Customised Access ribbon leaves application in a vulnerable state

Thanks Gustav, that does seem like a good solution, although the accde still has the pesky  'Tell me what you want to do' box and does still enable me to bring up the query designer, I can't actually switch to datasheet view, although having said that I just realiased that I cant do that with the accdb either (duh).  OK .. crisis averted, but it will still be nice to get rid of the thing because otherwise users are going to be tempted to try stuff out with it ...

Hi, John, see below

I appreciate that Access is not a secure tool, but that box might suggest to the user, that they are somehow going to get help about the application if they type a question there, whereas in fact it gives them help about Access, i.e. creating queries, tables etc

Yes I have seen your screenshot, John.  Do you seriously think that I don't have have start from scratch = true ?
Where do you think the native Create, External Data, Database Tools, & Help tabs have gone in my screenshot?

here is the XML .. the  "Tell me what you want to do"  is there despite the XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<customUI xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/01/customui" onLoad="onRibbonLoad">
<ribbon startFromScratch="true">
<tabs>
	<tab id="Fusion" label="Fusion">
		<group id="FusionGroup" label="Time and Attendance">
			<button id="Appicon" getImage="GetImageCallBack" size="large"
			tag="frmTAA" onAction="ribOpenTagForm"/>
			<labelControl id="UserId" getLabel="GetUserNameRibbon"/>
			<labelControl id="AppVersion" getLabel="GeAppVersionRibbon"/>
			<labelControl id="DataSouce" getLabel="GeDataSourceRibbon"/>
		</group>
		<group id="Rota" label="Rota">
		
			<button id="WeeklyRota" label="Weekly Rota"
			size="large" supertip="Input/Edit Weekly Rota" imageMso="EditForm"
			tag="frmRotaSQL" onAction="ribOpenTagForm" getEnabled="ControlEnabled"/>
			
			<button id="SEI" label="Self Employed Instructors"
			size="large" supertip="Input/Edit Self Employed Instructors" imageMso="ContactPictureMenu"
			tag="frmRotaSEI" onAction="ribOpenTagForm" getEnabled="ControlEnabled"/>
			
			<button id="StaffOverview" label="Staff Overview"
			size="large" supertip = "View month staff summary" imageMso="SideBySide"
			tag="frmSO" onAction="ribOpenTagForm" getEnabled="ControlEnabled"/>
			
			<button id="ActivityOverview" label="Activity Overview"
			size="large" supertip = "View month activity summary" imageMso="SideBySide"
			tag="frmAO" onAction="ribOpenTagForm" getEnabled="ControlEnabled"/>
			
			<button id="RotaSummary" label="Rota Summary"
			size="large" supertip = "View month rota summary" imageMso="SideBySide"
			tag="frmSummary" onAction="ribOpenTagForm" getEnabled="ControlEnabled"/>
			
			<button id="RotaClock" label="Rota vs Clock"
			size="large" supertip = "View weekly clocking comparison" imageMso="ChangeWorkingTime"
			tag="frmClocking" onAction="ribOpenTagForm" getEnabled="ControlEnabled"/>
			
		</group>
		<group id="Admin" label="Admin" getVisible="GetVisibleCallBack">
		
			<button id="Permissions" label="Permissions" tag="frmUsers"
			size="normal" supertip= "User Permissions" onAction="ribOpenTagForm"/>
			
			<button id="Messaging" label="Messaging"
			size="normal" supertip="Check incoming messages from users"/>
			
			<button id="SysSettings" label="System Settings" tag="frmAttributes"
			size="normal" supertip="View/Change system settings" onAction="ribOpenTagForm"/>
			
			<button id="XLImport" label="Excel Import" tag="frmRotaStaging"
			size="normal" supertip="Import from Excel Rota" onAction="ribOpenTagForm"/>
			
			<button id="JobFamilies" label="Job Families" tag="frmJFA"
			size="normal" supertip="Assign Job Families to Activities" onAction="ribOpenTagForm"/>
			
			<button id="SiteLocks" label="Site Locks" tag="frmUnlockSites"
			size="normal" supertip="Unlock completed Rotas" onAction="ribOpenTagForm"/>
		</group>
	</tab>
</tabs>
</ribbon>
</customUI> 

