As many of you by now are aware of the 64 bit versions of MapInfo Pro have a brand new user interface. The new ribbon based user interface does have a lot of improvements over the classic menu based user interface that MapInfo Pro has been using for nearly 3 decades.
We did upgrade the user interface a few years back when we released MapInfo Pro 10.0 but it was still menu based with menus and buttonpads.
One of the great benefits of the new ribbon based user interface is that add-ins, or applications, can get even better integrated into the user interface than they could - or at least than they did - earlier.
In previous versions of MapInfo Pro most tools did place themselves into the Tools menu, they added a menu item or a button to an existing menu or buttonpad or they created their own separate menu or buttonpad.
But it was really hard to position a button next to an existing button in the middle of the buttonpad.
That's now possible.
The new .NET based API for the Ribbon interface lets you insert a new control at any position in the Ribbon. Read my previous article to find our how.
Another change is that the tool itself now can hold its own menu - the application context menu. This menu appears on the tool in the Tools window. Notice you can find the Tools window on the HOME tab in the Tools group and as a separate floating window.
Menus and menu items that earlier would appear in the Tools menu will now get added to the application context menu in the Tools window.
These changes - and the new ribbon interface in general - can mean that you need to look in a different place for some of your often used tools.
Let us have a look at a few examples.
MapCAD
One of the big add-ins that comes with MapInfo Pro is MapCAD. MapCAD adds a bunch of CAD-like features to MapInfo Pro.
Earlier it was easy to locate the MapCAD features as they all were on two specific buttonpads. They were however now that well-integrated into the user interface as they didn't really position themselves next to the existing editing tools in MapInfo Pro.
Well, they are well-integrated now. AGIS - our German partner who develops MapCAD - has done a great jop with this new version.
As you can see in the image below all the MapCAD features are located on the SPATIAL tab next to and in between similar MapInfo Pro tools. In the image I have shown the content of two of the splitbuttons that contain standard MapInfo Pro controls and MapCAD controls.
![MapCAD Transform Insert]()
They have been position next to similar features of MapInfo Pro to make it easier to find tools that do similar things.
Have a look at the Insert splitbutton that holds a wide variaty of tools for creating spatial objects. Half of these are standard MapInfo Pro controls and the other half comes with MapCAD.
Google Earth Link
We haven't gone thru all tools as detailed as MapCAD. Some tools we just have made sure will still work in the Ribbon interface. One of these is the Google Earth Link application - or just GELink.
You can't find any controls in the Ribbon added by this tool.
It's only integrated into MapInfo Pro via the application context menu as you can see in the image below.
![Google Earth Link Context menu]()
Summary
The new Ribbon based interface of MapInfo Pro 12.5 64 bit does require a bit practise for existing MapInfo Pro users. But I think that after a short while you will see that things have been improved.
The Ribbon interface gives MapBasic application programmers a new level of integration options and possibilities for positioning a control at a specific position in the interface.
Some tools will add controls to the ribbon itself at a logical position. Other tools will have their features available via the application context menu in the Tools window.