Display System Time on Ribbon?

**mc84excel** · 01-16-2013, 06:56 PM

Just a spot of whimsy. Would it be possible to display the current time on the ribbon thus creating a mini clock in Excel? Either on a custom tab or on the Add-Ins tab. (I intend to implement it into a XLAM)

If it can't be updated in real time then would it be possible to automatically refresh it every 60 seconds? (I am only interested in HH:MM so refreshing once a minute would be all I need).

If this concept is entirely impossible then I would like to understand WHY it can not be done.

**JosephP** · 01-16-2013, 07:19 PM

it's possible, if pointless. you need a callback to update the text of the control to the current time and either application.ontime or a windows api timer to invalidate the control (or the whole ribbon)

**mc84excel** · 01-16-2013, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by JosephP

it's possible, if pointless.

Agree that it is pointless. Which is why I am describing it as whimsical. I just thought it would look cool if you had an inbuilt clock running on your ribbon. (It could be of some use if running Excel full screen?)

Supposing I want it to appear on the Add-Ins tab (I am leaving the custom tab for later), where would I start?

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**JosephP** · 01-18-2013, 11:53 AM

you'd need to add a control to a commandbar and set its text. then use application.ontime to schedule a routine for say 1 second delay that updates the text and then reschedules itself. don't forget to cancel the routine when closing the workbook or it will keep opening up again. if you're not familiar with ontime read up on it at Chip Pearson's site

**mc84excel** · 01-21-2013, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by JosephP

you'd need to add a control to a commandbar and set its text. then use application.ontime to schedule a routine for say 1 second delay that updates the text and then reschedules itself. don't forget to cancel the routine when closing the workbook or it will keep opening up again. if you're not familiar with ontime read up on it at Chip Pearson's site

Thanks for the help. I will try it out sometime.

**Leith Ross** · 01-22-2013, 12:35 AM

Hello mc84excel,

FYI, in Excel 2007 and later, there is no "CommandBar" object. This was used to access the Menu in previous versions. The Ribbon is an entirely different object class. Changing the Ribbon requires using an XML script file.

**mc84excel** · 02-03-2013, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by Leith Ross

Hello mc84excel,

FYI, in Excel 2007 and later, there is no "CommandBar" object. This was used to access the Menu in previous versions. The Ribbon is an entirely different object class. Changing the Ribbon requires using an XML script file.

Thank you however I am aware of both these points:

The "CommandBar" object does "work" in Excel 2007 & later albeit as the Add-Ins tab. Try it to see what I mean.
I am aware of the XML script as I have worked with Ribbons before.

See: http://www.excelforum.com/excel-prog...ibbon-tab.html