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Hi Anders, yes I tried <customUI xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2009/07/customui">

but the "Tell me what you want do" box remains stubbonly fixed

Maybe there is some kind of setting elsewhere in the Office suite which affects it?

this thread, which relates to Outlook, but is the same issue, is quite informative
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_outlook-mso_win10-mso_2016/remove-tell-me-what-you-want-to-do-prompt-from/6611b7e3-f0e6-4210-acef-5cacc2b9d199

Hi Anders .. see attached files showing build and other bits and bobs

add-ins page

Interestingly, John, when I open your database there's no "Tell me .."   box either, intriguing!!

Ok guys I seem to have a solution ... this is very very weird and I don't undersand it but here goes...

In the UsysRibbons table I had two records one to hold the XML for the User ribbon (with startFromScratch="True")  and one to hold the development ribbon (with startFromScratch="False")

The database had some code to set the startup ribbon so that it can be switched between the two modes (development or production)

After I tried out John's DB it did open without the "Tell me what you want to do .." box, so I knew it had to be possible

It seems to be the case that if there is more than one record in the UsysRibbons table (or at least one record with startFromScratch="False") then the database puts in the "Tell me what to do .." box

If there is only one record in UsysRibbons and the XML is (startFromScratch="True") the  "Tell me what to do .." box does not load

Solution:
Create another table which stores the XML and copy the XML into the UsysRibbons table

The code below seems to work (touch wood):

Private Sub optMode_AfterUpdate()

Dim db As DAO.Database
Dim strSQL As String
Dim rst As DAO.Recordset
Dim strXML As String

On Error GoTo proc_err

Set db = CurrentDb

If Me.optMode Then
    strSQL = "UPDATE tblSystem SET Mode='Dev'"
Else
    strSQL = "Update tblSystem Set Mode='Prod'"
End If

db.Execute strSQL

ChangeProperty "StartupShowDBWindow", dbBoolean, Me.optMode
'ChangeProperty "AllowBuiltinToolbars", dbBoolean, Me.opgMode
ChangeProperty "AllowFullMenus", dbBoolean, Me.optMode
ChangeProperty "AllowBypassKey", dbBoolean, Me.optMode
ChangeProperty "AllowShortcutMenus", dbBoolean, Me.optMode
ChangeProperty "AllowSpecialKeys", dbBoolean, Me.optMode

'Get the XML we want for main ribbon
If IsDev() Then
    strSQL = "Select RibbonXML from tblRibbons where RibbonName='Dev'"
Else
    strSQL = "Select RibbonXML from tblRibbons where RibbonName='Users'"
End If

Set rst = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(strSQL, dbOpenSnapshot)

strXML = rst(0)
rst.Close: Set rst = Nothing

'Put the XML in USysRibbons
strSQL = "Select * from USysRibbons where RibbonName='Baba'"

Set rst = db.OpenRecordset(strSQL, dbOpenDynaset)
rst.Edit
rst!RibbonXML = strXML
rst.Update

rst.Close: Set rst = Nothing

MsgBox "System startup set to " & IIf(IsDev(), "Developer", "Production"), vbInformation, fusion_dialogue_title

proc_exit:

Exit Sub

proc_exit_false:

GoTo proc_exit

'
proc_err:
Select Case ErrHand()
Case ErrAbort
    Resume proc_exit_false
Case ErrRetry
    Resume
Case ErrIgnore
    Resume Next
End Select

End Sub

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Access SQL doesn't seem to like using LongText fields so I had to use a recordset

I used to switch between the two Ribbons by setting the start up Ribbon name in code.  The Production ribbon was working because the normal Access tabs (i.e. Create, External Data, Database Tools etc)  were switched off when it was invoked, (and only the FIle, Home and Fusion tabs were shown) so I absolutely knew it was working.  The only problem was the dreaded "Tell me what to do " box was always displayed.

Ok time to wrap this up.  Thanks for everyone's help.  I am dividing the points between John and Anders because betweem them I was able to devise a solution.