RibbonX: Customizing the Office 2007 Ribbon

Chapter 7. comboBox and dropDown Controls

In the previous chapter, you learned about the button, checkBox, editBox, and toggleButton controls. This chapter explores two new controls: the comboBox and the dropDown. The comboBox and dropDown list are similar in a great many ways, including design, implementation, and appearance. They also have some important differences that are discussed in this chapter.

Before you can start exploring these two controls, you need to learn about the fundamental element that supports them: the item element. The chapter begins by exploring this critical piece.

Following the section on the item element, you'll find both the comboBox and dropDown sections, which explore these two elements in great detail. As in the previous chapter, examples are included for each application, some of which display the creation of static versions of controls, while others create fully dynamic versions. Whether you're working through the examples or just reading the chapter, you will appreciate seeing a fully functioning version. As you are preparing to work through the examples, we encourage you to download the companion files. The source code and files for this chapter can be found on the book's web site at www.wiley.com/go/ribbonx.

The item Element

The item element is used to create static items that must be used within a gallery, dropDown, or comboBox. This particular element is not intended for use on its own, but rather must be an integral part of other controls, such ...