (I think it was probably installing a new
modem) and now it doesn't.

Maybe there is another way to create a shortcut, so that it points directly
to a program, rather than a GUID?

 

[Beth Melton]

Thanks, Beth, the mystery is gradually being cleared up. The shortcut to
the
wireless network connection has a target of a whole lot of hex characters
within curly brackets - presumably the GUID. The shortcut to Winzip points
straight to the .exe file in Program Files.

BUT

I have had a shortcut to the wireless connection on the OSB before, and it
worked! Then something changed (I think it was probably installing a new
modem) and now it doesn't.

Maybe there is another way to create a shortcut, so that it points
directly
to a program, rather than a GUID?

Remember though, I have no idea if that's the cause not not -- it's just my
best guess.

Personally I just click the Wireless Network Connection in the system tray
(next to the time) whenever I need to view my wireless connection status.

As for how to create a different shortcut, I have no idea. You may want to
ask about this in a Windows newsgroup. Here's one for Windows XP and
Wireless Networking:
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...dd8-fd79-4301-9813-2a2497c20996&lang=en&cr=US

To offer another suggestion, you can create your own Windows Toolbar instead
of using the Office Shortcut Bar. Should you ever upgrade to Office 2003
you'll find the OSB has been removed. If interested here are a couple
articles on how to use a Windows Toolbar as a replacement for the OSB:

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=327
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=450

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton
What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

Guides for the Office 2007 Interface:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/HA102295841033.aspx

 

[Rogan]

Thanks for your time on this Beth. I think that I must follow your advice and
look elsewhere, or follow Steve's and be content with the shortcut on my
Quick Launch.

But first, a couple of comments:

Personally I just click the Wireless Network Connection in the system tray
(next to the time) whenever I need to view my wireless connection status.

I cannot get the icon onto the system tray. Its properties allow me to "Show
icon in notification area when connected", but not to leave it there
permanently. Maybe it's my version of Windows (XP Professional V5.1, SP3)?

To offer another suggestion, you can create your own Windows Toolbar instead
of using the Office Shortcut Bar. Should you ever upgrade to Office 2003
you'll find the OSB has been removed. If interested here are a couple
articles on how to use a Windows Toolbar as a replacement for the OSB:

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=327
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=450

I read your two articles, and created my own Windows Toolbars. But I agree
with you that there are drawbacks. In addition to those you mention, I cannot
get it to not display the toolbar title: except by docking it, when it is not
possible to resize it so there is no wasted real estate.

But that's life, I suppose ... BTLIS

 

[Beth Melton]

Thanks for your time on this Beth. I think that I must follow your advice
and
look elsewhere, or follow Steve's and be content with the shortcut on my
Quick Launch.

But first, a couple of comments:


I cannot get the icon onto the system tray. Its properties allow me to
"Show
icon in notification area when connected", but not to leave it there
permanently. Maybe it's my version of Windows (XP Professional V5.1, SP3)?

Oh yeah, that's right: you want to enable/disable. I leave mine connected so
I always see it.

I read your two articles, and created my own Windows Toolbars. But I agree
with you that there are drawbacks. In addition to those you mention, I
cannot
get it to not display the toolbar title: except by docking it, when it is
not
possible to resize it so there is no wasted real estate.

But that's life, I suppose ... BTLIS

Yeah, definitely drawbacks but at least it's something...

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton
What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

Guides for the Office 2007 Interface:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/HA102295841033.aspx