Push Button

Change parameter or variable value using button with customizable appearance

Since R2021b

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Libraries:
Simulink / Dashboard / Customizable Blocks

Description

Use the Push Button block to change the value of the connected variable or parameter before or during simulation. You can configure the button to change the value only while you press the button or to latch the value change until you click the button again. When you use the Push Button block in the Customizable Blocks library, you can modify the appearance of the block so it looks like a button in your real system. Use the Push Button block with other Dashboard blocks to create an interactive dashboard to control your model.

To push the virtual button, click the Push Button block. While you press down your pointer, the button is pushed. When you release your pointer, you release the button.

You can use callback functions to specify what you want the button to do:

• PressFcns functions run while the button is pushed. You can configure the button to run the PressFcn function only once while the button is pushed, or you can specify a repeat interval.

• ClickFcns functions run when you release the button.

You can configure the button to stay pushed when you release your pointer by setting the Button Type to Latched. When you choose the latched button type:

• To latch the button, click the button.

• To unlatch the button, click the button again.

The PressFcn function runs while the button is latched. The ClickFcn function runs once when you latch the button, and once when you unlatch the button.

You can use states to specify how the appearance of the Push Button block changes when you interact with the button:

• While you push the button, the block is in the Pressed state.

• When the button is latched and you are not pushing it, the block is in the Latched state.

• When the button is latched and you are pushing it, the block is in the Latched and Pressed state.

• When the block is not in any of these three states, it is in the Default state.

A state pairs pointer actions with:

• A State Label

• A state icon

• A state image

The Pressed, Latched, and Latched and Pressed states also pair pointer actions with the On Value of the Push Button block. When you enter one of these states from the default state, the On Value is assigned to the Simulink^® component to which the Push Button block connects, and stays assigned until the button returns to the Default state. If you release the button before a full time step elapses, the On Value is assigned to the component for the duration of the subsequent time step.

Note

Double-clicking the Push Button block does not open its dialog box during simulation or when the block is selected. To edit the block parameters, you can use the Property Inspector or open the block dialog box by:

• Double-clicking the block when the block is not selected and the model is not simulating

• Right-clicking the block and selecting Block Parameters from the context menu

Customize Push Button Blocks

When you add a Push Button block to your model, the block is preconfigured with a default design. You can use the block with the default design or customize the appearance of the block.

To customize the appearance of the block, use design mode. After selecting the block, you can enter design mode in one of three ways:

• On the block-specific tab, under Design, click Edit.

• In the Property Inspector, on the Design tab, click Edit.

• Pause on the ellipsis that appears over the block and click the Edit Custom Block button.

When you design a Push Button block, you configure the block appearance for each possible state. When you configure the Block Type as Momentary, the block has two states. When you configure the Block Type as Latch, the block has four.

You can use the toolbar above the block to switch states. For each state, you can:

• Upload a state image.

• Upload a state icon and specify the position of the icon relative to the state label.

• Specify the State Label text, color, opacity, and position.

For the Pressed, Latched, and Latched and Pressed states, you can specify the On Value.

You can also upload a foreground or a background image, or set a solid background color. The foreground and background apply to all states.

Use the toolbar above the block to configure the image, the icon, and the State Label color and opacity.

You can use the Design tab in the Property Inspector for fine control over the block design and to enter exact values for design settings.

Use the Design tab to:

• Specify the On Value.

• Specify the State Label text and position.

• Specify the icon position.

• Upload a foreground image.

• Upload a background image.

• Set a solid background color.

When you finish editing the design, to exit design mode, click the X in the upper right of the canvas.

Connect Dashboard Blocks

Dashboard blocks do not use ports to connect to model elements. To connect dashboard blocks to variables and block parameters, use connect mode. Connect mode facilitates the process of connecting dashboard blocks in your model, especially when you want to connect multiple blocks at once. To connect a single dashboard block, you can also use the Connection table in the block dialog box.

Tip

You can modify dashboard block connections in your model during normal and accelerator mode simulations.

Note

Dashboard blocks cannot connect to variables until you update the model diagram. To connect dashboard blocks to variables or modify variable values between opening your model and running a simulation, update the model diagram using Ctrl+D.

