Excel 2010 Ribbon Customization - startfromscratch=true not affecting built-in tabs

[gsistek]

I can't seem to figure this one out.
I am creating an Excel application for some co-workers that will require strict control over what they are allowed to do. I want to hide the ribbon tabs, but anytime I use the startfromscratch attribute and/or set the visibility of the individual tabs (using visible="false" or getVisible=...) there is no effect. I have searched online and found the xml to replace tabs with my own custom tabs, but that simply creates a duplicate of each tab. Xml is not my strength, so I am looking for any help I can get. Any ideas?​

 

[RoryA]

Are you using

<ribbon startFromScratch="true">

Note that XML is case sensitive so startfromscratch is not the same as startFromScratch.

 

[gsistek]

For testing purposes I am using the following xml for customUI:

[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000]customUI [/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#ff0000]xmlns[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]=[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000]"[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/01/customui[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000]"[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]>
<[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000]ribbon [/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#ff0000]startFromScratch[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]=[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000]"[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]true[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000]"[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]>
</< font>[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000]ribbon[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]>
</< font>[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000]customUI[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]>

[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE]

and the following for customUI14:

[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]<[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000]customUI [/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#ff0000]xmlns[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]="[URL]http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2009/07/customui[/URL]"[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]>
<[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000]ribbon [/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#ff0000]startFromScratch[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]=[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000]"[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]true[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000]"[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]>
</< font>[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000]ribbon[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]>
</< font>[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000][SIZE=2][COLOR=#800000]customUI[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]>
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]

 

[gsistek]

It gets rid of the extra tabs for my addins, but not the "core" items (Home, Insert, etc.)

 

[RoryA]

Your XML isn't correct:

<customUI xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/01/customui">
<ribbon startFromScratch="true">
</ribbon>
</customUI>

Note the closing tags for ribbon and customui

 

[gsistek]

I have the tags like that. It must have gotten lost when I copied it.

 

[RoryA]

Works for me after correcting those tags.

 

[gsistek]

What really baffles me, is that if I go into Options to customize the ribbon, it shows no tabs, but the UI ribbon is still there. Is there some setting I have out of whack, either within Excel or possibly on the Windows side that is causing me grief?

 

[RoryA]

I don't know - never heard of that before. Can you actually use the tabs?

 

[gsistek]

They are fully functional. I think my next step is to try someone else's machine. If it is just mine, no big deal, I'm developing for others in the company. I just wish I knew what the root cause was in case it rears it's ugly head on someone else's computer.