From an Office file to RibbonX, VBA and a distributable add-in.

What Ribbon UI Studio is designed to solve

Ribbon UI Studio is a Windows desktop application focused on Microsoft Office RibbonX customization. Instead of splitting XML, callbacks, VBA modules, icons and packaging across unrelated tools, it keeps them around the same Office document or add-in.

Your first customization in six steps

Office 2007 and Office 2010+ use different RibbonX parts

Ribbon UI Studio recognizes both common Open XML package locations and can create the correct part when it does not exist yet.

For VBA callbacks, a macro-free file such as .xlsx, .docx or .pptx must first be saved to a macro-enabled format such as .xlsm, .docm or .pptm.

Edit XML as code, not as a black box

The editor keeps documents separated and lets you switch between RibbonX XML and VBA modules without mixing their save targets. Built-in templates provide starting points for common ribbons, dynamic menus, galleries and Office-specific workflows.

<customUI xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2009/07/customui">
  <ribbon>
    <tabs>
      <tab id="tabTools" label="My Tools">
        <group id="grpMain" label="Actions">
          <button id="btnRun"
                  label="Run"
                  imageMso="HappyFace"
                  size="large"
                  onAction="RunAction" />
        </group>
      </tab>
    </tabs>
  </ribbon>
</customUI>

Visual preview and diagnostics

Ribbon UI Studio can build a ribbon representation without launching Office. The preview interprets tabs, groups, controls, imageMso, embedded images and callback presence so problems can be spotted before final testing.

Callbacks no longer have to be copied manually

When the file supports macros, Ribbon UI Studio can read VBA modules, open them as editor documents and save back to the correct module. It can also create missing callback signatures from RibbonX attributes.

Public Sub RunAction(control As IRibbonControl)
    MsgBox "Ribbon action executed", vbInformation
End Sub

Built-in icons and custom resources

The imageMso gallery uses Office identifiers to help locate and copy the correct name. You can also work with custom images embedded in the Office package and verify that the preview can resolve them.

Create Excel, Word and PowerPoint add-ins

The creation workflow can prepare the add-in file, a starter ribbon and the RibbonCallbacks module so the project starts from a coherent structure.

Package Office add-ins for Windows

The stable v4.0.0 packaging workflow uses InstallerLab to compile the Windows installer for .xlam, .dotm and .ppam add-ins.

How it compares with existing tools

These tools do not all target the same problem. Office RibbonX Editor is a strong focused editor; Visual Studio/VSTO is a full development environment; the original Custom UI Editor is a legacy reference. Ribbon UI Studio aims to cover XML + VBA + add-in + distribution in one application.

Before assuming the ribbon is broken

Useful references

The comparison is based on each project's public documentation and Microsoft's official VSTO documentation.