# Creating the Start Menu, Quick Access Toolbar, and Shortcuts

This tutorial is in three parts. First, you will create a Quick Access Toolbar with some functionality on a **RadRibbonBar**. Then, you will add a Start Menu to add more functionality. Last, you will create keyboard shortcuts to some of these functions.

## Prepare an ImageList to be Used in the Telerik RadRibbonBar

1. Drag a WinForms **ImageList** component from the toolbox to the form. In the area below the design surface, you will see **imageList1**.

2. Using the Images Collection Editor, add the desired images to the **ImageList**. You can use the existing images, or any similar sized images or icons that you have available. For more help with this task, see [How to: Add or Remove ImageList Images with the Designer in the Visual Studio](http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms233674.aspx) documentation.

## Adding a Telerik RadRibbonBar

1. Create a **RadRibbonForm** by changing the base class of a standard form to **RadRibbonForm** or by using the *Add New Item* dialog for your project:

   ![WinForms RadRibbonBar RadRibbonForm](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/63d5b34b2fb57a6222a4a13b3159b91e/ribbonbar-creating-the-start-menu-quick-access-toolbar-and-shortcuts001.png)

2. Select the **RadRibbonBar** control on the form and open the *Properties* window in Visual Studio. In the **Properties** window find the **ImageList** property and from the drop-down menu select the **imageList1** option.

## Adding Tabs to the Telerik RadRibbonBar

1. Click **Add New Tab...** to create a new tab.

2. Type the word **Write** and press **Enter**:
   ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Add Tab To the Ribbon](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/2c7c2060ea8522360f660d76e7c000e1/ribbonbar-creating-the-start-menu-quick-access-toolbar-and-shortcuts002.png)

## Add Items to the Quick Access Toolbar

1. Select the **RadRibbonBar** control in the Visual Studio Designer.

2. Open the *Properties* window and locate the **QuickAccessToolbarItems** property.

3. Open the Collection Editor for this collection.

4. On the **Add** button, click the drop-down arrow and select **RadButtonElement** from the list.
   ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Add ButtonElement](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/0cd6caa0c7355345aa09febed1fead31/ribbonbar-creating-the-start-menu-quick-access-toolbar-and-shortcuts003.png)

5. Repeat this step to add a **CommandBarSeparator** and then another **RadButtonElement**.

## Set Properties of the RadButtonElements

1. In the **Members** list, click **radButtonElement1**.

2. Locate its **DisplayStyle** property, open its drop-down list, and select **Image**.

3. Locate the **ImageIndex** property, open its drop-down list, and select an image from those stored in the **imageList1** component. Set the text of the element to 'Open File'.

4. In the Members list, click **radButtonElement2**.

5. Change its **DisplayStyle** property to **Image** and the **ImageIndex** property to an icon that represents Bold. Select the appropriate image from the Image List.
   ![WinForms RadRibbonBar DisplayStyle Image](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/39c02d6d397ade170c1a820841fc4f43/ribbonbar-creating-the-start-menu-quick-access-toolbar-and-shortcuts004.png)

6. Click **OK** to close the RadElement Collection Editor.

## Add a RichTextBox

1. Drag a standard WinForms **RichTextBox** control onto the form.

2. Open the **Smart Tag** of the control and execute the 'Dock in parent container' action.
   ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Add RichTextBox](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/97c6796fc5c703828959c23919fa0fd2/ribbonbar-creating-the-start-menu-quick-access-toolbar-and-shortcuts005.png)

## Add Code

1\. Copy the following code to the code window of the form. The first method will run when clicking the FileOpen Quick Access Menu item. The second method will run when the user clicks the Bold item.

