Excel 2016: Clicking/Simulating a Click using a VBA macro

Question

I'm looking to write a VBA macro that will execute or click a button from the SAP Analysis for Office plug-in in the ribbon.

Currently, I have a working alternative using the hotkeys for the ribbon tab and the button which I send using SendKeys in my VBA macro but it's not robust enough as different users may have different ribbon layouts and thus different hotkey combinations for the same functionality.

This is the button I would like to programmatically click.

Can you please assist me in achieving this using the Office fluent ribbon concept that is currently recommended?

EDIT: The macro recorder does not record actions on the ribbon.

EDIT 2: I believe I got hold of the XML file that contains the Analysis ribbon structure. Here's a screenshot of the structure of the button I need.

Answer 1

I found a way to do it with using the UIAutomation framework provided by MS which could be referenced in your project as UIAutomationClient

Here's the code:

'global object to hold the translations
 Dim translations As Object

Public Enum oConditions
  eUIA_NamePropertyId
  eUIA_AutomationIdPropertyId
  eUIA_ClassNamePropertyId
End Enum

'element name translations for English
Function getEnglishTranslations() As Object
  Set Words = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
  'element, element name
  Words.Add "Analysis", "Analysis"
  Words.Add "Lower Ribbon", "Lower Ribbon"
  Words.Add "Design Panel Group", "Design Panel"
  Words.Add "Design Panel Menu", "Design Panel"
  Words.Add "Display Button", "Display"

  Set getEnglishTranslations = Words
End Function

'element name translations for German
Function getGermanTranslations() As Object
   Set Words = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")

   'element, element name
   Words.Add "Analysis", "Analysis"
   Words.Add "Lower Ribbon", "Unteres Menüband"
   Words.Add "Design Panel Group", "Designbereich"
   Words.Add "Design Panel Menu", "Designbereich"
   Words.Add "Display Button", "Anzeigen"

   Set getGermanTranslations = Words
End Function

Function translate(element As String) As String
    translate = translations(element)
End Function

Sub toggleDisplay()
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False

    Dim oAutomation As New CUIAutomation 'the UI Automation Object

    'references for elements in the UI tree
    Dim root As IUIAutomationElement
    Dim xl As IUIAutomationElement
    Dim analysisTab As IUIAutomationElement
    Dim xlrib As IUIAutomationElement
    Dim dpanel As IUIAutomationElement
    Dim display As IUIAutomationElement

    'pattern objects which allow the execution of different UI elements' 
    functionality
    Dim oTogglePattern As IUIAutomationTogglePattern
    Dim expcolPattern As IUIAutomationExpandCollapsePattern
    Dim selPattern As IUIAutomationSelectionItemPattern

    'multi-clause condition references to locate the UI elements in the UI 
    tree.
    Dim analysisCond As IUIAutomationCondition
    Dim displayCond As IUIAutomationCondition
    Dim disPanelCond As IUIAutomationCondition

   'stores the language code for the current active language
   Dim languageCode As Integer

   'get the active application language
   languageCode = _
   Application.International(XlApplicationInternational.xlCountryCode)

   'choose the language dictionary based on the active language
   If languageCode = 49 Then
       Set translations = getGermanTranslations
   Else
       Set translations = getEnglishTranslations
   End If

   'get a reference to the UI element tree
   Set root = oAutomation.GetRootElement

   'locate the Excel window
   Set xl = root.FindFirst(TreeScope_Descendants, PropCondition(oAutomation, 
   eUIA_NamePropertyId, _
   "test wb for hidden ribbon - new (delete me).xlsm - Excel"))

   'click the Analysis tab
   Set analysisCond = _ 
   oAutomation.CreateAndCondition(PropCondition(oAutomation, 
   eUIA_NamePropertyId, translate("Analysis")), _
   PropCondition(oAutomation, eUIA_ClassNamePropertyId, "NetUIRibbonTab"))
   Set analysisTab = xl.FindFirst(TreeScope_Descendants, analysisCond)
   Set selPattern = _ 
   analysisTab.GetCurrentPattern(UIA_SelectionItemPatternId)
   selPattern.Select

   'locate the Design Panel Group
   Set xlrib = xl.FindFirst(TreeScope_Descendants, 
   PropCondition(oAutomation, eUIA_NamePropertyId, translate("Lower 
   Ribbon")))

   Set dpanel = xlrib.FindFirst(TreeScope_Descendants, 
   PropCondition(oAutomation, eUIA_NamePropertyId, translate("Design Panel 
   Group")))

   'try locating the Display button
   Set displayCond = _ 
   oAutomation.CreateAndCondition(PropCondition(oAutomation, 
   eUIA_NamePropertyId, translate("Display Button")), _
   PropCondition(oAutomation, eUIA_ClassNamePropertyId, 
   "NetUIRibbonButton"))

   Set display = dpanel.FindFirst(TreeScope_Descendants, displayCond)

   'true when the window is shrunk to a point where the display button
   'is part of the dropdown menu under Design Panel
   If display Is Nothing Then

       'expand the Design Panel dropdown first
       Set disPanelCond = _ 
       oAutomation.CreateAndCondition(PropCondition(oAutomation, 
       eUIA_NamePropertyId, translate("Design Panel Menu")), _

       PropCondition(oAutomation, eUIA_ClassNamePropertyId, "NetUIAnchor"))
       Set dpanel = dpanel.FindFirst(TreeScope_Descendants, disPanelCond)
       Set expcolPattern = _ 
       dpanel.GetCurrentPattern(UIA_ExpandCollapsePatternId)
       expcolPattern.Expand

      'attempt to locate the Display button again
      Set display = dpanel.FindFirst(TreeScope_Descendants, displayCond)
   End If

   'Click the Display button programmatically (FINALLY!!!)
   Set oTogglePattern = display.GetCurrentPattern(UIA_TogglePatternId)
   oTogglePattern.Toggle

   Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

'generate a Condition object with the string to be matched against the 
selected property
Function PropCondition(UiAutomation As CUIAutomation, Prop As oConditions, 
Requirement As String) As IUIAutomationCondition
Select Case Prop
    Case 0
          Set PropCondition = _
          UiAutomation.CreatePropertyCondition(UIA_NamePropertyId, 
          Requirement)
    Case 1
          Set PropCondition = _ 
          UiAutomation.CreatePropertyCondition(UIA_AutomationIdPropertyId, 
          Requirement)
    Case 2
          Set PropCondition = _
          UiAutomation.CreatePropertyCondition(UIA_ClassNamePropertyId, 
          Requirement)
    End Select
End Function

Unfortunately, I've ran into another problem with this approach which I have no resolution for as of now.

Here's a video which you can watch to help you get started as well.

Answer 2

sry can't comment yet and hope I've understood it properly .

Did you try to set const value for ribbon?

Me.RibbonName = "YourRibbonNameFromUsysRibbons"

Here you can find ribbon names:

https://www.spreadsheet1.com/office-excel-ribbon-imagemso-icons-gallery-page-01.html

Hope I helped you.

Have a great day.