Items.BackColor Property (ExRibbon)

The BackColor property specifies the solid color / visual appearance to be shown on the items' background ( inside borders ). The BackgroundExt property indicates additional colors, text, images that can be displayed on the items's background using the EBN string format. The PopupAppearance property specifies the visual appearance of the items ( including the margins/borders ). The HotBackColor property specifies the background color for items when cursor hovers it. The Padding property specifies the padding (space between the menu border and the item content) to display the items.

The following screen shot shows different grouping items (Clipboard, Font, Adjust) with different background appearance.

How can I change the visual appearance for items (EBN)?

VBA (MS Access, Excell...)

With Ribbon1
	.VisualAppearance.Add 1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn"
	With .Items
		With .Add("",2)
			.GroupPopup = 3 ' GroupPopupEnum.exNoGroupPopupFrame Or GroupPopupEnum.exGroupPopup
			With .Items
				.BackColor = &H1000000
				.Padding = "4,8,4,8"
				.Add "Item 1"
				.Add "Item 2"
				.Add "Item 3"
			End With
		End With
		.Add("").ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
	End With
	.Refresh 
End With

VB6

With Ribbon1
	.VisualAppearance.Add 1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn"
	With .Items
		With .Add("",2)
			.GroupPopup = GroupPopupEnum.exNoGroupPopupFrame Or GroupPopupEnum.exGroupPopup
			With .Items
				.BackColor = &H1000000
				.Padding = "4,8,4,8"
				.Add "Item 1"
				.Add "Item 2"
				.Add "Item 3"
			End With
		End With
		.Add("").ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
	End With
	.Refresh 
End With

VB.NET

With Exribbon1
	.VisualAppearance.Add(1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn")
	With .Items
		With .Add("",2)
			.GroupPopup = exontrol.EXRIBBONLib.GroupPopupEnum.exNoGroupPopupFrame Or exontrol.EXRIBBONLib.GroupPopupEnum.exGroupPopup
			With .Items
				.BackColor32 = &H1000000
				.Padding = "4,8,4,8"
				.Add("Item 1")
				.Add("Item 2")
				.Add("Item 3")
			End With
		End With
		.Add("").ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
	End With
	.Refresh()
End With

VB.NET for /COM

With AxRibbon1
	.VisualAppearance.Add(1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn")
	With .Items
		With .Add("",2)
			.GroupPopup = EXRIBBONLib.GroupPopupEnum.exNoGroupPopupFrame Or EXRIBBONLib.GroupPopupEnum.exGroupPopup
			With .Items
				.BackColor = &H1000000
				.Padding = "4,8,4,8"
				.Add("Item 1")
				.Add("Item 2")
				.Add("Item 3")
			End With
		End With
		.Add("").ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
	End With
	.Refresh()
End With

C++

/*
	Copy and paste the following directives to your header file as
	it defines the namespace 'EXRIBBONLib' for the library: 'ExRibbon 1.0 Control Library'

	#import <ExRibbon.dll>
	using namespace EXRIBBONLib;
*/
EXRIBBONLib::IRibbonPtr spRibbon1 = GetDlgItem(IDC_RIBBON1)->GetControlUnknown();
spRibbon1->GetVisualAppearance()->Add(1,"c:\\exontrol\\images\\normal.ebn");
EXRIBBONLib::IItemsPtr var_Items = spRibbon1->GetItems();
	EXRIBBONLib::IItemPtr var_Item = var_Items->Add(L"",long(2),vtMissing);
		var_Item->PutGroupPopup(EXRIBBONLib::GroupPopupEnum(EXRIBBONLib::exNoGroupPopupFrame | EXRIBBONLib::exGroupPopup));
		EXRIBBONLib::IItemsPtr var_Items1 = var_Item->GetItems();
			var_Items1->PutBackColor(0x1000000);
			var_Items1->PutPadding(L"4,8,4,8");
			var_Items1->Add(L"Item 1",vtMissing,vtMissing);
			var_Items1->Add(L"Item 2",vtMissing,vtMissing);
			var_Items1->Add(L"Item 3",vtMissing,vtMissing);
	var_Items->Add(L"",vtMissing,vtMissing)->PutToString(L"[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)");
spRibbon1->Refresh();

