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Callback Button

Execute MATLAB code using button with customizable appearance

Since R2021b

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  • Callback Button block

Libraries:
Simulink / Dashboard / Customizable Blocks

Description

The Callback Button block executes MATLAB® code in response to a click or a press of the button. When you press the button, the code executes after a time span that you specify has elapsed or at time intervals that you specify. You can configure the block to execute different code for a click versus for a press. When you use the Callback Button block from the Customizable Blocks library, you can also customize the appearance of the block to look like a button in your real system.

To push the virtual button during simulation, click the Callback Button block. To push the virtual button when the simulation is not running, select the Callback Button, and then click the Callback Button block. While you press down your pointer for the click, 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:

  • PressFcn 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.

  • ClickFcn functions run when you release the button.

You can configure the button to remain pushed when you release the 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 Callback 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

Note

Double-clicking a connected Callback Button block during simulation does not open its dialog box. Clicking a connected Callback Button block to select the block, and then double-clicking the block also does not open its dialog box. To edit the block parameters in these cases, use the Property Inspector or right-click the block and select Block Parameters from the context menu.

Customize Callback Button Blocks

When you add a Callback 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:

  • In the Simulink® Toolstrip, 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 .

In design mode, you can use the toolbar above the block to customize the callback button. To access additional customization options or to enter exact values for design settings, use the Design tab in the Property Inspector.

Customizable Callback Button block in design mode with the toolbar and the Design tab in the Property Inspector visible.

When you customize a Callback Button block, you configure the block appearance for each 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. To select a state to customize, use the drop-down list in the toolbar. Alternatively, on the Design tab, select the States component and then select from the Select State list.

Design Mode Actions that Customize the Selected State

ActionAvailable in ToolbarAvailable in Design Tab

Upload a state image.

YesYes

Upload a state icon.

YesYes

Specify the state label text.

NoYes

Specify the color and opacity of the state label text.

YesYes

Change the size of the state image and state icon.

NoYes

Change the position of the state label, state image, and state icon.

NoYes

In addition to customizing the block design using the toolbar and Design tab, you can also resize and reposition components interactively in the canvas. To resize a component specific to a state, such as the state image, select the state in the toolbar, and then resize or reposition the component.

Design Mode Actions that Apply to All States

ActionAvailable in ToolbarAvailable in Design Tab

Upload a background image.

NoYes

Set a solid background color.

NoYes

Upload a foreground image.

NoYes

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

Examples

Design Custom Buttons

Design Custom Buttons

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

Parameters

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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.

Main

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'

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

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

When the aspect ratio is locked, adding a new background image changes the aspect ratio of the block to match the aspect ratio of the background image. When the aspect ratio is unlocked, adding a new background image does not change the aspect ratio of the block, but instead changes the aspect ratio of the background image to fit the size of the block.

When the aspect ratio is locked, pressing the Shift key while resizing a block temporarily unlocks the aspect ratio. When you release the Shift key, the aspect ratio locks. When the aspect ratio is unlocked, pressing the Shift key while resizing a block temporarily locks the aspect ratio. When you release the Shift key, the aspect ratio unlocks.

Callbacks

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

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

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

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

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

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 unlocked, 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.

When the aspect ratio is locked, pressing the Shift key while resizing a block unlocks the aspect ratio. When you release the Shift key, the aspect ratio locks. When the aspect ratio is unlocked, pressing the Shift key while resizing a block locks the aspect ratio. When you release the Shift key, the aspect ratio unlocks.

States

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

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

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.

Set the alignment of the label and icon pair in the horizontal direction. The table lists the horizontal position of the label and icon pair when the X Offset is zero. A nonzero X Offset moves the label and icon pair from the position listed in the table.

AlignmentPosition of the Label and Icon Pair
LeftThe left edge of the label and icon pair is at the left edge of the block.
CenterThe horizontal middle of the label and icon pair is at the horizontal middle of the block.
RightThe right edge of the label and icon pair is at the right edge of the block.

Set the alignment of the label and icon pair in the vertical direction. The table lists the vertical position of the label and icon pair when the Y Offset is zero. A nonzero Y Offset moves the label and icon pair from the position listed in the table.

AlignmentPosition of the Label and Icon Pair
TopThe top edge of the label and icon pair is at the top edge of the block.
CenterThe vertical middle of the label and icon pair is at the vertical middle of the block.
BottomThe bottom edge of the label and icon pair is at the bottom edge of the block.

How the X Offset is measured depends on the value of the Horizontal Alignment. The table lists how the offset is measured for each Horizontal Alignment value. Relative to the position 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.

Horizontal AlignmentOffset
LeftSpecify the horizontal offset of the left edge of the label and icon pair from the left edge of the block as a ratio of the block width.
CenterSpecify the horizontal offset of the horizontal middle of the label and icon pair from the horizontal middle of the block as a ratio of the block width.
RightSpecify the horizontal offset of the right edge of the label and icon pair from the right edge of the block as a ratio of the block width.

How the Y Offset is measured depends on the value of the Vertical Alignment. The table lists how the offset is measured for each Vertical Alignment value. 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.

Horizontal AlignmentOffset
TopSpecify the vertical offset of the top edge of the label and icon pair from the top edge of the block as a ratio of the block width.
CenterSpecify the vertical offset of the vertical middle of the label and icon pair from the vertical middle of the block as a ratio of the block width.
BottomSpecify the vertical offset of the bottom edge of the label and icon pair from the bottom edge of the block as a ratio of the block width.

Specify the placement of the icon relative to the label.

Note

Changing the placement of the icon moves the label, but does not change the offset or alignment of the label.

Specify the icon width as a ratio of the font height of the label text.

Example: 0.5

Specify the icon height as a ratio of the font height of the label text.

Example: 0.5

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

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

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

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

Example: 0.5

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

Example: 0.5

Background Image

You can provide a background image for the block or select a solid background color for the button. To select a solid background color for the button, select this parameter. To provide a background image for the block, clear this parameter.

Note

  • The state images are not visible when you set a solid background color for the button. To make the state images visible, turn off Use Background Color.

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

Example: on

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

Note

The state images are not visible when you set a solid background color. To make the state images visible, in the Property Inspector, on the Design tab, in the Background Image component, turn off Use Background 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: character vector | string
Values: [r g b] vector

Specify the opacity of the solid background color as a scalar value from 0 to 1.

Example: 0.5

Specify the corner radius of the area covered by the solid background color.

Example: 0.25

Foreground Image

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

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

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

Example: 0.5

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

Example: 0.5

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

Block Characteristics

Data Types

Direct Feedthrough

no

Multidimensional Signals

no

Variable-Size Signals

no

Zero-Crossing Detection

no

Tips

To design a button that changes the value of a variable or parameter in your model, use the Push Button block.

Extended Capabilities

Version History

Introduced in R2021b

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See Also

Blocks

Tools

Topics