Microsoft Office Forums

Go Back   Microsoft Office Forums > >

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 01-18-2021, 01:16 PM
Meditating Meditating is offline Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Windows 10 Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Office 2016
Novice
Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 9
Meditating is on a distinguished road
Default Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon

I don't like moving through the ribbon. It slows me down and I don't know the product well enough yet to use hot-keys.



In my previous product, I created separate, side-by-side vertical menus that contained macros. These menus were in addition to the top menu (ribbon in this case) and were always visible so I could immediately see each one and implement it with just one click.

I would love to do this in Word. If this is possible, I would appreciate directions. Thanking you in advance
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-18-2021, 01:52 PM
Charles Kenyon Charles Kenyon is online now Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Windows 10 Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Office 2019
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Posts: 9,082
Charles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant future
Default

There are no vertical ribbons. This is not as easy as in pre-ribbon versions. However, there is quite a bit of power available.


You can add macros and other features to the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT).
Modifying the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in Microsoft Word
Note, if you put your macros in custom groups on a custom Ribbon tab, you can add those groups to the QAT.


For more flexible and powerful ribbon modification, you need to go to XML editing.
Customize the Ribbon (It doesn't take rocket science) by Greg Maxey
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-18-2021, 01:59 PM
Meditating Meditating is offline Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Windows 10 Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Office 2016
Novice
Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 9
Meditating is on a distinguished road
Default

Thank you so much for your kind reply. I am not surprised to hear that. For years MS has taken the position seen throughout all its product that it is better for the product to control the user than the other way around. I get that on one level but users whose purpose requires them to put the software to the test are always disappointed.

There is so much I like about this product but it has most serious shortcomings that don't make since given that it also have flexible and extensive features. It is as if it were developed by someone suffering severe schizophrenia. LOL.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-18-2021, 03:22 PM
macropod's Avatar
macropod macropod is offline Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Windows 10 Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Office 2016
Administrator
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posts: 21,956
macropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond repute
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Meditating View Post
For years MS has taken the position seen throughout all its product that it is better for the product to control the user than the other way around.
On the contrary, the design is the result of feedback, especially from corporate users, who found it difficult to support users who kept customising their toolbars, etc. with the result that tech support teams were continually playing guessing games as to how each user requiring support had their system configured.

As someone who evidently used Word back then, I'm surprised that you haven't yet learned how to navigate the ribbon quickly (e.g. via mostly the same Alt-key combinations used in earlier versions) and directly via mostly the same keyboard shortcuts that were used previously.
__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-18-2021, 04:00 PM
Meditating Meditating is offline Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Windows 10 Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Office 2016
Novice
Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 9
Meditating is on a distinguished road
Default

I have not used Word for a month and to get my job done I must use WordPerfect much of the day to get the job done. This isn't due to my lack of knowledge of Word as I am already as proficient as the product. I also found when I contact paralegals who have only used Word for years, they are either frustrated by the same "problems" or it has never occurred to them there was a better way to accomplish the task.

Before becoming an attorney, I was as a medical software architect trained to focus on efficiency and error elimination. My biggest gripe with Word is that it is horribly inefficient in the things I need as an attorney which is constant word-processing. Granted the product provides many excellent features I appreciate but do not use regularly or may never use. Nonetheless, that is never an excuse to make a product less efficient for its primary purpose.

I don't question your assertion MS made the product as is due to majority requests from corporations. Large corporate installs are important, but the majority of most markets are usually smaller companies. It is possible to appease both markets. It would be just as easy to option to lock the menus to prevent this problem and still provide the versatility others need. The only efficient thing I can see that MS did for the legal profession was for themselves by giving the software to government entities so they would require the rest of us to buy and use it.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-18-2021, 09:05 PM
Charles Kenyon Charles Kenyon is online now Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Windows 10 Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Office 2019
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Posts: 9,082
Charles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant future
Default

I am also an attorney and was stunned when the Ribbon was first introduced and the ability to customize toolbars on the sides and bottom of the screen were taken away. It is tough adjustment for someone used to the menu system. Nevertheless, its power is easily accessible through keyboard shortcuts and the QAT.

As Paul said, this change was made at the request of the big purchasers who found the old Word too easy to customize.

On the other hand, once you learn to do XML customization, the sky is the limit. See my responses in this thread for an example.

I gave you the link to Greg Maxey's page which could get you started.

Last edited by Charles Kenyon; 01-19-2021 at 11:32 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-19-2021, 07:45 AM
Meditating Meditating is offline Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Windows 10 Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Office 2016
Novice
Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 9
Meditating is on a distinguished road
Default

Charles, Thank you so much.

I am excited to work with MS Office for the customization. I never created software but really enjoy the design aspect. Like most mainstream product, practice management software usually accomplishes 1 or 2 issues well and everything else is a miss. Same is true of the accounting. I am sole practitioner who primarily focuses on protection of abused children so every second counts in my day.

I appreciate the info very much. I look forward to having the time to follow up on it. Thanks again
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-19-2021, 11:39 AM
Charles Kenyon Charles Kenyon is online now Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Windows 10 Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Office 2019
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Posts: 9,082
Charles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant futureCharles Kenyon has a brilliant future
Default

You are welcome. I switched my response to link to a previous response which gives more details.

I would start with QAT modifications because they do not require programming or XML coding. Once you understand XML, though, you can do even more with the QAT.

Even though you have extensive experience with Word I would recommend a couple of basic tutorials:
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
vertical

Thread Tools
Display Modes


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Custom Vertical Ribbons in Addition to Current Ribbon Current date vertical status line: How to turn off? Pmacdaddy Project 4 01-04-2022 09:53 AM
Custom View on Ribbon rachekd Project 2 01-15-2018 06:33 AM
Do custom animations exist which can be installed in addition to the existing? Aquinax PowerPoint 0 08-12-2016 10:46 AM
PowerPoint 2016 changing toolbars & ribbons to be vertical 5mph PowerPoint 0 07-23-2016 02:13 AM
Exporting Custom Ribbons/Tabs koolwaters Word 1 03-21-2014 03:50 PM

Other Forums: Access Forums

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:32 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
MSOfficeForums.com is not affiliated with Microsoft