C++ Builder

Ribbon1->VisualAppearance->Add(1,TVariant("c:\\exontrol\\images\\normal.ebn"));
Exribbonlib_tlb::IItemsPtr var_Items = Ribbon1->Items;
	Exribbonlib_tlb::IItemPtr var_Item = var_Items->Add(L"",TVariant(2),TNoParam());
		var_Item->GroupPopup = Exribbonlib_tlb::GroupPopupEnum::exNoGroupPopupFrame | Exribbonlib_tlb::GroupPopupEnum::exGroupPopup;
		Exribbonlib_tlb::IItemsPtr var_Items1 = var_Item->Items;
			var_Items1->BackColor = 0x1000000;
			var_Items1->Padding = L"4,8,4,8";
			var_Items1->Add(L"Item 1",TNoParam(),TNoParam());
			var_Items1->Add(L"Item 2",TNoParam(),TNoParam());
			var_Items1->Add(L"Item 3",TNoParam(),TNoParam());
	var_Items->Add(L"",TNoParam(),TNoParam())->ToString = L"[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)";
Ribbon1->Refresh();

exribbon1.VisualAppearance.Add(1,"c:\\exontrol\\images\\normal.ebn");
exontrol.EXRIBBONLib.Items var_Items = exribbon1.Items;
	exontrol.EXRIBBONLib.Item var_Item = var_Items.Add("",2,null);
		var_Item.GroupPopup = exontrol.EXRIBBONLib.GroupPopupEnum.exNoGroupPopupFrame | exontrol.EXRIBBONLib.GroupPopupEnum.exGroupPopup;
		exontrol.EXRIBBONLib.Items var_Items1 = var_Item.Items;
			var_Items1.BackColor32 = 0x1000000;
			var_Items1.Padding = "4,8,4,8";
			var_Items1.Add("Item 1",null,null);
			var_Items1.Add("Item 2",null,null);
			var_Items1.Add("Item 3",null,null);
	var_Items.Add("",null,null).ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)";
exribbon1.Refresh();

JScript/JavaScript

<BODY onload='Init()'>
<OBJECT CLASSID="clsid:DDF58CFA-750F-45E0-8A00-CFBE431702E2" id="Ribbon1"></OBJECT>

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JScript">
function Init()
{
	Ribbon1.VisualAppearance.Add(1,"c:\\exontrol\\images\\normal.ebn");
	var var_Items = Ribbon1.Items;
		var var_Item = var_Items.Add("",2,null);
			var_Item.GroupPopup = 3;
			var var_Items1 = var_Item.Items;
				var_Items1.BackColor = 16777216;
				var_Items1.Padding = "4,8,4,8";
				var_Items1.Add("Item 1",null,null);
				var_Items1.Add("Item 2",null,null);
				var_Items1.Add("Item 3",null,null);
		var_Items.Add("",null,null).ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)";
	Ribbon1.Refresh();
}
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>

VBScript

<BODY onload='Init()'>
<OBJECT CLASSID="clsid:DDF58CFA-750F-45E0-8A00-CFBE431702E2" id="Ribbon1"></OBJECT>

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="VBScript">
Function Init()
	With Ribbon1
		.VisualAppearance.Add 1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn"
		With .Items
			With .Add("",2)
				.GroupPopup = 3 ' GroupPopupEnum.exNoGroupPopupFrame Or GroupPopupEnum.exGroupPopup
				With .Items
					.BackColor = &H1000000
					.Padding = "4,8,4,8"
					.Add "Item 1"
					.Add "Item 2"
					.Add "Item 3"
				End With
			End With
			.Add("").ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
		End With
		.Refresh 
	End With
End Function
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>

C# for /COM

axRibbon1.VisualAppearance.Add(1,"c:\\exontrol\\images\\normal.ebn");
EXRIBBONLib.Items var_Items = axRibbon1.Items;
	EXRIBBONLib.Item var_Item = var_Items.Add("",2,null);
		var_Item.GroupPopup = EXRIBBONLib.GroupPopupEnum.exNoGroupPopupFrame | EXRIBBONLib.GroupPopupEnum.exGroupPopup;
		EXRIBBONLib.Items var_Items1 = var_Item.Items;
			var_Items1.BackColor = 0x1000000;
			var_Items1.Padding = "4,8,4,8";
			var_Items1.Add("Item 1",null,null);
			var_Items1.Add("Item 2",null,null);
			var_Items1.Add("Item 3",null,null);
	var_Items.Add("",null,null).ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)";
axRibbon1.Refresh();

X++ (Dynamics Ax 2009)

public void init()
{
	COM com_Item,com_Item1,com_Items,com_Items1;
	anytype var_Item,var_Item1,var_Items,var_Items1;
	;

	super();

	exribbon1.VisualAppearance().Add(1,"c:\\exontrol\\images\\normal.ebn");
	var_Items = exribbon1.Items(); com_Items = var_Items;
		var_Item = com_Items.Add("",COMVariant::createFromInt(2)); com_Item = var_Item;
			com_Item.GroupPopup(3/*exNoGroupPopupFrame | exGroupPopup*/);
			var_Items1 = com_Item.Items(); com_Items1 = var_Items1;
				com_Items1.BackColor(0x1000000);
				com_Items1.Padding("4,8,4,8");
				com_Items1.Add("Item 1");
				com_Items1.Add("Item 2");
				com_Items1.Add("Item 3");
		var_Item1 = COM::createFromObject(com_Items.Add("")); com_Item1 = var_Item1;
		com_Item1.ToString("[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)");
	exribbon1.Refresh();
}