To enter connect mode, in the canvas, select the dashboard block to connect. On the Simulink Toolstrip, a tab named after the type of the selected block appears. On the block tab, click Connect. In connect mode, when you select one or more blocks, a list of parameters and variables available for connection appears. Select a variable or parameter from the list to connect to the selected dashboard block.

When the value of the selected variable or block parameter is nonscalar, use the text box at the bottom of the Connection table to specify the element you want to connect to the dashboard block. To connect to an element of a vector, matrix, or array, specify the element index, for example, 3 or (1,3). To connect to an element in a bus or structure, specify the element in the context of the bus or structure hierarchy by using dots to indicate different levels in the hierarchy, and omit the top level. For example, specify a.b to connect to scalar element b of the structure or bus a nested inside the selected composite variable or parameter.

To connect another dashboard block, pause on another dashboard block and click the Connect button above it. Then, make a selection of signals and blocks in your model and choose a model element to connect.

When you finish connecting the dashboard blocks in your model, on the block tab, click Done Connecting.

Tip

You can hide the message shown on unconnected blocks using the set_param function with the ShowInitialText block parameter. The message also disappears when you connect the block.

Parameter Logging

Tunable parameters connected to dashboard blocks are logged to the Simulation Data Inspector, where you can view the parameter values along with logged signal data. You can access logged parameter data in the MATLAB^® workspace by exporting the parameter data from the Simulation Data Inspector by using the UI or the Simulink.sdi.exportRun function. For more information about exporting data using the Simulation Data Inspector UI, see Export Data to Workspace or File. The parameter data is stored in a Simulink.SimulationData.Parameter object, accessible as an element in the exported Simulink.SimulationData.Dataset.

Examples

Design Custom Buttons

Design buttons using the customizable Callback Button and Push Button blocks.

Open Model

Limitations

• Except for the Dashboard Scope block and the Display block, dashboard blocks can only connect to real scalar signals.

• The toolstrip does not support blocks that are inside a panel.

• You cannot use the Connection table in the block dialog to connect a dashboard block to a block that is commented out. When you connect a dashboard block to a commented block using connect mode, the dashboard block does not display the connected value until the you uncomment the block.

• Dashboard blocks cannot connect to model elements inside referenced models.

• When you simulate a model hierarchy, dashboard blocks inside referenced models do not update.

• Dashboard blocks do not support rapid accelerator simulation.

• When you connect a dashboard block to a variable or parameter during simulation, the data for that variable or parameter is not logged to the Simulation Data Inspector. To log variable and parameter data to the Simulation Data Inspector, connect the dashboard block to the variable or parameter prior to simulation.

• When you simulate a model in external mode with the Default parameter behavior set to Inlined, dashboard blocks can appear to change parameter and variable values. However, the change does not propagate to the simulation. For example, Gain blocks display changes made to the Gain parameter using the dashboard blocks, but the Gain value used in the simulation does not change.

Parameters

Use the Property Inspector and the Block Parameters dialog box to specify the values of the block parameters. To set the core parameters of the dashboard block, use the Block Parameters dialog box or the Parameters tab in the Property Inspector. To customize the block, use the Design tab in the Property Inspector. To open the Block Parameters dialog box for a block, double-click the block. To open the Property Inspector, on the Modeling tab, under Design, select Property Inspector.

Parameters

To set the core parameters of the dashboard block, open the Property Inspector and click the Parameters tab.

Connection

Connection — Select variable or block parameter to connect

variable and parameter connection options

Use the Connection table in the Block Parameters dialog box to select or change the variable or block parameter to control. To connect the block to a variable or block parameter:

1. If the block is not connected, in the Property Inspector, on the Parameters tab, click Connect to open the Block Parameters dialog box. If the block is already connected and you want to change the signal to which it connects, click Change.

