Convert Custom pulldown menus into a ribbon panel

[Borgster]

We have custome pull down menus that we have been using for years. There are about five. Lets call them PD1, PD2, etc.

I want to create a panel that has buttons that call the drop down menus from my custom cui. It looks like I can't do this unless I first create a toolbar that calls the menus, and then I have to add the toolbar buttons to the Panel. Is this correct? Is there a less intrusive way?

[BlackBox]

Open the CUI Editor, and drag your 'custom menus' to your 'custom toolbars node' (you now have toolbars for your menus). Now right+click the newly created toolbar(s) and select 'Copy to Ribbon Panels'.

Note -
The resultant ribbon panels have been copied to your MAIN.cui ribbon panels node, and not your CUSTOM.cui ribbon panels node. Simply drag them to your CUSTOM.cui accordingly, and customize.

Hope this helps!

[Borgster]

Thank you so much. Thanks for your help.

[BlackBox]

Thank you so much. Thanks for your help.

You're welcome.

[Borgster]

Ok Renderman. That all worked great. However, I thought I was done with the first ribbon panel when I realized that submenus within my custom menu(pulldowns) didn't transfer over to the toolbar node. I figured no big deal, I would rather have them be their own panel anyway. But for some reason I can't drag them to the toolbar node to start the process. Suggestions?

[BlackBox]

Ok Renderman. That all worked great. However, I thought I was done with the first ribbon panel when I realized that submenus within my custom menu(pulldowns) didn't transfer over to the toolbar node. I figured no big deal, I would rather have them be their own panel anyway. But for some reason I can't drag them to the toolbar node to start the process. Suggestions?

Sub-menus are a separate issue.

In your Ribbon Panel, create a new Flyout as a place holder for the sub-menu you're going to recreate.

With your sub-menu expanded, select the first command (be sure to have you command list displayed). This will highlight the sub-menu command you selected. Now simply drag the highlighted command from the command list, to your newly created ribbon panel flyout.

Repeat, until you've replicated the sub-menu.

[Borgster]

Thx for all of your help Renderman. One more silly question. I have my panels created and everything loads nicely. So why am I having such a difficult time figuring out how to add a single button to one of my panels? It seems like I should just be able to right click on the panel in the cui and say "add new button". I have the empty space for it. I tried "duplicating" a button figuring I would just change the new ones bmp and command. But for some reason when I modify the new button the original gets modified too.

[BlackBox]

Thx for all of your help Renderman.

You're welcome.

One more silly question. ... why am I having such a difficult time figuring out how to add a single button to one of my panels? It seems like I should just be able to right click on the panel in the cui and say "add new button". I have the empty space for it. I tried "duplicating" a button figuring I would just change the new ones bmp and command. But for some reason when I modify the new button the original gets modified too.

It took me a while to find, but this thread will answer your question, on how to 'properly create duplicate commands without modifying the original'. I *believe* you'll find posts #15, and #19 to be of particular use.

Hope this helps!