How to: Customize a Built-in Tab

Applies to
The information in this topic applies only to the specified Visual Studio Tools for Office projects and versions of Microsoft Office. Project type Document-level projects Application-level projects Microsoft Office version Excel 2007 Word 2007 Outlook 2007 PowerPoint 2007 For more information, see Features Available by Application and Project Type.

You can add groups and controls to a built-in tab. A built-in tab is a tab that is already on the Ribbon of a Microsoft Office application. For example, the Data tab is a built-in tab in Excel. By default, a custom group appears as the last group on a built-in tab. However, you can position a custom group before or after a built-in group on the tab.

Note

You can add groups to a built-in tab, but you cannot remove built-in groups from a built-in tab.

To add groups to a built-in tab

1. Right-click the Ribbon code file in Solution Explorer, and then click View Designer.

2. Right-click any tab in the Ribbon designer, and then click Properties.

3. In the Properties window, expand the ControlId property, and then set the ControlIdType property to Office.

4. Set the OfficeId property to the control ID of the built-in tab that you want to customize.

   The control ID is the name that uniquely identifies tabs, groups, and controls that are built into Microsoft Office applications. For a list of control IDs, see 2007 Office System Document: Lists of Control IDs.

5. From the Office Ribbon Controls tab of the Toolbox, drag groups onto the tab.

   Note

   Built-in groups do not appear in the designer. Therefore, the only way to determine whether you are working with a built-in tab is to examine the ControlId property of the tab.

To position groups on a built-in tab

1. In the Ribbon Designer, select a custom group.

2. In the Properties window, expand the Position property.

3. Set the PositionType property to the appropriate value:

   • BeforeOfficeId positions the group before a specified built-in group.

   • AfterOfficeId positions the group after a specified built-in group.

4. Set the OfficeId property to the control ID of a built-in group. For a list of control IDs, see 2007 Office System Document: Lists of Control IDs.

See Also

Tasks

Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Tab by Using the Ribbon Designer

Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Tab by Using Ribbon XML

How to: Get Started Customizing the Ribbon

How to: Change the Order of Tabs on the Ribbon

How to: Customize the Microsoft Office Menu

How to: Show Add-in User Interface Errors

Concepts

Ribbon Overview

Ribbon Designer

Ribbon XML