2. Select a block in the model.

3. Select the variable or parameter you want to connect.

   When the value of the selected variable or block parameter is nonscalar, use the text box at the bottom of the Connection table to specify the element you want to connect to the dashboard block. To connect to an element of a vector, matrix, or array, specify the element index, for example, 3 or (1,3). To connect to an element in a bus or structure, specify the element in the context of the bus or structure hierarchy by using dots to indicate different levels in the hierarchy. Omit the top level. For example, specify a.b to connect to scalar element b of the structure or bus a nested inside the selected composite variable or parameter.

4. Click Apply.

To help understand and debug your model, you can connect Dashboard blocks to variables and parameters in your model during simulation.

Note

To see workspace variables in the connection table, update the model diagram using Ctrl+D.

Tip

You can also use bind mode to select or change the variable or block parameter to control. To enter bind mode:

• If you are in design mode, exit by clicking the Edit button on the Design tab of the Property Inspector.

• Click the dashboard block in the canvas. If the dashboard block is not connected, Connect and an ellipsis appear over the dashboard block. If the dashboard block is already connected, only the ellipsis appears.

• If the dashboard block is not connected, click Connect. If the dashboard block is connected, pause on the ellipsis. In the action menu that expands, click Connect. In either case, a list of parameters and variables available for connection appears.

To connect the dashboard block in bind mode:

• From the list, select the variable or parameter you want to connect.

• To exit bind mode, click Done Connecting over the dashboard block.

Programmatic Use

To programmatically connect a dashboard block to a tunable parameter or a variable, use a Simulink.HMI.ParamSourceInfo object. The Simulink.HMI.ParamSourceInfo object contains four properties. Some properties apply to connecting dashboard blocks to parameters. Some properties apply to connecting dashboard blocks to variables. Not all fields have a value for a connection because a given dashboard block connects to either a parameter or a variable.

Block Parameter: Binding

Type: Simulink.HMI.ParamSourceInfo

Default: []

Main

Button Type — Button response to click

Momentary (default) | Latch

Specify how the block responds to a click.

• Momentary — The button changes state only while pressed. When you release the click, the button returns to its default state.

• Latch — The button latches the state change when clicked. The button remains in the pressed state until you click it again.

When you configure Button Type as Momentary, the block has these states:

• Default — Default state for the block when it is not pressed

• Pressed — Block state when the block is pressed

When you configure Button Type as Latch, the block has these states:

• Default — Default state for the block when it is not pressed.

• Pressed — Transitional state when you press the button while it is in the Default state. The block transitions to the Latched state when you release the click.

• Latched — Latched state for the block when it is not pressed.

• Latched and Pressed — Transitional state when you press the button while it is in the Latched state. The block transitions to the Default state when you release the click.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: ButtonType

Type: string or character array

Value: 'Momentary' | 'Latch'

Button Text — Button label text

'Button' (default) | string | character array

Specify the text for the button label. The label is applied to the button for the state that is selected in the Select State section of the States component on the Design tab.

Programmatic Use

Specify the ButtonText parameter for the block as a string or a character vector.

Block Parameter: ButtonText

Type: character vector | string

On value — Value assigned to connected parameter when button is pressed or latched

1 (default) | scalar

The value assigned to the connected block parameter when the button is pressed or latched.

Tip

Use the Block Type parameter to configure how the block responds to a click:

• Momentary — The button applies the On Value only while you press it.

• Latch — The button latches the state change when you click it and applies the On value until you click it again.

Programmatic Use

Specify the OnValue parameter for the block as a scalar value that is formatted as a string or a character vector.

Block Parameter: OnValue

Type: string or character array

Values: scalar

Default: '1'

Label — Position of label displaying name of connected element

Hide (default) | Bottom | Top

You can display the name of the element to which the dashboard block connects in a label positioned at the top or at the bottom of the block, or you can hide the label. If you want the label to be visible, specify the position of the block. If you do not want the label to be visible, specify Hide.

Note

When the dashboard block is not connected to an element, the label is blank.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: LabelPosition

Type: character vector

Values: 'Hide' | 'Bottom' | 'Top'

Default: 'Hide'

Lock Aspect Ratio — Option to maintain block aspect ratio

on (default) | off

Select this parameter to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the block in the Simulink canvas.

