http://www.microsoft.com/TechNet/tnnews/features/compat95.htm (PC Press Internet CD, 03/1996)
| Updated: March 12,1996 |  Go To TechNet Home Page |
By Michael Meulemans
ABSTRACT: The Microsoft Office Compatible Program provides technical guidelines and specifications to help third-party Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), Solution Providers (SPs), corporate developers, and Manager of Information Systems (MIS) professionals develop Office Compatible applications. Office Compatible applications have toolbars, menus, dialog boxes, and accelerator keys similar to those in Microsoft Office, integrate effectively with Office applications via OLE 2.0 technology, and are easier to develop, support, and use.
Introduction
Office Compatible Program Background and Overview
Office Compatible Toolkits
Corporate Impact
Application Verification and the Office Compatible Logo
Domestic and International Office Compatible Membership
Conclusion
With the launch of Windows 95, new CAD packages, connectivity solutions, help desk tools, and Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) authoring utilities are popping up on retail computer shelves like Web sites on the Internet. In addition, in-house, enterprise application development is increasing at a phenomenal rate. Unfortunately, with innovation frequently comes frustration. Confronted with a pile of new applications and tools, end users must often wrestle with an inconsistent array of user interface elements, increasing learning time and burdening support staff.
Since April 1994, the Microsoft Office Compatible Program, originally called the Office Friendly Program, has offered third-party application developers the opportunity to produce applications with the same 'look and feel' as Microsoft's Office applications: Word, Excel, Schedule +, Access (with Office Professional edition only), and PowerPoint. Office and Office Compatible applications have similar interface components and basic functionality.
Common UI Elements and Functionality
Commands Status Bars
Menus Tooltips
Toolbars Help Content
Dialog Boxes Three Dimensional Look
Start-up Screens Short Cut Menus
Title Bars Tab Dialogs
Shortcut Keys
Text, number, and graphics sharing combined with support for OLE 2.0 strengthen Office Compatible applications' integration with the Office suite.
According to Amie Baldwin, Product Manager for Microsoft Office, the goals of the program were simple.
"Customers love Microsoft Office because of the integration and consistency between all the applications...[Office Compatible program originators] wanted third parties to have that same integration between their products and Microsoft Office...It's difficult for customers when there are so many different types of interfaces out there. We found that most customers were using six to nine applications on their desktop-When they're using Office, and they switch to something else that has a completely different menu structure, toolbar, and a different way of doing things, they have to learn everything all over again...That's where Office Compatible comes in. The main goal of the Office Compatible Program is to make it as easy as possible for customers to learn and use a broad range of new software by allowing 3rd party products to have that familiar Office look and integration so they [customers] don't have to relearn everything."
When ISVs, SPs, or corporate developers become members of the program they receive a toolkit with detailed specifications outlining how to develop an application that conforms to the Microsoft Office Compatible guidelines. Successful implementation of these guidelines gives them the opportunity to license an "Office Compatible" logo for marketing and advertising use. Product licensing is dependent on successful guideline verification, conducted by an independent third-party test company.
The Office Compatible Basic and Office Compatible Advanced Developmental toolkits are two important components of the program.
The basic toolkit is available at no charge to program members. Organized like a style guide, the toolkit contains detailed product feature specifications, described to the pixel level, for menus, toolbars, and accelerator keys. The Feature Testing section of the toolkit, Part 3, allows vendors to determine which Office Compatible category applies to their specific applications; each category requires specific testing criteria. The application categories are broken down as follows:
Standalone Office Compatible Applications
File-Based Applications
Non-File-Based Applications
Host-Required Office Compatible Applications
Add-ins (Add-ons)
Hosted OLE 2.0 Servers
Content Products
After deciding which application category corresponds with their product, developers can examine the two Office Compatible testing guideline tables, also available in Part 3 of the basic toolkit. The legend for the tables is as follows:
M = Mandatory
I/S = If Supported
D/A = Design Adaptation
The following section of the File-Based Applications Guidelines table itemizes certain features these applications must implement (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Section of the File-Based Applications Guidelines table
Jim Conner, Office Compatibility Basic and Advanced Toolkit developer, feels that SPs, MIS shops, and shrink-wrap ISVs will use the toolkit in much the same way:
"When they read the basic kit their main goal will be to figure out what they have to do to earn the Office Compatible logo. So, they'll read the introduction carefully, because it describes the program, and then they'll jump to Part 3, Testing, and figure out what features they have to implement to participate in the logo program...They'll then jump into the individual feature specifications to figure out exactly how they've got to design the feature in order to pass testing."
The released version of the basic toolkit is currently available on TechNet Disc 1 at MS Office and Desktop Applications; MS Office; MS Office Compatible Program.
Once enrolled in the program, members can purchase the Office Compatible Advanced Development Kit, which includes technical information to extend a product's functionality above and beyond standard Office features. A license to implement the following features is also included:
Features Custom OLE Large and Small Cue Cards Properties Document Objects End-user Document Style Guides Scrollbar Thumbtips Help Topics Spelling UI Tip of the day UI Startup Screen Microsoft Office Shortcut Bar Wizards UI
Cutting-edge application development tools for MS Visual Basic and Visual C users are being included with the advanced toolkit as well. One such tool, the Application Development Wizard, creates a 'shell' complete with the correct menus, accelerators, toolbar, About box, and startup screen. All users must do is add their custom functionality. Jim Conner anticipates that the Wizard will do much to encourage Office Compatible product development.