#### Open a text file and make its text bold

```C#
private void radButtonElement1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
     OpenFileDialog dlg = new OpenFileDialog();
       dlg.Filter = "*.txt,*.rtf|*.txt;*.rtf";
       dlg.ShowDialog();
       if (dlg.FileName != string.Empty)
       {
           OpenFile(dlg.FileName);
       }
}

private void OpenFile(string fname)
{
    if (fname.EndsWith("txt"))
    {
        richTextBox1.LoadFile(fname, RichTextBoxStreamType.PlainText);
    }
    else
    {
        if (fname.EndsWith("rtf"))
        {
            richTextBox1.LoadFile(fname, RichTextBoxStreamType.RichText);
        }
    }
}   

private void radButtonElement2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (richTextBox1.SelectionFont.Bold)
    {
        richTextBox1.SelectionFont = new Font(richTextBox1.SelectionFont, FontStyle.Regular);
    }
    else
    {
        richTextBox1.SelectionFont = new Font(richTextBox1.SelectionFont, FontStyle.Bold);
    }
}
```

```VB.NET
Private Sub RadButtonElement1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles RadButtonElement1.Click
    Dim dlg As New OpenFileDialog
    dlg.Filter = "*.txt,*.rtf|*.txt;*.rtf"
    dlg.ShowDialog()
    If dlg.FileName > "" Then
        OpenFile(dlg.FileName)
    End If
End Sub

Private Sub OpenFile(ByVal fname As String)
    If fname.EndsWith("txt") Then
        RichTextBox1.LoadFile(fname, RichTextBoxStreamType.PlainText)
    ElseIf fname.EndsWith("rtf") Then
        RichTextBox1.LoadFile(fname, RichTextBoxStreamType.RichText)
    End If
End Sub

Private Sub RadButtonElement2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles RadButtonElement2.Click
    If RichTextBox1.SelectionFont.Bold Then
        RichTextBox1.SelectionFont = New Font(RichTextBox1.SelectionFont, RichTextBox1.SelectionFont.Style And Not FontStyle.Bold)
    Else
        RichTextBox1.SelectionFont = New Font(RichTextBox1.SelectionFont, RichTextBox1.SelectionFont.Style Or FontStyle.Bold)
    End If
End Sub
```

In C#, it is necessary to connect the controls to the methods you have copied into the code:

2\. Click **radButtonElement1** (File Open button) on the form.

3\. In the **Properties** window, click the **Events** icon.

4\. Locate the **Click** action.

5\. Click the drop-down arrow and choose **radButtonElement1_Click** from the list.

6\. Change the Click action of **radButtonElement2** (Bold button) to **radButtonElement2_Click**.

## Run the Form.

1. Press **F5** to run the form.

2. Type some text into the **RichTextBox** control, highlight it, and click the **Bold** Quick Access Menu item to toggle the font's bold property on and off.

3. Use the File Open icon on the Quick Access Menu to open a .txt file or an .rtf file into the **RichTextBox**.

## Add a Start Button

1. Select the **RadRibbonBar** control on your form.

2. Open the **Properties** window in Visual Studio, locate the **StartButtonImage** property, and open its editor.

3. In the **Select Resource** dialog box select the **Local Resource** option.

4. Click the **Import** button.

5. Select a suitable image and click **Open**.

6. Click **OK**.

## Add Items to the Start Menu

1. Select the **RadRibbonBar** control on your form and in the **Properties** window locate the **StartMenuItems** property.

2. Open the Collection Editor for this property. 

3. On the Collection Editor form click the drop-down arrow next to the **Add** button and select **RadMenuItem** from the list.

4. Repeat this action to add a **RadMenuSeparatorItem** and then another **RadMenuItem**.

5. Change the **DisplayStyle** of **radMenuItem1** to **Image** and its **Text** property to **Open File**.

6. Change the **ImageIndex** of **radMenuItem1** to match the image of the File Open item on the Quick Access Menu.

7. Change the **DisplayStyle** of **radMenuItem2** to **Text** and its **Text** property to **Recent Files**.

## Add a Sub-menu to radMenuItem2 (Recent Files Item)

1. Locate the **Items** property of **radMenuItem2**.

2. Open the Collection Editor for this property.

3. Add three **RadMenuItem**'s and change their **DisplayStyle** property to **Text**.
   ![WinForms RadRibbonBar aDD Sub Menu](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/1cb93ccca287aec821c8446f291312c3/ribbonbar-creating-the-start-menu-quick-access-toolbar-and-shortcuts007.png)

The sub-menu will display the three most recently used files.