Tip

• When the aspect ratio is locked, adding a new background image changes the aspect ratio of the block to match that of the background image.

• When the aspect ratio is not locked, adding a new background image does not change the proportions of the block but instead stretches or scales the background image to fit the size of the block.

Callbacks

ClickFcn — MATLAB code that executes in response to click

MATLAB code

MATLAB code that executes in response to a click of the button.

Every time you click the button, the ClickFcn code executes once, at the point in time when you release the click.

To specify code for the ClickFcn, select ClickFcn from the drop-down menu. Enter the code in the text box below the menu.

Programmatic Use

Specify the ClickFcn parameter for the block as MATLAB code that is formatted as a string or a character vector.

Block Parameter: ClickFcn

Type: character vector | string

Values: MATLAB code

PressFcn — MATLAB code that executes in response to press

MATLAB code

MATLAB code that executes in response to a press of the button.

While the button is in the pressed state, the PressFcn code executes once when the Press Delay time has elapsed and periodically at every Repeat Interval.

To specify code for the PressFcn, select PressFcn from the drop-down menu. Enter the code in the text box below the menu.

How you press the button to execute the PressFcn code depends on the Button Type.

• If the Button Type is Momentary, hold down your click for the duration that you want to press the button.

• If the Button Type is Latch, click to press the button, but do not hold down your click. The button remains pressed until you click it again.

Note

Every time that you click on the button, even when you do so as part of the process for pressing the button, the ClickFcn code executes once, at the point in time when you release the click.

Programmatic Use

Specify the PressFcn parameter for the block as MATLAB code that is formatted as a string or a character vector.

Block Parameter: PressFcn

Type: character vector | string

Values: MATLAB code

Press Delay (ms) — Time to hold button for press

500 (default) | scalar

Amount of time required to cause the PressFcn code to execute.

Dependencies

Press Delay (ms) is visible only when PressFcn is selected as the callback.

Programmatic Use

Specify the PressDelay parameter for the block as a positive scalar value.

Block Parameter: PressDelay

Type: scalar

Repeat Interval (ms) — Time interval to repeat PressFcn code

0 (default) | scalar

Time interval after which the PressFcn code executes again if the Callback Button block is still pressed.

Dependencies

Repeat Interval (ms) is visible only when PressFcn is selected as the callback.

Programmatic Use

Specify the RepeatInterval parameter for the block as a positive scalar value.

Block Parameter: RepeatInterval

Type: scalar

Design

To customize the dashboard block, open the Property Inspector, click the Design tab, and click Edit.

Button

Lock Aspect Ratio — Option to maintain block aspect ratio

on (default) | off

Select this parameter to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the block in the Simulink canvas.

Tip

• When the aspect ratio is locked, adding a new background image changes the aspect ratio of the block to match that of the background image.

• When the aspect ratio is not locked, adding a new background image does not change the proportions of the block but instead stretches or scales the background image to fit the size of the block.

States

Select State — Selection of state to configure

Default (default) | Pressed | Latched | Latched and Pressed

Select a state that you want to configure from the drop-down menu in the Select State section of the States component. When the Button Type is Momentary, you can select these states:

• Default — Default state for the block when it is not pressed

• Pressed — Block state when the block is pressed

When the Button Type is Latch, you can select these states:

• Default — Default state for the block when it is not pressed.

• Pressed — Transitional state when you press the button while it is in the Default state. The block transitions to the Latched state when you release the click.

• Latched — Latched state for the block when it is not pressed.

• Latched and Pressed — Transitional state when you press the button while it is in the Latched state. The block transitions to the Default state when you release the click.

Note

You can configure all of the parameters in the States component of the Design tab for a state. For example, you can select an icon that will appear on the button when it is in the state. When you configure any of the parameters in the States component, the changes are applied to the state that is selected in the Select State section of the States component.

Example: Pressed

Button Text — Button label text

'Button' (default) | string | character array

Specify the text for the button label. The label is applied to the button for the state that is selected in the Select State section of the States component on the Design tab.

Programmatic Use

Specify the ButtonText parameter for the block as a string or a character vector.

