Customizing Toolbars - Buttons Disappearing

Question

Hi!  🙂

I am having a problem with ArcMAP.  Have created a UIControl and it shows up in the Tools>Customization>Commands tab in my file.  I want to add a button for this to the tools toolbar.  I read online how to do it and it says you can drag the UIControl directly to the bar and it will place a button.. so that is what I have been doing.  Every time I do it, it goes and it works.  The button appears as a little gray box.  Then I change the image to one of the images provided with the software and save the file.

Yet for some reason, every time I reopen ArcMAP and then open the file, the button is gone again.  How do I customize the toolbar permanently so every time I open the file the button is still on the toolbar?  I only need it to exist on this project, but I need it there always!  This is driving me nuts.

Thanks so much,
Brian G

MichaelRobb · Answer

Is there a way to just add a custom tool to a custom toolbar and have them stay where I last left them everytime I open arcmap?  I need help.  Please ESRI I need your help.

Not sure which version of Arc you are running, but VBA is a dead end for 10.1
Using .net is your answer.
Also, you state Customizing Toolbar but in your above statement you say ' When I reopen, there is no tool in the custom Toolbox'  Im guessing you mean toolbar menu? not the TOOLBOX as in ArcToolbox

As for your current issue.
closing your modified MXD, will save to the local machines user mxt (normal.mxt) file as mentioned by Sean.
if your using windows XP its  >> Documents Settings [  user name ] \ Application Data \ ESRI \ ArcMap \ Templates\ Normal.mxt
Your system icons are in the ArcGIS \ BIN \ Icons for 9.3.
This is of course, you dont have any other arcmaps running as well.

Creation of the button an icon selected from the bin\Icons in 9.3 works no problem, not sure where your issue would be.

You could try just adding the button to an existing toolbar (e.g. Main Menu bar), change the image, close ArcMap Session, then open.
Could be something wrong with the custom toolbar created.
Or missing normal.mxt reference in your VBA project

KurtEdwards · Answer

I have created a button in a custom toolbar and it keeps disappearing.  I followed these instructions:
 
Adding a custom tool to a menu or toolbar

Steps:* Open the Customize window as described above and click the Commands tab.
* In the Categories list, scroll down and click [ Geoprocessing Tools ].
* Click the Add Tools button.
* Browse to the toolbox containing the tool you want to add, choose the tool, then click OK. The tool is added to the Commands panel and is available for you to add to any menu or toolbar following the procedure described above for system tools.

When I close Arcmap and then reopen it, there is no tool in the custom toolbox.  The custom toolbox is there because I saved it to the Normal (mxt), but the icon is gone.  I have to then redo all the steps above to get it back.  Is there a way to just add a custom tool to a custom toolbar and have them stay where I last left them everytime I open arcmap?  I need help.  Please ESRI I need your help.

BrianGoldberg · Answer

I've actually tried it both ways.. with normal and with the filename.