Does anyone know the file format for .xcb files? Any sample code to write/modify these files?

The 'Customize' feature of the toolbar only appears to allow users to add tools that are defined in an .xcb file. If a tool needs to be added dynamically in the field, it would be nice to be able to write to the .xcb file of the app so the user could add/remove the tool as needed.

Sure, the user can choose the dropdown and either check/uncheck the tool, but it would be nice to be able to add it to the 'Customize' form.

Any ideas?

Look in in your Start Menu's CodeJock folder. You will see a program called Designer Studio. To use it, you add your icons to the icon list on the left hand side. You can use the default icons, draw your own, or if you already have icons, you can add them (Add the icon Name to the list, then you need to edit it. On that screen, there is a folder to click that allows you to use an existing icon). Next you create your toolbar buttons and add your custom icons to the buttons. Lastly, you can then drag the toolbar buttons onto the Form in the middle. When you are done, save the file, and viola, you have a xcb file you can use for your programs.

Yep, figured that out. I probably wasn't clear in my post-I appologize.

I'm trying to make it so that tools that are added dynamically, show up in (dropdown) -> Add or remove buttons -> Customize ->Commands.

From what I can tell, only tools that are in the .xcb files are listed there. Know what I mean?

So, if an application supported a plug-in model, the 'Customize' feature of the toolbar could act as the plugin manager for the app:

   1. New tool is added to plug-in directory.

   2. App knows it's a new tool because it's not in the .xcb file. App writes the info for the tool in the .xcb file. (App also registers plug-in, etc.)

   3. User adds tool to the application and/or toolbar by using the 'Customize' feature of the toolbar.

I realize that buttons added dynamically can be added or removed by choosing

(dropdown) -> Add or remove buttons -> check/uncheck button. This is ok but not great.

Thanks for your help!

downtowntoby,

To expand on my previous post-I think that the Designer Studio is a cool tool to have available for rapid development of the GUI for an application that isn't extensible. However, for any large scale project which allows for customization and extensibility, the Designer Studio falls short. Take a simple example of a drawing program:

All of the tools in the origonal scope for the project are added using the Designer Studio. The application is finished, deployed, and everyone is happy. If the users want to customize their menus and toolbars, they select the 'Customize' feature of the commandbar, and everything is cool.

Now, your company has 2 new plugins available. Half of your customers want 1 tool and the other half want the other tool. If you want both tools to show up using the 'Customize' feature you now have to distribute a new .xcb file containing both of the tool's information. All of the customers have information for a tool in their .xcb file that they don't need. This is just a simple example.

It would be nice if any of these options were available in the ActiveX version:

1. The .xcb could be accessed through code.

2. The 'Customize" feature related to all items added to the commandbars, not just items added using the .xcb file.

3. .xcb files could be merged.

4. Commandbar controls could be implemented so we could make our own 'Customize' feature. This would also include adding drag/drop events for the commandbars.

Why not just use (dropdown) -> Add or remove buttons -> check/uncheck items that are added dynamically? This is probably what I will resort to. It seems that I am the only one making this functionality request, and that it's not likely to change. This is just a feature that I've seen with some of the compitition's commandbars, and I liked. Having said that, I think that Codejock's stuff is better overall and surpasses the compitition in other areas, such as appearance.

The .xcb could be accessed through code.

... we need to convet the toolbars of some greater projects, and it would take alot of time to do this by hand with the Designer tool. Some small functions that will loop throuth the old bar and add the correspondending tool (with all the attributes) to the new bar will speed up a lot.

please think about a function that will save the runtime-toolbar to an xcb-file.

bye BuZ

robs wrote: It would be nice if any of these options were available in the ActiveX version: 2. The 'Customize" feature related to all items added to the commandbars, not just items added using the .xcb file.

I agree that this feature would be especially useful.  The Designer Studio is nice, but not very robust.  I'm forced to use the Designer Studio simply because I want users to be able to customize their toolbars.  I would prefer to be able to load the items through code and still provide customization to the end-user.

It looks like this is what I need too.

I need to be able to build a xcb file without the Designer, I also need to be able to add tools to the xcb file when user's customise the application.

Is this functionality likely to be included in the commandbars control?

This was an old post that is a little outdated.  The ActiveX version of the control has been updated so that you can create fully customizeable menus directly through code.  Since this update, I've actually stopped using the designer.  They did, however, make some significant enhancements to the designer to make it more powerful.

Basically, you can now do everything in code that the designer used to do.  XCB files are only used if you design your toolbars using the designer.