AutoCAD CUI Ribbon .NET: List Ribbon Workspace Tab and Panel Information

AutoCAD has provided the Ribbon UI for some time and also provided the CUI .NET API for us to manipulate the modern UI elements including Ribbon Tab, Ribbon Panel and various Ribbon Buttons.

We created Ribbon Panels and Ribbon Tabs from scratch before. We also created various Ribbon Buttons and added them into new or existing Ribbon Panels.

In this post, let’s print out some information about CUI file, Workspaces, Ribbon Tabs, and Ribbon Panels in the current AutoCAD session.

Here is the code and command.

[CommandMethod("ListRibbonInfo")]
public static void ListRibbonInfo_Method()
{
    Editor ed = MgdAcApplication.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor;
    try
    {
        using (StreamWriter sw = new StreamWriter("c:\\temp\\AcadRibbonInfo.txt"))
        {

            string cuiFile = (string)MgdAcApplication.GetSystemVariable("MENUNAME");
            sw.WriteLine(string.Format("CUI File: {0}", Path.GetFileName(cuiFile)));

            string curWorkspace = (string)MgdAcApplication.GetSystemVariable("WSCURRENT");
            sw.WriteLine(string.Format("Current Workspace: {0}", curWorkspace));

            CustomizationSection cs = new CustomizationSection(cuiFile);
            RibbonRoot root = cs.MenuGroup.RibbonRoot;
            foreach (Workspace ws in cs.Workspaces)
            {
                sw.WriteLine();
                sw.WriteLine(string.Format("\tWorkspace: {0}", ws.Name));

                foreach (WSRibbonTabSourceReference wsTabSourceRef in ws.WorkspaceRibbonRoot.WorkspaceTabs)
                {
                    RibbonTabSource tabSource = root.FindTab(wsTabSourceRef.TabId);
                    if (tabSource == null) continue;

                    sw.WriteLine(string.Format("\t\tRibbon Tab: {0}", tabSource.Text));

                    foreach (RibbonPanelSourceReference panelSourceRef in tabSource.Items)
                    {
                        RibbonPanelSource panelSource = root.FindPanel(panelSourceRef.PanelId);
                        if (panelSource == null) continue;

                        sw.WriteLine(string.Format("\t\t\tRibbon Panel: {0}", panelSource.Text));
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
    catch (System.Exception ex)
    {
        ed.WriteMessage(Environment.NewLine + ex.Message);
    }
}

After the F5 button is pressed, the assembly loaded into AutoCAD, and the test command run, a text file will be created into the C:\TEMP temporary folder. By the way, if the AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) is used to create and debug the project, pressing the F5 can make all these done automatically.

The text file may contain some information as follows: (of course, the real content depends on the CUI file and the current workspace and ribbon settings.)

CUI File: acad
Current Workspace: Drafting & Annotation

    Workspace: Drafting & Annotation
        Ribbon Tab: Home
            Ribbon Panel: Create
            Ribbon Panel: Edit
            Ribbon Panel: Draw
            Ribbon Panel: Modify
            Ribbon Panel: Selection
            Ribbon Panel: Coordinates
            Ribbon Panel: Layers & View
            Ribbon Panel: Section
        Ribbon Tab: Render
            Ribbon Panel: Lights
            Ribbon Panel: Sun & Location
            Ribbon Panel: Materials
            Ribbon Panel: Render
        Ribbon Tab: Insert
            Ribbon Panel: Block
            Ribbon Panel: Reference
            Ribbon Panel: Import
        Ribbon Tab: Manage
            Ribbon Panel: Action Recorder
            Ribbon Panel: Customization
            Ribbon Panel: Applications
            Ribbon Panel: CAD Standards
        Ribbon Tab: Output
            Ribbon Panel: Plot
            Ribbon Panel: Export to DWF/PDF
            Ribbon Panel: 3D Print
        Ribbon Tab: Plug-ins
        Ribbon Tab: ANAW
            Ribbon Panel: AcadNetAddinWizard
            Ribbon Panel: AcadNetAddinWizard1
            Ribbon Panel: AcadNetAddinWizard2