"...the Wizard takes them a long, long way toward a finished product, and it's Office Compatible to boot. We think very few people will build non-Office Compatible products once they've got this Wizard, because frankly, it would be so much more work, and not nearly as cool."
In the final release of the advanced kit, vendors can expect to see many graphics, including the Microsoft-proprietary Wizard graphics and copies of all of Office's toolbar buttons. Also, user assistance materials, including sample files, style guides, and development tools for Cue Cards will be included. Beyond the developed product, solution providers will be able to produce documentation and online Help with the same 'look and feel' as Microsoft Office.
The Office Compatibility Program is essential for corporations that develop applications for internal use and external distribution. Because the toolkits provide a detailed outline for menu structures and UI layout, corporate developers save time and resources. Developers can now focus on unique functionality and features rather than the layout of buttons and menus.
Frequently, applications developed for internal use are haphazardly thrown together in an attempt to solve an immediate need. Database frontends, data-entry utilities, and testing tools are developed by different departments with little concern for consistency or for the employees who will be using them. By providing a benchmark for internal application development, the Office Compatible toolkits guarantee a certain level of design and functionality. IS managers who recommend adherence to the toolkits' standards find that not only is developer creativity focused on features that make their products unique, but user productivity is bolstered because UI expectations are consistently met.
Once enrolled in the Office Compatible program, members can apply to license the Office Compatible Logo on their products. To receive the logo, members pay a testing fee and submit their applications to VeriTest, an independent testing agency. Mandatory and supported features listed in the basic toolkit tables are verified for completeness as well as the product's integration with Office.
You should look for the Office Compatible logo when you shop for applications to use with Office 95. It ensures that you will immediately recognize the product's menus, toolbars, accelerator keys, and UI. Also, you can expect products with the logo to integrate well with Office: they will not crash Office, alter Office toolbars, or in any way disrupt Office application functionality. However, the logo is not a guarantee that the product is bug-free; VeriTest is not a screening mechanism that tests functionality. It simply verifies adherence to Compatibility guidelines and successful integration with Office applications.
Purchasing a product without the logo may be risky. Jim Conner, toolkit developer, points out that VeriTest has tested applications that unexpectedly customize Office application UIs. For example, a French add-in product that performed accounting-related tasks randomly customized Excel toolbars when launched:
"In this case...they figured it made perfect sense to 'customize' the Excel look...That's not such a bad start, but they failed to consider the fact that many of their customers would actually like to use Excel for other tasks too...By customizing the Excel UI, they'd made that almost impossible...We suggested that they include the toolbars that would be needed to use their product...even customizing Excel's in the process...but that they make this option completely configurable by the user...it resulted in a nice solution. Now when customers double-click the accounting application icon, Excel launches in 'customized' mode...But if the customer double-clicks the Excel icon, they get exactly what they expect: au natural Excel in all its glory and with its native UI."
By testing the application through the Office Compatible program and following Microsoft's suggestions the French company was able to come up with a better solution and avoid potential end user support issues.
Because it was started as a direct result of customer requests and feedback, the Office Compatible Program has seen huge success domestically and abroad. To date, participating English vendors number well over 100. Internationally, application developers are clamoring for localized versions of both toolkits. To satisfy this need, Version 2.0 of the toolkits, which should be available by mid-August, is being localized in 12 languages: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian-Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.
Participants in the program are as varied as the languages themselves: 3D/Eye (TriSpectives™-3D Modeling), Micrografx® (ABC SnapGraphics™-Graphics), Visio Corporation (Visio®-Diagramming), MTX International (MTX® Accounting-Accounting), and Wall Data, Inc. (Rumba® Office 2.0-Desktop/Host Application Integration), to name a few. Categorically, the majority of applications participating in the program are accounting software packages, communication software, drawing packages (3-D), graphing tools, CAD programs, business productivity packages, and connectivity solutions.
The ways in which some of these applications integrate with the Office suite are impressive. For example TriSpectives™ by 3D/Eye is a 3-dimensional modeling program used by a well-known beverage company to create bottle designs and logos. Rotating models of various bottle sizes and logos are presented in TriSpectives™, with a link to Excel where users can manipulate bottle dimensions and financial information. Changing dimensions or financial data are reflected in a differently sized rotating model. When dimensions and logos are finalized, the final model can be integrated into a PowerPoint presentation or a proposal written in Word.
Expect the number of creative Office integrated solutions to increase as Compatibility toolkits become widely used among international vendors and developers.
Office Compatible Program members will be kept up-to-date on the program via an Office Compatible forum on the Microsoft Network and a WWW site. Members should also keep their eyes open for Office Compatible toolkit updates, tools, and utilities on the TechNet CDs and TechNet's WWW site. Support for both toolkits will be offered through Microsoft's Product Support Services division. TechNet will keep you posted on support options as more program components are developed and released.
Microsoft TechNet
September 1995
Volume 3, Issue 9
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