Themes and Visual Classes

Button Properties

For the Button control type, the button's default appearance can be controlled by setting the standard properties for Background, Foreground, Border Color and Border Color 2. Additional button properties can be set that control the button's appearance when the button's state is changed, thus providing a further visual cue. Possible button states are Active, Disable, Focus and Hover:

 

Active

Button is pressed down.

 

Disable

Button is disabled.

 

Focus

Button has focus.

 

Hover

Mouse is over the button.

To set the properties that control the button's appearance when the button's state is changed, see the Colors (States) category.

Example:

You can set a "Dark Green" Background Color (for the button's default state), a "Light Green" Active Background Color (when clicking and holding down the mouse on the button), and a "Light Red" Hover Background Color (when hovering the mouse over the button).

This table lists all the Button properties:

Property

Description

Attributes

Bitmap Button

Button has a bitmap whose width is divided into four images. Use this to custom design buttons with any color, style or shape by controlling the image that appears.

Border Style

Style of button border. Options are None, Solid, Double, Groove, Ridge, Inset and Outset:

    

If not set, the default Windows style is used.

This must be set to a non-blank value to use the Border Width and various Border Color settings.

Border Width

Width of the button border (in pixels). Options are None, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Only takes effect if the button is not flat and a Border Style is specified.

Drop-List Button

An extra button with an arrow bitmap is attached to the right of the main button. When the arrow bitmap button is clicked, the associated popup menu is displayed.

Flat Button

Button shows no raised outline unless the mouse is over the button or the button is pressed down.

Flat - No Border

Button has no border and shows no raised outline unless the button is pressed down.

Hover Color

Text on the button is highlighted when the mouse is over the button. The default color is controlled by the 'CH' system parameter that defaults to 'Light Blue'.

Hover Cursor

Controls the type of cursor to display whenever the mouse moves over the control.

Options are Default, Arrow, Wait, Insert, Movement arrows, Sizing arrow, Hand, Crossed hand, Rabbit in hat, Happy face, Sad face, Up/Down arrow, Left/Right arrow and Not allowed.

Moveable

Button can be moved by dragging it with the mouse. This movement will not be saved.

(Moveable property was added in PxPlus 2019.)

Transparent

Button is transparent; i.e. the window contents behind the button show through. This style can be used to place buttons onto bitmaps.

Underscore

Text on the button is underscored.

Colors

Click the dotted Query button or double click inside the cell to access Color Selections. Valid formats for color selections include predefined system colors (e.g. Light Red), Custom (RGB codes), HTML Hex Color Codes, User Defined colors (e.g. Color17) and string Expressions.

After a color property is set, a tick in the selected color displays in the top left corner. A floating tip with a sample of the selected color displays when hovering the mouse over the color setting.

(The color tick and color tip were added in PxPlus 2018.)
(The Color Selections Query button and dialog were added in PxPlus 2020.)

Background Color

Button background color(s). See Background Color 2 below.

Background Color 2

Used in conjunction with Background Color to generate a two-color gradient fill for the button background. The gradient fill starts with Background Color at the top and flows to Background Color 2 at the bottom.

Background Color must be specified; otherwise, Background Color 2 will be ignored.

Border Color

Button border color(s). See Border Color 2 below.

Border colors are applied only if a Border Style (other than the system default) is specified for the button.

Border Color 2

Used in conjunction with Border Color to generate a two-color button border. Border Color is applied to the top and left borders, Border Color 2 to the bottom and right borders.

Border Color must be specified; otherwise, Border Color 2 will be ignored.

Foreground

Foreground text color of the control in its default state.

Colors (States)

Active Background Color

Background color(s) when the button is pressed down. See Active Background Color 2 below.

Active Background Color 2

Used in conjunction with Active Background Color to generate a two-color gradient fill when the button is pressed down. The gradient fill starts with Active Background Color at the top and flows to Active Background Color 2 at the bottom.

Active Background Color must be specified; otherwise, Active Background Color 2 will be ignored.

Active Border Color

Button border color(s) when the button is pressed down. See Active Border Color 2 below.

Border colors are applied only if a Border Style (other than the system default) is specified for the button.

