Visual Basic Concepts

Extensibility Model Objects and Structure

When driving through an unfamiliar city, it’s usually helpful to have a road map to find your way around. Consider this chapter your road map to the extensibility model. Studying and becoming familiar with it will make it quicker and easier for you to program that perfect add-in that does exactly what you need it to do.

Many objects in the model relate to each other for specific functional purposes, such as manipulating source code or connecting and using add-ins. In the diagram in “The Extensibility Model Objects,” in this chapter, these related objects are grouped together by similar boxes. This makes it easier for you to locate the objects you need to accomplish the tasks you want to perform.

When you click on a group in the diagram, you are brought to the appropriate topic containing information about the group. In those topics, you can click the object boxes to go to a specific topic on that object. From there, you can get information on its syntax, usage, examples, and what properties, methods, and events apply to it.

For example, if you were to click anything in the group “Objects that Extend the User Interface,” you’d be taken to a topic about that group. If you were then to click the CommandBar object box in the group topic diagram, you’d be taken to the CommandBar object topic. In that topic, you’d be able to see a detailed description of the CommandBar object, plus all the properties, events, and methods that apply to it.

This chapter presents the overall structure of the Visual Basic extensibility object model — the “big picture.” In addition, it shows each functional group of objects, along with descriptions of all the objects in each group.

Topics

	The Extensibility Model Objects An overall map of the extensibility object model with the functional groups identified.
	Objects that Extend the User Interface Diagrams the objects that allow you to alter the user interface, for example by sizing and moving windows and viewing code.
	Objects that Allow You to Manipulate Projects Diagrams the objects that allow you to view, add, or remove projects.
	Objects that Allow You to Manipulate Forms Diagrams the objects that allow you to create forms, add them to projects, hide or display controls, and so forth.
	Objects that Allow You to Respond to Events Diagrams the objects that allow you to programmatically respond to Windows events, such as those notifying you when a particular form has been loaded.
	Objects that Allow You to Manipulate Source Code Diagrams the objects that allow you to view, alter, or delete code anywhere in your project.
	Objects that Allow You to Use Add-Ins Diagrams the objects that allow you to connect your add-ins to Visual Basic through a menu or toolbar button.