Task Replacement Options

Chuck,

You can still create tools based on Templates and Tools as you describe above. These can be put on Ribbon Workflows/Tab/Groups.

The same WorkFlows you had before can now be arranged on Ribbon WorkFlows.

We use a VBA macro to evaluate a file name and load a barmenu based upon that value. However, we also allow a user to manually load a different menu.

To implement this workflow in the Ribbon, we would need to have a show/hide test that works in a similar manner. Upon file open, it shows the Ribbon Tab appropriate to the current file. But then allow the user to select some tool that allows them to change something that would hide the current file  Ribbon Tab and Show the Ribbon Tab for the item the user selected.

I've seen show/hide tests that parse filenames to locate the characters that identify the file type, but can a show/hide test read a configuration variable, that we allow to be revised in mid session and once its revised, the Ribbon be forced to refresh and reevaluate its show/hide tests, effectively turning off one Ribbon Tab and turning on a different Ribbon Tab dynamically?  

Chuck, I actually wrote about this back in the beta testing days. You could use your vb to set a config variable and use Named Expressions to turn on\off the ribbons you want to use. Users could also hit a button that simply sets a config variable and refreshes the interface. Again, the Named Expressions would turn on\off the ribbons.

Have a look at:

https://communities.bentley.com/other/old_site_member_blogs/peer_blogs/b/bear_blog/posts/microstation-connect-control-workflows-via-named-expressions

Hi Chuck,

caddcop said:

can a show/hide test read a configuration variable

As explained in Bear's link, it's possible. In fact you can implement 2 different types of tests:

• Whether the configuration variable is defined: In some scenarios it's enough to know the variable exists and you do not care about  its value.
• What value is assigned to the variable: It's useful when different values represents e.g. different show/hide ribbon configuration. Because show/hide expression should returns bool (true / false), often it leads to separate test for every checked value.

caddcop said:

and once its revised, the Ribbon be forced to refresh and reevaluate its show/hide tests

You have to force the ribbon rebuild yourself using "ribbon rebuild" key-in after the variable value is changed.

A problem with ribbon rebuild is that it's awfully slow, which is not an issue sometimes, but sometimes it slow down using MicroStation. I assume your question belongs to the first case, because the variable will be probably not changed too often.

caddcop said:

effectively turning off one Ribbon Tab and turning on a different Ribbon Tab dynamically?

Be aware that the ribbon customization through standard GUI is just a first step / basic level. The ribbon itself, as it is implemented in MicroStation, offers better and more flexbile customization, but not all these advanced features are available in GUI now.

For example, when ribbon customization is defined using XML (syntax is described in MicroStation SDK documentation), it's possible to define show/hide test for a tab and to bind this test with some event (predefined group of events is available), e.g. element is selected or active model is changed. This solution does not require to rebuild the ribbon, because explicitely defined show/hide test is reevaluated when the event is fired, so it's also much faster (example is context tab displayed when table element is selected).

With regards,

  Jan