In this presentation I'll be going thru the process of getting started with the Ribbon library that helps you when developing MapBasic applications for MapInfo Pro 12.5 64 bit. During the presentation Iøm creating a MapBasic application that is adding tabs, groups and a number og controls of different types to the Ribbon interface of MapInfo Pro 12.5 64 bit.

1. Getting started with the Ribbon Library
Peter Horsbøll Møller
March 2015

2. This will help you getting
started with the Ribbon
Library to develop MapBasic
applications for the new
ribbon based MapInfo Pro 64
bit.

3. Prerequisites:
Download and install:
- MapInfo Pro 12.5 64 bit
Get it >>>
- MapBasic 12.5.1
Get it >>>

4. Get the Ribbon Library
You can get the Ribbon Library from:
Github.com:
• https://github.com/PeterHorsbollMoller/mbRibbonExample
Community Download:
• http://communitydownloads.pbinsight.com/code-exchange/download/ribbon-
library-for-mapbasic

5. Unzip the Ribbon Library
Sample Application
Sample tables
Icons for the ribbon
Full source code

6. Running the RibbonExample

7. ”How can I use the Ribbon Library in
my own MapBasic project?

8. Create a new file structure
Create a new base folder
Create a sub folder for your MapBasic source code
Base folder
Source code

9. Create a file structure
Copy the Library folder from the RibbonExample to your source code
folder
Base folder
Source code
Library

10. Use your preferred text editor to create a new Mapbasic source code file for
your application
Save it to the mbcode folder as type .mb, eg. MyFirstRibbonApp.mb
Insert these lines as a start:
Compile with MapBasic 12.5.1
Create a main source code file (.mb)
Include the RibbonLib header file
Include some MapBasic header files
Will show the new Notification

11. Use your text editor to create a new Mapbasic Project file for your application
Save it to the mbcode folder as type .mbp, eg. MyFirstRibbonApp.mbp
Insert these lines as a start:
Link with MapBasic 12.5.1
Create a MapBasic Project file (.mbp)
Name of final MapBasic application
Compiled libraries to be included
Your compiled module

12. Run the application in MapInfo Pro x64

13. Adding an EndHandler
To make sure your application tidy up after itself, add an
EndHandler to your application
Call the EndHandler of the RibbonLib

14. ”How do I create a newTab and add
a Group to it?”

15. Add a newTab to the Ribbon
1. Check if theTab already exists
2. If not, add it
Adding the new Tab
Does it already exist?

16. Run the application in MapInfo Pro x64

17. 1. Check if the Group already exists
2. If not, add it
Add a Group to theTab
Adding the new Group
Does it already exist?

18. Run the application in MapInfo Pro x64

19. How do I add a Button to my new
Group?

20. Adding a button to a group
First you add a new button to the group
Then you set the look and behaviour of the button, such as
caption, tooltips and icon
Modular level arrays
Adding a new button
Defining its look and
behaviour
Getting its Control ID for
later use

21. The handler of the button
This handler is designed to manage several buttons calling it
as it determines the ID of the button clicked by the user
Get the ID and calculate
the item number
Now do the work
Requires MAPPERLib

22. Adding the MAPPERLib module
Include the header file in your source code
And include the compiled module in your MapBasic project file
Include MAPPERLib.def
Include MAPPERLib.mbo

23. Run the application in MapInfo Pro x64

24. Adding multiple buttons
Add more elements to
the arrays
Loop the elements

25. Run the application in MapInfo Pro x64

26. What about splitbuttons?
Can I create these, too?

27. Add a SplitButton with a SplitButtonGroup
I’m adding a new SplitButton control
I’m setting the icon of the SplitButton to match the icons of the first button I’ll
add to it later
And I’m setting the handler of the SplitButton to match the handler of the
first button, too
Finally I add a SplitButtonGroup
Adding the SplitButton
Adding a SplitButtonGroup
Set icons
Set handler

28. Adding buttons to the SplitButtonGroup
And then we add the buttons to the SplitButtonGroup
This is similar to adding buttons to a Group on aTab
Adding the Buttons
Specify icons,
tooltips and
handlers
ControlID – needed in the handler

29. The handler/subprocedure
The the ID of the control
Did the user use the initial
button or did he select one
from the list?

30. Run the application in MapInfo Pro x64

31. ”How can I easily add the
standard buttons to the
Tools window?”

32. Tool Manager – Addin procedures
Each tool can publish information
Sub
•AddIn_About
•AddIn_Help
•AddIn_DefaultCommand
Function
•AddIn_Name()
•AddIn_Description()
•AddIn_Version()
•AddIn_ImageUri()
Help File Aboutbox End
Description
Version
Image
Name
Default Command
activated thru
double click

33. The ProgramInfo module
These standard subprocedures and functions have been added to the
ProgramInfo module
Include the header file for this module in your application module
Include the ProgramInfo.def file

34. Configure the ProgramInfo module
Specify the values for ProgramInfo to use in the dialogs
You can use the functions from ProgramInfo to get to the values, such as the
application name via PRGIGetApplicationName()
Specifying values for
ProgramInfo
Use functions from ProgramInfo
to get to the values

35. Include compiled modules in your project
You need to include several extra compiled modules in the MapBasic
project file
Reading/writing configuration files
Managing files and folders
Working with map windows
Aboutbox and programinformation
Handling strings i different languages
Working with strings

36. Run the application in MapInfo Pro x64

37. ”Can I use my own images
on the buttons?”

38. Using custom images
You can refer to internal MapInfo images, see the MapBasic User Guide, Glossary,
List of Embedded images for a list of all images
You can also refer to individual image files on disk, eg. in a sub folder of the
application directory
Internal MapInfo image
Image file on disk

39. Defines for Internal images
I have created defines for the internal images of MapInfo Pro 64 bit in a file
called MI_ICONS_X64.def.
The file is included in the source code for this sample application in the Library
folder and it will also be included with the RibbonLibrary SampleApplication
later.

40. ”Are you sharing the source
code for this sample
application?”

41. Get the source code for the sample application
I have shared the source code on the Danish Pitney Bowes Software blog.
Get it here:
http://blogs.pitneybowes.dk/files/2015/03/MyFirstRibbonApp.zip
Have fun!

42. Questions?
Peter Horsbøll Møller | peter.moller@pb.com