1. Click **OK** to close the Collection Editor for the sub-menu.

2. Click **OK** to close the parent Collection Editor.

## Create Application Settings to Store the Most Recently Used Files

1. Right-click on the project in the Solution Explorer and choose **Properties** from the bottom of the menu.

2. Click the **Settings** tab to open the **Application Settings** property page.

3. In the **Name** field of the first row type **File1**, then tab to the next cell. A new row will be created.

4. Type **File2** in the Name field of the second row and **File3** in the Name field of the third row.

These settings will be used to keep track of the three most recent files a user has opened.

If you would like to learn more about Application Settings, follow the **Learn more about application settings...** link on the page:

![WinForms RadRibbonBar Application Settings](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/3be7b56aa7e654442d71844e5df81f3c/ribbonbar-creating-the-start-menu-quick-access-toolbar-and-shortcuts008.png)

## Modify Existing Code

1\. Replace the **OpenFile** method with the following code:

#### Modify the OpenFile method

```C#
private void ModifiedOpenFile(string fname)
{
    if (fname.EndsWith("txt"))
    {
        richTextBox1.LoadFile(fname, RichTextBoxStreamType.PlainText);
        AddNewMostRecentFile(fname);
    }
    else
    {
        if (fname.EndsWith("rtf"))
        {
            richTextBox1.LoadFile(fname, RichTextBoxStreamType.RichText);
            AddNewMostRecentFile(fname);
        }
    }
}
```

```VB.NET
Private Sub ModifiedOpenFile(ByVal fname As String)
    If fname.EndsWith("txt") Then
        RichTextBox1.LoadFile(fname, RichTextBoxStreamType.PlainText)
        AddNewMostRecentFile(fname)
    Else
        If fname.EndsWith("rtf") Then
            RichTextBox1.LoadFile(fname, RichTextBoxStreamType.RichText)
            AddNewMostRecentFile(fname)
        End If
    End If
End Sub
```

2\. Add the **Click** event of the File Open button (**radMenuItem1**) on the Start Menu to the event handler that is being used for the File Open button (**radButtonElement1**) on the Quick Access Menu.

In C#, do this in the property window.

3\. Choose **radMenuItem1** from the control list in the **Properties** window.

4\. Click the **Events** icon

![WinForms RadRibbonBar ButtonElement Click Event](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/46cfe660b0c7a59f268ff90fb38b4e34/ribbonbar-creating-the-start-menu-quick-access-toolbar-and-shortcuts009.png).

5\. Locate the **Click** event and select **radButtonElement1_Click** from its drop-down list.

## Add Code for the Start Menu Items

Note that **OpenfromMRU** method will respond to the user clicking any of the three items on the **Recent** **Files** sub-menu.