Block Parameter: ButtonText

Type: character vector | string

Label Color — Label font color

[r g b] vector

Choose a font color for the label text from the palette of standard colors, or specify a custom color. The color is applied to the label text for the state that is selected in the Select State section of the States component on the Design tab.

Horizontal Alignment — Horizontal button text alignment

Center (default) | Left | Right

Set the alignment of the button text.

• Center: Midway between left and right edges of block

• Left: Left edge of block

• Right: Right edge of block

Vertical Alignment — Vertical button text alignment

Center (default) | Bottom | Top

Set the alignment of the button text.

• Center: Midway between top and bottom edges of block

• Bottom: Bottom edge of block

• Top: Top edge of block

Label X Offset — Horizontal offset of button text center from default position for selected horizontal alignment setting

0 (default) | scalar

Specify the horizontal offset of the center of the button text from the default position for the selected Horizontal Alignment setting as a ratio of the block width. Relative to the position of the text when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the text left, and an offset with a positive value moves the text right.

Label Y Offset — Vertical offset of button text center from default position for selected vertical alignment setting

0 (default) | scalar

Specify the vertical offset of the center of the button text from the default position for the selected Vertical Alignment setting as a ratio of the block height. Relative to the position of the text when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the text up, and an offset with a positive value moves the text down.

Icon Placement — Placement of icon relative to button text

Left (default) | Top | Right | Bottom

Specify the placement of the icon relative to the button text.

Note

Changing the placement of the icon moves the button text, but does not change the specified X Offset, Y Offset, Horizontal Alignment, or Vertical Alignment of the text.

Width — Width of state image or icon

scalar

Specify the width of the state image or the state icon as a ratio of the block width.

Example: 0.5

Height — Height of state image or icon

scalar

Specify the height of the state image or the state icon as a ratio of the block height.

Example: 0.5

Lock Aspect Ratio — Option to maintain image aspect ratio

on (default) | off

Enable this option to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the image using the Property Inspector.

Image X Offset — Horizontal offset of left edge of image from left edge of block

scalar

Specify the horizontal offset of the left edge of the image from the left edge of the block as a ratio of the block width. Relative to the position of the image when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the image left, and an offset with a positive value moves the image right.

Example: 1

Image Y Offset — Vertical offset of top edge of image from top edge of block

scalar

Specify the vertical offset of the top edge of the image from the top edge of the block as a ratio of the block height. Relative to the position of the image when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the image up, and a positive value moves the image down.

Example: 1

Background Image

Use Background Color — Option to specify solid block background color

off (default) | on

For the block background, you can provide a background image or select a solid color. To select a solid background color, select this parameter. To provide a background image, clear this parameter.

Note

Changing the background color using the Format tab of the Simulink Toolstrip removes the background image and enables the Use Background Color parameter.

Example: on

Color — Block background color

[r g b] vector

To use a solid background color, select the Use Background Color parameter. Then, choose a background color from the palette of standard colors, or specify a custom color.

Tip

You can also specify the Background Color in the Format tab of the Simulink Toolstrip.

To specify the color of the block text, use the Font Color parameter.

Programmatic Use

Specify the BackgroundColor parameter for the block as a 1-by-3 [r g b] vector with values between 0 and 1 that is formatted as a string or a character vector.

Block Parameter: BackgroundColor

Type: string | character vector

Values: [r g b] vector

Opacity — Block background opacity

1 (default) | scalar

Specify the block background opacity as a scalar value from 0 to 1.

Example: 0.5

Corner Radius — Corner radius of area with block background color

scalar

Specify the corner radius of the area covered by the block background color as a ratio of half of the smaller of the two block dimensions, width or height.

Example: 0.25

Foreground Image

Image X Offset — Horizontal offset of left edge of image from left edge of block

scalar

Specify the horizontal offset of the left edge of the image from the left edge of the block as a ratio of the block width. Relative to the position of the image when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the image left, and an offset with a positive value moves the image right.

Example: 1

Image Y Offset — Vertical offset of top edge of image from top edge of block

scalar

Specify the vertical offset of the top edge of the image from the top edge of the block as a ratio of the block height. Relative to the position of the image when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the image up, and a positive value moves the image down.