    Workspace: 3D Modeling
        Ribbon Tab: Home
            Ribbon Panel: Modeling
            Ribbon Panel: Mesh
            Ribbon Panel: Solid Editing
            Ribbon Panel: Draw
            Ribbon Panel: Modify
            Ribbon Panel: Section
            Ribbon Panel: Coordinates
            Ribbon Panel: View
            Ribbon Panel: Selection
            Ribbon Panel: Groups
            Ribbon Panel: Layers
        Ribbon Tab: Solid
            Ribbon Panel: Primitive
            Ribbon Panel: Solid
            Ribbon Panel: Boolean
            Ribbon Panel: Solid Editing
            Ribbon Panel: Section
            Ribbon Panel: Selection
        Ribbon Tab: Surface
            Ribbon Panel: Create
            Ribbon Panel: Edit
            Ribbon Panel: Control Vertices
            Ribbon Panel: Curves
            Ribbon Panel: Project Geometry
            Ribbon Panel: Analysis
        Ribbon Tab: Mesh
            Ribbon Panel: Primitives
            Ribbon Panel: Mesh
            Ribbon Panel: Mesh Edit
            Ribbon Panel: Convert Mesh
            Ribbon Panel: Section
            Ribbon Panel: Selection
        Ribbon Tab: Render
            Ribbon Panel: Lights
            Ribbon Panel: Sun & Location
            Ribbon Panel: Materials
            Ribbon Panel: Camera
            Ribbon Panel: Animations
            Ribbon Panel: Render
        Ribbon Tab: Parametric
            Ribbon Panel: Geometric
            Ribbon Panel: Dimensional
            Ribbon Panel: Manage
        Ribbon Tab: Insert
            Ribbon Panel: Point Cloud
            Ribbon Panel: Reference
            Ribbon Panel: Block
            Ribbon Panel: Block Definition
            Ribbon Panel: Import
            Ribbon Panel: Data
            Ribbon Panel: Linking & Extraction
        Ribbon Tab: Annotate
            Ribbon Panel: Text
            Ribbon Panel: Dimensions
            Ribbon Panel: Leaders
            Ribbon Panel: Tables
            Ribbon Panel: Markup
            Ribbon Panel: Annotation Scaling
        Ribbon Tab: View
            Ribbon Panel: Navigate
            Ribbon Panel: Views
            Ribbon Panel: Coordinates
            Ribbon Panel: Visual Styles
            Ribbon Panel: Viewports
            Ribbon Panel: Palettes
            Ribbon Panel: Windows
        Ribbon Tab: Manage
            Ribbon Panel: Action Recorder
            Ribbon Panel: Customization
            Ribbon Panel: Applications
            Ribbon Panel: CAD Standards
        Ribbon Tab: Output
            Ribbon Panel: Plot
            Ribbon Panel: Export to DWF/PDF
            Ribbon Panel: 3D Print
        Ribbon Tab: Plug-ins

    Workspace: 3D Basics
        Ribbon Tab: Home
            Ribbon Panel: Create
            Ribbon Panel: Edit
            Ribbon Panel: Draw
            Ribbon Panel: Modify
            Ribbon Panel: Selection
            Ribbon Panel: Coordinates
            Ribbon Panel: Layers & View
            Ribbon Panel: Section
        Ribbon Tab: Render
            Ribbon Panel: Lights
            Ribbon Panel: Sun & Location
            Ribbon Panel: Materials
            Ribbon Panel: Render
        Ribbon Tab: Insert
            Ribbon Panel: Block
            Ribbon Panel: Reference
            Ribbon Panel: Import
        Ribbon Tab: Manage
            Ribbon Panel: Action Recorder
            Ribbon Panel: Customization
            Ribbon Panel: Applications
            Ribbon Panel: CAD Standards
        Ribbon Tab: Output
            Ribbon Panel: Plot
            Ribbon Panel: Export to DWF/PDF
            Ribbon Panel: 3D Print
        Ribbon Tab: Plug-ins