#### Add most recent files functionality

```C#
private void AddNewMostRecentFile(string newFile)
{
    //last three files are stored in appliation settings: "File1","File2","File3" with File1 being the newest
    //replace 3 with 2 and 2 with 1 and then add new to 1
    Properties.Settings.Default.File3 = Properties.Settings.Default.File2;
    Properties.Settings.Default.File2 = Properties.Settings.Default.File1;
    Properties.Settings.Default.File1 = newFile;
}

private void radMenuItem1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    OpenFileDialog dlg = new OpenFileDialog();
    dlg.Filter = "*.txt,*.rtf|*.txt;*.rtf";
    dlg.ShowDialog();
    if (dlg.FileName != string.Empty)
    {
        ModifiedOpenFile(dlg.FileName);
    }
}

private void radMenuItem2_DropDownOpening(object sender, CancelEventArgs e)
{
    //dynamically populate MRU File list
    //this example is not concerned about duplicates
    radMenuItem3.Text = Properties.Settings.Default.File1;
    radMenuItem4.Text = Properties.Settings.Default.File2;
    radMenuItem5.Text = Properties.Settings.Default.File3;
}

private void OpenfromMRU(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    Telerik.WinControls.UI.RadMenuItem filetoOpen = (Telerik.WinControls.UI.RadMenuItem)sender;
    if (filetoOpen.Text != String.Empty)
    {
        ModifiedOpenFile(filetoOpen.Text);
    }
}
```

```VB.NET
Private Sub AddNewMostRecentFile(ByVal newFile As String)
    'last three files are stored in appliation settings: "File1","File2","File3" with File1 being the newest
    'replace 3 with 2 and 2 with 1 and then add new to 1
    My.Settings.File3 = My.Settings.File2
    My.Settings.File2 = My.Settings.File1
    My.Settings.File1 = newFile
End Sub

Private Sub radMenuItem1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles RadMenuItem1.Click
    Dim dlg As New OpenFileDialog()
    dlg.Filter = "*.txt,*.rtf|*.txt;*.rtf"
    dlg.ShowDialog()
    If dlg.FileName <> String.Empty Then
        ModifiedOpenFile(dlg.FileName)
    End If
End Sub

Private Sub radMenuItem2_DropDownOpening(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As CancelEventArgs) Handles RadMenuItem2.DropDownOpening
    'dynamically populate MRU File list
    'this example is not concerned about duplicates
    RadMenuItem3.Text = My.Settings.File1
    RadMenuItem4.Text = My.Settings.File2
    RadMenuItem5.Text = My.Settings.File3
End Sub

Private Sub OpenfromMRU(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles RadMenuItem5.Click, RadMenuItem4.Click, RadMenuItem3.Click
    Dim filetoOpen As Telerik.WinControls.UI.RadMenuItem = DirectCast(sender, Telerik.WinControls.UI.RadMenuItem)
    If filetoOpen.Text <> [String].Empty Then
        ModifiedOpenFile(filetoOpen.Text)
    End If
End Sub
```

In C#, it is necessary to connect these methods to the control events:

1. Choose **radMenuItem1** from the control list in the **Properties** window.

2. Click the **Events** icon ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Button Click Event](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/46cfe660b0c7a59f268ff90fb38b4e34/ribbonbar-creating-the-start-menu-quick-access-toolbar-and-shortcuts009.png).

3. Locate the **Click** event and select **radMenuItem2_DropDownOpening** from its drop-down list.

4. Choose **radMenuItem3**.

5. Change its **Click** event to **OpenfromMRU**.

6. Change the **Click** events for **radMenuItem4** and **radMenuItem5** to **OpenfromMRU**.

##  Run the Form

![WinForms RadRibbonBar With RichTextBox](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/8344afdc24225e0447d3dbd21856624c/ribbonbar-creating-the-start-menu-quick-access-toolbar-and-shortcuts010.png)

## Create a Shortcut for the File Open and Bold functions

The shorcut assignments is pretty simple. Just switch to the Code View of the fold and add shortcuts to the appropriate RadMenuItem by calling the Add method of their Shortcuts property. You should pass a new instance of the RadShortcut type giving the keys that will trigger the shortcut:

#### Add most recent files functionality

```C#
radMenuItem1.Shortcuts.Add(new Telerik.WinControls.RadShortcut(Keys.Control, Keys.O));
radMenuItem2.Shortcuts.Add(new Telerik.WinControls.RadShortcut(Keys.Control, Keys.B));
```

```VB.NET
RadMenuItem1.Shortcuts.Add(New Telerik.WinControls.RadShortcut(Keys.Control, Keys.O))
RadMenuItem2.Shortcuts.Add(New Telerik.WinControls.RadShortcut(Keys.Control, Keys.B))
```

## Run the Form

1. Press **F5** to run the form.

2. Try out the new **Ctrl+O** and **Ctrl+B** keyboard shortcuts.

## See Also

* [Design Time](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/ribbonbar/design-time)
* [Structure](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/ribbonbar/structure)
* [Getting Started](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/ribbonbar/getting-started)
* [Backstage View](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/ribbonbar/backstage-view/overview)
* [Themes](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/ribbonbar/customizing-appearance/themes)