Example: 1

Width — Image width

scalar

Specify the image width as a ratio of the block width.

Example: 0.5

Height — Image height

scalar

Specify the image height as a ratio of the block height.

Example: 0.5

Lock Aspect Ratio — Option to maintain image aspect ratio

on (default) | off

Select this parameter to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the image using the Property Inspector.

Block Characteristics

Data Types	double | half | integer | single
Direct Feedthrough	no
Multidimensional Signals	no
Variable-Size Signals	no
Zero-Crossing Detection	no

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation

Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Dashboard blocks are ignored for code generation.

Version History

Introduced in R2021b

R2023b: Open panel in new window

Starting in R2023b, you can open a dashboard panel in a new window. To do so, select the panel and pause on the ellipsis that appears. In the action menu that expands, click the Open In New Window button .

You can minimize and restore the new window containing the panel separately from the model window. From the panel window, you can run, pause, stop, and step through the simulation. In the panel window, you can edit the panel and the blocks it contains.

To return the panel to the model canvas, in the panel window toolstrip, click Open in canvas .

For more information about opening a panel in a new window, see Open Panel in New Window.

R2023a: Persistent panels tab in Simulink Toolstrip

When you add a dashboard panel to a model, the Panels tab appears in the Simulink Toolstrip and shows options for managing and editing panels.

Previously, the Panels tab was only visible when a panel was selected. Starting in R2023a, the Panels tab stays visible when no panel is selected.

The Panels tab also contains these new options:

• You can add an empty panel.

• You can rename the selected panel.

• You can hide the selected panel.

R2022b: Undo and redo support for customizable dashboard blocks in panel

Starting in R2022b, you can undo and redo the changes you make to customizable dashboard blocks that are in a panel.

To undo or redo a change:

1. Click the panel or a block in the panel.

2. Press Ctrl+Z to undo the change, or press Ctrl+Y to redo the change.

Note

The keyboard shortcuts are based on Windows^®. On a Mac, press command (⌘) instead of Ctrl.

R2022b: Toolstrip support for panels

Starting in R2022b, you can use the Simulink Toolstrip to manage and edit panels and the dashboard blocks that they contain.

When you click a dashboard block in a panel, the toolstrip tab for the block appears. For example, when you click a Circular Gauge block, the Gauge tab appears in the toolstrip.

When you click a panel, the Panel tab appears in the toolstrip. The tab provides these options:

• Manage the visibility of panels in the model.

• Fit all unhidden panels within the current view.

• Collapse the selected panel.

• Customize the size and the contents of the panel.

• Set a custom background image for the selected panel.

• Add a new tab to the selected panel.

R2022b: Extended support for customizable Dashboard blocks on Raspberry Pi boards

Starting in R2022b, the Simulink Support Package for Raspberry Pi^® Hardware supports deploying these blocks from the Customizable Blocks library on your Raspberry Pi boards:

• Horizontal Gauge

• Horizontal Slider

• Lamp

• Push Button

• Rocker Switch

• Rotary Switch

• Slider Switch

• Toggle Switch

• Vertical Gauge

• Vertical Slider

You can customize the visual aspects of the blocks in a Simulink model and obtain the what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) visualization on a web browser you launch from a Raspberry Pi terminal.

R2022b: Extended support for customizable Dashboard blocks on Android devices

Starting in R2022b, the Simulink Support Package for Android^® Devices supports deploying these blocks from the Customizable Blocks library on your Android devices:

• Horizontal Gauge

• Horizontal Slider

• Lamp

• Push Button

• Rocker Switch

• Rotary Switch

• Slider Switch

• Toggle Switch

• Vertical Gauge

• Vertical Slider

You can customize the visual aspects of the blocks in a Simulink model and obtain the what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) visualization on your Android device as well as on your web browser.

R2022a: Resize and reposition foreground image

The blocks in the Customizable Blocks library have an option to add a foreground image as part of the design for a block. Starting in R2022a, you can rotate, resize, and reposition the foreground image within the block design.