    Workspace: AutoCAD Classic
        Ribbon Tab: Home
            Ribbon Panel: Create
            Ribbon Panel: Edit
            Ribbon Panel: Draw
            Ribbon Panel: Modify
            Ribbon Panel: Selection
            Ribbon Panel: Coordinates
            Ribbon Panel: Layers & View
            Ribbon Panel: Section
        Ribbon Tab: Render
            Ribbon Panel: Lights
            Ribbon Panel: Sun & Location
            Ribbon Panel: Materials
            Ribbon Panel: Render
        Ribbon Tab: Insert
            Ribbon Panel: Block
            Ribbon Panel: Reference
            Ribbon Panel: Import
        Ribbon Tab: Manage
            Ribbon Panel: Action Recorder
            Ribbon Panel: Customization
            Ribbon Panel: Applications
            Ribbon Panel: CAD Standards
        Ribbon Tab: Output
            Ribbon Panel: Plot
            Ribbon Panel: Export to DWF/PDF
            Ribbon Panel: 3D Print
        Ribbon Tab: Plug-ins

The leading edge AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) provides various project wizards, item wizards, coders including a Ribbon Creator, and widgets to help program AutoCAD .NET addins.

Comments

[Patrick]

Hello from France, is it possible to create a new workspace by copying an existing one.
I'm a beginner with dotnet (I'm using vb.Net).

Thank you.

[Spiderinnet1]

It should be possible but we don't have code handy at this moment. When possible, we will explore on this. Thanks for the good question.

[Patrick]

Thank you, and this blog is a great source of informations.
Congratulations for the job.

[Spiderinnet1]

Patrick, you are very welcome. Thanks for the nice words.

[Ian Cross]

Hi,
is the latest download compatible with AutoCAD 2014, I have downloaded and installed but after launching VS2010 there is nothing in the Dialog box for AutoCAD Versions? I have 2013 and 2014 installed both from the Product design suite and standalone

[Spiderinnet1]

Ian, yes, the latest build is supposed to work with AutoCAD 2013/2014 and their flavors. Maybe the Product design suite matters here. We are going to have a look in detail and get back to you soon. Meanwhile, if details about the suite could be provided, it would be more helpful.

[JeffH]

I have not messed with developing for 2014 and have 2014 design suite(which ever one you have to get to include Revit).
I un-installed add-in and downloaded it again to make sure I had the latest and noticed it only found 2013, including ACA 2013, & MEP 2013.

I remember noticing that installing the products through design suite install vs installing them separately with their individual installers creates a different folder structure where it places installation files..

Not sure how you check registry, or files, but if you need to me to provide values for registry keys or info on locations would be no problem.

[Spiderinnet1]

Jeff, thanks a lot for the hints and the kind offer. The Design Suite does matter then. We are going to try it and see what's going on. Will get you updated.

[Ian Cross]

Hi,
I installed the standalone version of AutoCAD 2014 and still the dialog box is blank, possible its getting confused from the design suite, I will knock up a VM with a standalone version with no Product design suite installed and see what it brings up

[Spiderinnet1]

Ian, thanks for the update. We are going do the same.

[Spiderinnet1]

Ian again, please try the latest build #0.7.6.0 and see how it works on your computers or VMs for AutoCAD 2014 and its flavors such as ACA, AME, ACADM and ACADE. The previous build has an issue regarding this, and the latest one has got it addressed. Sorry for the mix-up. Welcome any further feedback.

[Ian Cross]

Awesome that works perfectly, thanks for all your help. do you know when the Revit 2014 one will be available, i'm updating all out Autodesk Apps to the new release.

[JeffH]

Hi SpiderinNet1,

Tried new install and it did not match what I thought I had installed because your add-in made me realize that I guess 2014 suite comes with Raster Design, because I checked and its there. So far as I can tell your add-in is knows more than I do of what I have installed.

Also do you have a donation link or anything similar?
Wish Autodesk took the same attitude toward customer support as you do.

[Spiderinnet1]

Jeff, thanks for the nice words. Computers are good at some tedious details, as we know. In terms of donation link, we don't have one at this moment. Will let you know when we do. Thanks a lot for the kind offer anyway.

Ian, glad to hear the new build works well for you now. In terms of the Revit 2014 support in the RevitAddinWizard, it will come out soon. Please stay tuned.

[Spiderinnet1]

Ian, the Revit 2014 support for the RevitAddinWizard has been added. The latest post on the blog has the link to the latest build:

http://spiderinnet.typepad.com/