Button Controls

Enter or display true and false data.

1378

Which Button Should I Use?

Button Type Use Default Mechanical Action
Buttons Enter true or false input. Latch when released
Checkbox Select an item or items from a list. Switch when released only
Switches Enter true or false input in an application. Latch when released
LEDs Indicate true or false data. You must select Show values on the Item tab for content to appear on the LED. Switch when released

Which Mechanical Action Should I Use?

The mechanical action of the control determines how the control behaves. You classify mechanical actions as either switch actions or latch actions:

I want my control to behave like a... Mechanical Action What This Mechanical Action Does Caveats
Power button Switch when pressed Changes as soon as you click down on the control without waiting for you to release the mouse.
On/off switch Switch when released Changes the control value only after you release the mouse button within the graphical boundary of the control. The mechanical action for radio buttons and checkboxes is not configurable; it is always switch when released.
Door buzzer Switch until released Changes the control value when you press it and retains the new value until you release the mouse button. The frequency with which the program reads the control does not affect this behavior. You cannot select this behavior for a radio button control or a checkbox control.
Circuit breaker Latch when pressed Changes the control value when you press it and retains the new value until the program reads it once. This behavior is useful for getting the program to perform an action only once each time you set the control. You cannot select this behavior for a radio button control or a checkbox control.
Dialog box button Latch when released Changes the control value only after you press and then release the mouse button within the graphical boundary of the control and retains the new value until the program reads it once. This behavior is useful for stopping a While Loop. When the program reads the control once, the control reverts to its default value. You cannot select this behavior for a radio button control or a checkbox control.