How do I add commands to the ribbon in Word2007?

[Expando1]

I'm trying to customize a document template. I'd like to have commands on
the menu bar (File, Edit, View, Insert.., etc.) that I can click on and which
will be populated with selections to auto-fill form fields in the document.
I've done this in Word 2003 but can't figure out how it's done in 2007. In
2003, I right click on the menu bar, select customize, select the commands
tab, then under categories select "New Menu" and drag it up to the menu
bar...viola, done! How is this done is Word 2007?

As a specific example, I'd like one menu command labeled "Diagnosis" and
another "Recommendations". The "diagnosis" tab will have a list of
selectable diseases which will insert into the form when selected. Likewise
for the "recommendations" tab.

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

You can easily customize the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT). You could
only customize the Ribbon if you were skilled in some arcane sort of
programming.

 

[Jay Freedman]

See http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/Customize_Ribbon.htm.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so all
may benefit.

 

[Greg Maxey]

Peter,

Here's a tip. If you don't know the answer, it is ok to leave the question
to those who do.

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

My answer is perfectly correct. Your webpage to which Jay directed the
poster even admits that the programming is difficult, and (sorry to
say) your instructions are incomprehensible to anyone who isn't very
familiar with programming in that language -- "The complete workings
and writing of the RibbonXML script shown above is beyond the scope of
this page. However, I hope after looking at it closely that you will
see that it consists of a well ordered hierarchical structure of
instructions."

Whereas my suggestion to put the needed operations in the QAT is much
easier to carry out.

 

[Greg Maxey]

Once again you assume that the whole world marches to your drummer. The
user did not ask the group collectively or you specificaly for an opinion on
what is easier. He asked how to add tabs and commands to the ribbon.

Once again you make statements not supported by facts. The word "difficult"
does not appear anywhere on the webpage in question. Despite your
inabilitity to comprendend, I have recieved several dozens of feedback on
the webpage indicating that it was just the thing the person, many of them
complete novices to XML, needed to get started with ribbon customization.

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

A good teacher recognizes when his students are having difficulty with
the material, and pitches his approach appropriately. If something is
"beyond the scope of this page," then "this page" is not suitable
(i.e., is difficult) for someone not familiar with such things as "a
well-ordered hierarchical struture of instructions," especially when
that "well-ordered structure" can only be discerned by "looking at it
closely." (And that was only the very first operation described.) It
reminds me of the joke about the mathematician giving a lecture who
says, "And it is obvious that ..." and rushes out of the room and
returns half an hour later and continues, "Yes, it is obvious
that ....."

Anmd the fact that OP calls the Ribbon the "menu bar" suggests that he
is not all that familiar with Word2007 and thus not at all familiar
with "RibbonXML."

 

[Greg Maxey]

Peter,

I make no claim to be a teacher good or bad. The page is what it is and is
provided at no cost for anyone that cares to read it and make use of the
material as they see fit. Plenty have with considerable success. Despite
all of its short comings, it certainly comes closer to answering the OP's
original question than your unsolicited opinions.

Since you took the pains to point out that the OP was unfamiliar with
Word2007 I wonder why you then assume that he knows what the QAT is or how
to customize it?

"You can easily customize the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)"

I suppose any novice can just as easily fly a jumbo jet accross the country.
But how? Easy, get in the cockpit and safely operate the controls.

You also assume that since the OP is unfamiliar with the Word2007 user
interface, he is also unfamiliar with XML. Why? He may have written a book
on the subject for all you know.

Back to point. If you don't know the answer it is ok to leave the question
to those that do.

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

I didn't. Unlike some MVPs, I didn't simply call it "QAT."

_Of course_ you are a teacher when you answer questions here. People
who know little or nothing about Word come here with specific
questions, and people provide specific answers. You are not giving
them a fish, you are teaching them to fish. (It would also be helpful
if reference to introductions to RibbonXML were offered, as opposed to
links to hypertechnical MS web pages that require all sorts of prior
knowledge.)

You refer to something called "RibbonXML." Perhaps it's a variant of
XML, but the very fact that it has a different name suggests it
involves something in addition to XML.

