[[Property:title|EiffelRibbon]]
[[Property:weight|2]]
[[Property:uuid|2f24957c-7fdc-f918-8c0d-37a9ef525508]]
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=Introduction=

EiffelRibbon is a library of classes with an associated tool which allows the integration of the Microsoft Windows "Ribbon" into graphical user interfaces programmed with [[EiffelVision 2]] and targeted to Microsoft Windows. The ribbon is part of a [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa338198.aspx#office2007uifordevelopers_detaileddesignofthenewuisystem revamped user interface approach] introduced by Microsoft with the 2007 release of the Microsoft Office applications. So you've experienced the ribbon if you've used Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel from 2007 or later. 

=Current state of development=

Initial distribution:
:The EiffelRibbon library is not usable directly. The EiffelRibbon design tool allows you to design a ribbon and will generate code that relies on the EiffelRibbon library.

:A class <code>EV_RIBBON_TITLED_WINDOW</code> is provided with the library. <code>EV_RIBBON_TITLED_WINDOW</code> is a descendant of the standard EiffelVision 2 class <code>EV_TITLED_WINDOW</code>. The ribbon classes generated by EiffelRibbon tool can be added only to instances of <code>EV_RIBBON_TITLED_WINDOW</code>.

=System requirements=

To use the EiffelRibbon library and tools you must have:

# Windows 7
# The Microsoft C compiler provided with either:
## Windows SDK 7.0 or greater
## Visual Studio 2008 or greater

=The EiffelRibbon design tool=

The EiffelRibbon design tool allows you to design a ribbon graphically, then generate the corresponding Eiffel classes necessary to implement your design. 

The interface of the design tool mimics that of [[EiffelBuild|EiffelBuild]]. That is, the interface contains three panes that have counterparts in EiffelBuild:

# Type selector: A list of all the elements available for use in a ribbon.
# Layout constructor: A structured view of the organization of the elements used in a particular ribbon design.
# Object editor: The properties of the ribbon element which is currently selected in the Layout constructor.

So, if you've used EiffelBuild, the the EiffelRibbon design tool should seem quite familiar to you. 

The typical usage of the design tool is much like the typical usage of EiffelBuild. 

* Create a new project ( <code lang="text">File ->New Project...</code> ) and choose a location for your EiffelRibbon project.
* Configure the ribbon by adding elements, name the elements, and choose icons for buttons.
* Save the project.
* Generate the code.
* Use EiffelStudio to compile the generated code.