Delphi 8 (.NET only)

with AxRibbon1 do
begin
	VisualAppearance.Add(1,'c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn');
	with Items do
	begin
		with Add('',TObject(2),Nil) do
		begin
			GroupPopup := Integer(EXRIBBONLib.GroupPopupEnum.exNoGroupPopupFrame) Or Integer(EXRIBBONLib.GroupPopupEnum.exGroupPopup);
			with Items do
			begin
				BackColor := $1000000;
				Padding := '4,8,4,8';
				Add('Item 1',Nil,Nil);
				Add('Item 2',Nil,Nil);
				Add('Item 3',Nil,Nil);
			end;
		end;
		Add('',Nil,Nil).ToString := '[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)';
	end;
	Refresh();
end

Delphi (standard)

with Ribbon1 do
begin
	VisualAppearance.Add(1,'c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn');
	with Items do
	begin
		with Add('',OleVariant(2),Null) do
		begin
			GroupPopup := Integer(EXRIBBONLib_TLB.exNoGroupPopupFrame) Or Integer(EXRIBBONLib_TLB.exGroupPopup);
			with Items do
			begin
				BackColor := $1000000;
				Padding := '4,8,4,8';
				Add('Item 1',Null,Null);
				Add('Item 2',Null,Null);
				Add('Item 3',Null,Null);
			end;
		end;
		Add('',Null,Null).ToString := '[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)';
	end;
	Refresh();
end

VFP

with thisform.Ribbon1
	.VisualAppearance.Add(1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn")
	with .Items
		with .Add("",2)
			.GroupPopup = 3 && GroupPopupEnum.exNoGroupPopupFrame Or GroupPopupEnum.exGroupPopup
			with .Items
				.BackColor = 0x1000000
				.Padding = "4,8,4,8"
				.Add("Item 1")
				.Add("Item 2")
				.Add("Item 3")
			endwith
		endwith
		.Add("").ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
	endwith
	.Refresh
endwith

dBASE Plus

local oRibbon,var_Item,var_Item1,var_Items,var_Items1

oRibbon = form.Activex1.nativeObject
oRibbon.VisualAppearance.Add(1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn")
var_Items = oRibbon.Items
	var_Item = var_Items.Add("",2)
		var_Item.GroupPopup = 3 /*exNoGroupPopupFrame | exGroupPopup*/
		var_Items1 = var_Item.Items
			var_Items1.BackColor = 0x1000000
			var_Items1.Padding = "4,8,4,8"
			var_Items1.Add("Item 1")
			var_Items1.Add("Item 2")
			var_Items1.Add("Item 3")
	// var_Items.Add("").ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
	var_Item1 = var_Items.Add("")
	with (oRibbon)
		TemplateDef = [Dim var_Item1]
		TemplateDef = var_Item1
		Template = [var_Item1.ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"]
	endwith
oRibbon.Refresh()

XBasic (Alpha Five)

Dim oRibbon as P
Dim var_Item as P
Dim var_Item1 as P
Dim var_Items as P
Dim var_Items1 as P

oRibbon = topparent:CONTROL_ACTIVEX1.activex
oRibbon.VisualAppearance.Add(1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn")
var_Items = oRibbon.Items
	var_Item = var_Items.Add("",2)
		var_Item.GroupPopup = 3 'exNoGroupPopupFrame + exGroupPopup
		var_Items1 = var_Item.Items
			var_Items1.BackColor = 16777216
			var_Items1.Padding = "4,8,4,8"
			var_Items1.Add("Item 1")
			var_Items1.Add("Item 2")
			var_Items1.Add("Item 3")
	' var_Items.Add("").ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
	var_Item1 = var_Items.Add("")
	oRibbon.TemplateDef = "Dim var_Item1"
	oRibbon.TemplateDef = var_Item1
	oRibbon.Template = "var_Item1.ToString = \"[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)\""

oRibbon.Refresh()

Visual Objects

local var_Item as IItem
local var_Items,var_Items1 as IItems

oDCOCX_Exontrol1:VisualAppearance:Add(1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn")
var_Items := oDCOCX_Exontrol1:Items
	var_Item := var_Items:Add("",2,nil)
		var_Item:GroupPopup := exNoGroupPopupFrame | exGroupPopup
		var_Items1 := var_Item:Items
			var_Items1:BackColor := 0x1000000
			var_Items1:Padding := "4,8,4,8"
			var_Items1:Add("Item 1",nil,nil)
			var_Items1:Add("Item 2",nil,nil)
			var_Items1:Add("Item 3",nil,nil)
	var_Items:Add("",nil,nil):ToString := "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
oDCOCX_Exontrol1:Refresh()