OP's question had been sitting there for nearly two hours and no one
had answered it. I provided more information than anyone else, and 20
minutes later, Jay gave the reference to your page -- without feeling
any need to suggest that my answer was incorrect.

May I remind you that the last time you decided to have a hissy-fit,
you subsequently went ahead and wrote some RibbonXML for me to put the
Table Borders button into the Table Layout tab. I did follow your
instructions, and have that button now, even though I had already put
it on my QAT and didn't really need it any more. So what's the reason
for your posturing?

Peter,

I make no claim to be a teacher good or bad.  The page is what it is and is
provided at no cost for anyone that cares to read it and make use of the
material as they see fit.  Plenty have with considerable success.  Despite
all of its short comings, it certainly comes closer to answering the OP's
original question than your unsolicited opinions.

Since you took the pains to point out that the OP was unfamiliar with
Word2007 I wonder why you then assume that he knows what the QAT is or how
to customize it?

"You can easily customize the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)"

I suppose any novice can just as easily fly a jumbo jet accross the country.
But how?  Easy, get in the cockpit and safely operate the controls.

You also assume that since the OP is unfamiliar with the Word2007 user
interface, he is also unfamiliar with XML.  Why? He may have written a book
on the subject for all you know.

Back to point.  If you don't know the answer it is ok to leave the question
to those that do.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Have you tried customizing the Ribbon? It is NOT rocket science!

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com
I didn't. Unlike some MVPs, I didn't simply call it "QAT."

_Of course_ you are a teacher when you answer questions here. People
who know little or nothing about Word come here with specific
questions, and people provide specific answers. You are not giving
them a fish, you are teaching them to fish. (It would also be helpful
if reference to introductions to RibbonXML were offered, as opposed to
links to hypertechnical MS web pages that require all sorts of prior
knowledge.)

You refer to something called "RibbonXML." Perhaps it's a variant of
XML, but the very fact that it has a different name suggests it
involves something in addition to XML.

OP's question had been sitting there for nearly two hours and no one
had answered it. I provided more information than anyone else, and 20
minutes later, Jay gave the reference to your page -- without feeling
any need to suggest that my answer was incorrect.

May I remind you that the last time you decided to have a hissy-fit,
you subsequently went ahead and wrote some RibbonXML for me to put the
Table Borders button into the Table Layout tab. I did follow your
instructions, and have that button now, even though I had already put
it on my QAT and didn't really need it any more. So what's the reason
for your posturing?

Peter,

I make no claim to be a teacher good or bad. The page is what it is and is
provided at no cost for anyone that cares to read it and make use of the
material as they see fit. Plenty have with considerable success. Despite
all of its short comings, it certainly comes closer to answering the OP's
original question than your unsolicited opinions.

Since you took the pains to point out that the OP was unfamiliar with
Word2007 I wonder why you then assume that he knows what the QAT is or how
to customize it?

"You can easily customize the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)"

I suppose any novice can just as easily fly a jumbo jet accross the
country.
But how? Easy, get in the cockpit and safely operate the controls.

You also assume that since the OP is unfamiliar with the Word2007 user
interface, he is also unfamiliar with XML. Why? He may have written a book
on the subject for all you know.

Back to point. If you don't know the answer it is ok to leave the question
to those that do.

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

See last paragraph of the message to which you replied.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

My interpretation of that response, which may well be different from your
own, is that the answer is "no".

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com
See last paragraph of the message to which you replied.

 

[Greg Maxey]

I think he once tried half heartedly. But rather than "roll up his sleeves"
and really try to learn something new, he quickly became frustrated and
started deriding the process and my attempts to explain it. To use his own
words, I ended up giving him the fish.

His last paragraph of the message to which you replied shows his
appreciation for that effort.

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

I have work to do and do not have the time needed to master a
completely new discipline, computer programming.

I was quite surprised that, after you had been at least as nasty as
you were yesterday, you went ahead and wrote the addition anyway.

 

[Greg Maxey]

Peter,

I will not be goaded into exchanging insults with you.

Back to point. If you don't know the answer it is ok to leave the question
to those that do.

Your opinions and your suggestion that the OP could only customize the
Ribbon if he were skilled in some arcane sort of programming was not a
"completely correct" answer to the OP's question.