Active Border Color 2

When used in conjunction with Active Border Color, these two colors represent the border colors:  Active Border Color 2 (top and left borders) and Active Border Color (bottom and right borders).

Active Border Color must be specified; otherwise, Active Border Color 2 will be ignored.

Active Text Color

Foreground text color when the button is pressed down.

Disable Background Color

Background color(s) when the button is disabled. See Disable Background Color 2 below.

Disable Background Color 2

Used in conjunction with Disable Background Color to generate a two-color gradient fill for the button background when the button is disabled. The gradient fill starts with Disable Background Color at the top and flows to Disable Background Color 2 at the bottom.

Disable Background Color must be specified; otherwise, Disable Background Color 2 will be ignored.

Disable Border Color

Button border color(s) when the button is disabled. See Disable Border Color 2 below.

Border colors are applied only if a Border Style (other than the system default) is specified for the button.

Disable Border Color 2

Used in conjunction with Disable Border Color to generate a two-color button border when the button is disabled. Disable Border Color is applied to the top and left borders, Disable Border Color 2 to the bottom and right borders.

Disable Border Color must be specified; otherwise, Disable Border Color 2 will be ignored.

Disable Text Color

Foreground text color when the button is disabled.

Focus Background Color

Background color(s) when the button has focus. See Focus Background Color 2 below.

Focus Background Color 2

Used in conjunction with Focus Background Color to generate a two-color gradient fill for the button background when the button has focus. The gradient fill starts with Focus Background Color at the top and flows to Focus Background Color 2 at the bottom.

Focus Background Color must be specified; otherwise, Focus Background Color 2 will be ignored.

Focus Border Color

Button border color(s) when the button has focus. See Focus Border Color 2 below.

Border colors are applied only if a Border Style (other than the system default) is specified for the button.

Focus Border Color 2

Used in conjunction with Focus Border Color to generate a two-color button border when the button has focus. Focus Border Color is applied to the top and left borders, Focus Border Color 2 to the bottom and right borders.

Focus Border Color must be specified; otherwise, Focus Border Color 2 will be ignored.

Focus Text Color

Foreground text color when the button has focus.

Gray Disabled Bitmap

Controls how the image on the button will display when the button is disabled. Applicable only when there is a bitmap on the button.

Click the drop-down arrow for available selections:

   Default gray disabled setting (Default)
   Images display as shadows
   Images converted to gray scale

(Gray Disabled Bitmap property was added in PxPlus 2024.)

Hover Background Color

Background color(s) when the mouse is over the button. See Hover Background Color 2 below.

Hover Background Color 2

Used in conjunction with Hover Background Color to generate a two-color gradient fill for the button background when the mouse is over the button. The gradient fill starts with Hover Background Color at the top and flows to Hover Background Color 2 at the bottom.

Hover Background Color must be specified; otherwise, Hover Background Color 2 will be ignored.

Hover Border Color

Button border color(s) when the mouse is over the button. See Hover Border Color 2 below.

Border colors are applied only if a Border Style (other than the system default) is specified for the button.

Hover Border Color 2

Used in conjunction with Hover Border Color to generate a two-color button border when the mouse is over the button. Hover Border Color is applied to the top and left borders, Hover Border Color 2 to the bottom and right borders.

Hover Border Color must be specified; otherwise, Hover Border Color 2 will be ignored.

Hover Text Color

Foreground text color when the mouse is over the button.

Font

Font

Click the dotted Query button or double click inside the cell to specify font properties and attributes, such as Bold, Italics, etc. In addition, Alignment (default: Center) and Word Wrap can be specified.

(Alignment and Word Wrap options were added in PxPlus 2022.)

Other

iNomads Class

Assign an iNomads class to the control. The iNomads class contains class attribute references used when defining the control in the HTML code generated in iNomads. An iNomads class reference must start with an alpha character (A-Z or a-z), followed by any combination of A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore or dash. Multiple references may be entered, separated by a space.

For a list of pre-defined classes, see iNomads Classes.

(iNomads Class property was added in PxPlus 2020.)

See Also

Themes
Visual Classes