# Structure of RadRibbonBar This article describes the inner structure and organization of the elements which build the **RadRibbonBar** control. ## Element Hierarchy **RadRibbonBar** is a complex control. In order to customize the styles that determine the display of this control, you need to know its structure. Here is a brief explanation of some of the elements in the tree. This image shows the **RadRibbonBar** control element structure as displayed by the [Element Hierarchy Editor](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/tools/element-hierarchy-editor): > caption Figure 1: RadRibbonBar\`s Element Hierarchy ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Element Hierarchy](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/d71e9b7b533f579e9762445ff52cfc92/ribbonbar-styling-radribbonbar-radribbonbar-control-element-structure001.png) * **RadRibbonBarElement**: Represents the entire RadRibbonBar. Any setting at this level are inherited by the elements down in the tree. * The **RadQuickAccessToolbar**: Represents the Quick Access Toolbar and any settings made to this element and its child nodes reflect on the visual appearance of the element. * **RadRibbonBarCaption**: Contains the minimize, maximize and close buttons. * **RadItem**: Contains the RadTabStripElement used in RadRibbonBar. * **RadApplicationMenuButtonElement**: The button element of the application drop-down menu. * The **RadMDIControlsItem**: Represents the system buttons displayed when a MDI child is maximized in a Form which contains a **RadRibbonBar** control. * The **RibbonBarCaptionFillPrimitive**: Represents the background fill of the RibbonBar's caption (title bar). * The **RadImageButtonElement**: Node represents the Help button which may be shown next to the MDI System Buttons You can add a variety of constituent controls to customize the Telerik **RadRibbonBar**. ## Quick Access Toolbar The Quick Access Toolbar is an area at the top of the Telerik RadRibbonBar, above the tabs:![WinForms RadRibbonBar ribbonbar-structure-of-radribbonbar 001](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/56b03d53fa2fb868bd14eab78d9faa7d/ribbonbar-structure-of-radribbonbar001.png) The Quick Access Toolbar can contain the same elements as the [RadMenu](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/menus/menu/overview): * Menu items, displayed as either images, text, or both * Combo boxes * Custom items * Separators ## Start Menu The Start Menu is a menu that is displayed when you click on the Office Button in the upper left corner of the Telerik RadRibbonBar:![WinForms RadRibbonBar Smart Menu Structure](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/86a8ebf50c47a285459b8f3a54912b9a/ribbonbar-structure-of-radribbonbar002.png) The Start Menu includes two columns of items, each of which can contain the same elements as the [RadMenu](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/menus/menu/overview): * Menu items, displayed as either images, text, or both * Combo boxes * Custom items * Separators ## Tabs The tabs are the first level of organization of the main part of the Telerik **RadRibbonBar**. Tabs are typically used to split the functionality of an application into major areas. ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Tabs Structure](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/04317a6cc27b30b2237badf25030a10d/ribbonbar-structure-of-radribbonbar003.png) The drop-down arrow to the right of the tabs opens a menu listing all of the tabs on the Telerik RadRibbonBar. Selecting a tab from the menu makes it the active tab. ## Contextual Tabs Groups Contextual Tab Groups provide a way to organize related tabs. They are often used to group tabs that apply to a specific object in your application. ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Contextual Tabs Groups Structure](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/cdb3958d23914942ce58c14d5e1f5c4f/ribbonbar-structure-of-radribbonbar009.png) In the screenshot above, **Appearance** and **Data** are contextual tab groups. Their width indicates the tabs that they contain, so that the **Appearance** contextual tab group includes the **Formatting** and **Layout** tabs, and the **Data** contextual tab group includes the **Spelling** and **Insert** tabs. Color is also used to unify a contextual tab group with its contained **Ribbon Bar Groups**. The tabs that belong to contextual tab groups are always placed to the right of other tabs on the Telerik **RadRibbonBar**. ## Ribbon Bar Groups Each tab hosts one or more groups. A group is a container for the other containers and individual functional elements. **Ribbon Bar Groups** can individually collapse if there is not enough room to display all of them. ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Ribbon Bar Groups Structure](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/38eb9436caca20013b6d3730200be3e9/ribbonbar-structure-of-radribbonbar004.png) In the screenshot above, Clipboard, Font, and Paragraph are **Ribbon Bar Groups** placed on the Write tab. ## Button Groups **Ribbon Bar Groups** may (but are not required to) contain one or more button groups. A button group is a container that can contain other nested button groups or individual functional elements. Button groups can be oriented horizontally (containing a horizontal row of elements) or vertically (containing a vertical column of elements). ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Button Groups Structure](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/dcabc32887dd93e624beb218115d4624/ribbonbar-structure-of-radribbonbar005.png) ## Elements Elements are the individual functional pieces of the Telerik RadRibbonBar. Elements can be contained directly within **Ribbon Bar Groups** or within button groups. **Ribbon Bar Groups** and button groups can contain a variety of elements: * Button elements, displayed as either images, text, or both * Drop-down button elements * Split button elements * Repeat button elements * Toggle button elements * Check box elements ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Elements Structure](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/6ee428ef5fd4a6a49058e740cad800a4/ribbonbar-structure-of-radribbonbar006.png) ## Galleries A gallery is a special type of element that is designed to allow the user to select visually from among a number of choices. A gallery may be displayed in either collapsed or expanded view. In its default collapsed view, a gallery shows a single row of choices, as well as up and down arrows for scrolling to other rows of choices and a drop-down arrow for switching to expanded view. ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Galleries Structure](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/68ae371b36ac240221ba607a5e97dde6/ribbonbar-structure-of-radribbonbar007.png) In its expanded view, a gallery shows all of its choices at one time, a filter selection bar at the top, and tools at the bottom. ![WinForms RadRibbonBar Galleries Expand Mode Structure](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/80a08767bee378e2a665fff773b2e80b/ribbonbar-structure-of-radribbonbar008.png) ## 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)