Button dialog box

Use the Button dialog box to view and edit the properties of the selected button.

To open the Button dialog box, select the button and then either double-click it or choose Open Selection from the Interface, Map, or Model menu (or right-click the button and then choose Open from the menu that appears).

Note: The Button dialog box automatically opens when you first place a button on the model diagram.

Button Purpose

Select the type of button you are adding:

Info – Select this option to specify a button that displays text, a graphic, or a movie that will provide instructions or additional information to the model's user. When you select this option, you specify the type of information you want to associate with the button (Text, Graphic, or Movie) and then specify the text or the graphic/movie file to use by clicking the Edit Text or Import button. For more information, see Defining information buttons.
Navigate – Select this option to specify a button that navigates to a specific location in your model. When you select this option, click the Define Navigation button to specify the location to navigate to, and the select navigation-related options. For more information, see Defining navigation buttons.
Menu – Select this option to specify a button that performs the menu command that you assign to it. When you select this option, use the drop-down list in the Item box to select the command you want to assign. For more information, see Defining menu buttons.
Tracing – Select this option to specify a button that will step through the model bit by bit, either by displaying loops that have an impact on a particular model element, or by unfurling model structure, bit by bit. When you select this option, click the Assign List button to specify the entities to reveal when the tracing button is clicked, and to specify the type of tracing button it is (Logic or Loop). For more information, see Defining tracing buttons.

Note: Tracing buttons are available on the Interface layer only. You cannot create a tracing button on the Map or Model layers.
Storytelling – Select this option to specify this button that will reveal model elements in the order that you define, as well as add text, graphics, sounds, or movies between each revealed element. When you select this option, click the Create Story button to build the story. For more information, see Defining storytelling buttons.
Hyperlink – Select this option to specify a button that links to a web site or a file. When you select this option, click the Define Link button to specify the URL or file path and name. For more information, see Defining hyperlink buttons.
Play Movie – Select this option to specify a button that displays a QuickTime movie. When you select this option, click the Assign Movie button to specify the movie file to associate with the button. For more information, see Defining play movie buttons.

Note: Tracing and storytelling buttons are available on the Interface layer only. You cannot create a tracing or storytelling button on the Map or Model layers.

Button Appearance

Use the options in this section to specify what the button should look like.

Opaque – Select this option to display the button as a visible, solid object. By default, an opaque button appears as a blank gray button, but you can change it by importing a picture or adding text to the button (see below). If an opaque button is placed over another element in the model, the button will obscure that portion of the model. This is the default appearance for buttons.
Transparent – Select this option to display the button as a transparent object. When you select this option, the button appears on the diagram with a faint, dotted outline. When this outline is displayed, you can select the button, double-click its border to access the Button dialog box, and otherwise manipulate the button as usual. If a transparent button is placed over another element in the model, the element beneath the button will show through the button.

You can format a transparent button so that it looks like an image, plain text, or a hyperlink that navigates the user to another area in the model or that provide more information. A transparent button can perform any function that an opaque button can, but it doesn't have to look like a button.

Tip: To make the border of a transparent button invisible, choose Hide > Transparent Buttons from the View menu. The button's border will disappear, but the button will remain on top of the graphic or text over which you've placed it. To show the dotted outline of transparent buttons (so that you can open the Button dialog box for it), choose Show > Transparent Buttons from the View menu.

Note: You can also change the Opaque/Transparent setting by right-clicking the button and then choosing Make Transparent or Make Opaque from the menu that appears.

– Select this option to shape the button with rounded corners.
– Select this option to shape the button with sharp corners. This is the default appearance for buttons.

Import Picture button

If you selected the Opaque option for the button, you can place a picture on the button by using the Import Picture button and the options beneath and to the right of it. You can specify text appear on both opaque and transparent buttons.

To display text on the button, select the Use Button Title option and then type the text in the box to the right of the option (by default, this box displays the text "Button", which does not appear on the button).
To format the text by choosing the font, font style, and font size, click the Import Picture button (this button will say Import Picture*/Format if you have already specified font information for the text) and then use the options in the Text Box dialog box to format the text.
To display a picture on the button, select the source of the image file to use (From File to select an image file from your computer, or From Clipboard to import the current image on the clipboard, and then click the Import Picture (or Import Picture*/Format) button.

Note: For a list of supported image file formats, see Supported graphic file formats.

For best results, put all picture files in a directory entitled "graphics", located in the same directory as the model file.
To resize the imported image so that it fits the button, select the Size to Button check box. This check box is available only when you have selected an image file to display on the button.
To delete the picture or text defined for the button, click the Delete Picture button.

Button Sound

Use the options in this section to select the sound that is generated when the button is clicked.

To have the button make a clicking sound when it is clicked, select the Use clicking sound check box. This is the default sound for buttons.
To have the button make no sound when it is clicked, clear the Use clicking sound check box.
To have the button play a sound file (.WAV) you select when it is clicked, click the Import Sound button and then navigate to and select the .WAV file you want to associate with the button.
To delete the associated sound file, click the Delete Sound button.