HowTo.md

Installing and Testing

The main VBA module file should be installed first

VBA Module Installation

• Download COM_PORT_ENUM_RIBBON.bas to a known location on your PC

• Open a new Excel document

• Enter the VBA Environment (Alt-F11)

• From VBA Environment, view the Project Explorer (Control-R)

• From Project Explorer, right-hand click and select Import File

• Import the file COM_PORT_ENUM_RIBBON.bas

• Check that a new module COM_PORT_ENUM_RIBBON is created and visible in the Modules folder

• VBA6 only - delete PtrSafe keyword in function definition

• Close and return to Excel (Alt-Q)

• IMPORTANT - save document as type Macro-Enabled with a file name of your choice

Excel Ribbon Customisation

Ribbon Customisation

• Ribbon Customisation instructions

Testing

Combo Box and Formula Testing

Open the document in Excel and check that no error messages appear on startup.

Select the COM Port tab and check that a combo box with a label above it is present

Enter the formula =Read_Ribbon_Combo() in any cell to begin

Select a testing scenario below based on the number of COM ports known to be available on the PC.

No COM Ports

Check that -

1. Label above combo box is Detect COM Ports
2. Hovering over label shows supertip message 'No COM Ports available'
3. Combo box shows message No COM Ports
4. Cell with =Read_Ribbon_Combo() is blank

Single COM Port

Check that -

1. Label above combo box is Select COM Port
2. Hovering over label shows supertip message 'COM Ports available = 1'
3. Single Com Port is available for selection in Combo box
4. Selecting the Com port shown updates cell with formula =Read_Ribbon_Combo() result
5. Clicking Select COM Port clears combo box and cell

Multiple COM Ports

Check that -

1. Label above combo box is Select COM Port
2. Hovering over label shows supertip message 'COM Ports available = n'
3. Multiple Com Ports are available for selection in Combo box
4. Selecting a Com port updates cell with formula =Read_Ribbon_Combo() result
5. Selecting a different Com port updates cell with new Com port
6. Clicking Select COM Port clears combo box and cell

Adding / Removing COM Ports

If possible, check that adding and removing COM Ports updates the worksheet and controls correctly

Click the label above the combo box, or re-select the combo box to re-scan available ports.

Check that the following items change as expected -

1. Label above Combo Box
2. Label Supertip message
3. Combo box entries
4. Formula cell

COM Ports can be removed temporarily by enabling/disabling from the device manager.