PowerBuilder

OleObject oRibbon,var_Item,var_Items,var_Items1

oRibbon = ole_1.Object
oRibbon.VisualAppearance.Add(1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn")
var_Items = oRibbon.Items
	var_Item = var_Items.Add("",2)
		var_Item.GroupPopup = 3 /*exNoGroupPopupFrame | exGroupPopup*/
		var_Items1 = var_Item.Items
			var_Items1.BackColor = 16777216 /*0x1000000*/
			var_Items1.Padding = "4,8,4,8"
			var_Items1.Add("Item 1")
			var_Items1.Add("Item 2")
			var_Items1.Add("Item 3")
	var_Items.Add("").ToString = "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
oRibbon.Refresh()

Visual DataFlex

Procedure OnCreate
	Forward Send OnCreate
	Variant voAppearance
	Get ComVisualAppearance to voAppearance
	Handle hoAppearance
	Get Create (RefClass(cComAppearance)) to hoAppearance
	Set pvComObject of hoAppearance to voAppearance
		Get ComAdd of hoAppearance 1 "c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn" to Nothing
	Send Destroy to hoAppearance
	Variant voItems
	Get ComItems to voItems
	Handle hoItems
	Get Create (RefClass(cComItems)) to hoItems
	Set pvComObject of hoItems to voItems
		Variant voItem
		Get ComAdd of hoItems "" 2 Nothing to voItem
		Handle hoItem
		Get Create (RefClass(cComItem)) to hoItem
		Set pvComObject of hoItem to voItem
			Set ComGroupPopup of hoItem to (OLEexNoGroupPopupFrame + OLEexGroupPopup)
			Variant voItems1
			Get ComItems of hoItem to voItems1
			Handle hoItems1
			Get Create (RefClass(cComItems)) to hoItems1
			Set pvComObject of hoItems1 to voItems1
				Set ComBackColor of hoItems1 to |CI$1000000
				Set ComPadding of hoItems1 to "4,8,4,8"
				Get ComAdd of hoItems1 "Item 1" Nothing Nothing to Nothing
				Get ComAdd of hoItems1 "Item 2" Nothing Nothing to Nothing
				Get ComAdd of hoItems1 "Item 3" Nothing Nothing to Nothing
			Send Destroy to hoItems1
		Send Destroy to hoItem
		Variant voItem1
		Get ComAdd of hoItems "" Nothing Nothing to voItem1
		Handle hoItem1
		Get Create (RefClass(cComItem)) to hoItem1
		Set pvComObject of hoItem1 to voItem1
			Set ComToString of hoItem1 to "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
		Send Destroy to hoItem1
	Send Destroy to hoItems
	Send ComRefresh
End_Procedure

XBase++

#include "AppEvent.ch"
#include "ActiveX.ch"

PROCEDURE Main
 	LOCAL oForm
	LOCAL nEvent := 0, mp1 := NIL, mp2 := NIL, oXbp := NIL
	LOCAL oItem
	LOCAL oItems,oItems1
	LOCAL oRibbon

	oForm := XbpDialog():new( AppDesktop() )
	oForm:drawingArea:clipChildren := .T.
	oForm:create( ,,{100,100}, {640,480},, .F. )
	oForm:close  := {|| PostAppEvent( xbeP_Quit )}

	oRibbon := XbpActiveXControl():new( oForm:drawingArea )
	oRibbon:CLSID  := "Exontrol.Ribbon.1" /*{DDF58CFA-750F-45E0-8A00-CFBE431702E2}*/
	oRibbon:create(,, {10,60},{610,370} )

		oRibbon:VisualAppearance():Add(1,"c:\exontrol\images\normal.ebn")
		oItems := oRibbon:Items()
			oItem := oItems:Add("",2)
				oItem:GroupPopup := 3/*exNoGroupPopupFrame+exGroupPopup*/
				oItems1 := oItem:Items()
					oItems1:SetProperty("BackColor",0x1000000)
					oItems1:Padding := "4,8,4,8"
					oItems1:Add("Item 1")
					oItems1:Add("Item 2")
					oItems1:Add("Item 3")
			oItems:Add(""):ToString := "[group=0x03][itemspad=4,8,4,8][itemsbg=0x1000000](Item 1,Item 2,Item 3)"
		oRibbon:Refresh()

	oForm:Show()
	DO WHILE nEvent != xbeP_Quit
		nEvent := AppEvent( @mp1, @mp2, @oXbp )
		oXbp:handleEvent( nEvent, mp1, mp2 )
	ENDDO 
RETURN

		Type	Description
		Color	A Color expression that specifies the items' background color. The last 7 bits in the high significant byte of the color indicates the identifier of the skin being used. Use the Add method to add new skins to the control. If you need to remove the skin appearance from a part of the control you need to reset the last 7 bits in the high significant byte of the color being applied to the background's part.