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ubutton

Transparent button, sends a bang

Description

ubutton is designed to be placed over text or pictures. The left-middle outlet sends a bang when the mouse is clicked on the button, and left outlet sends a bang when the mouse button is released. Note that you can resize ubutton when you create a new one - just continue dragging the mouse after placing the button in the patcher window.

Arguments

None.

Messages

bang The ubutton object can operate in one of two modes. When the ubutton is in button mode (the default mode), it responds to a bang in its inlet by becoming highlighted briefly and sending a bang out its left outlet. When ubutton is in toggle mode, a bang in its inlet causes it to become (and stay) highlighted and send a bang out its right outlet; or, if it is already highlighted, it becomes unhighlighted and sends a bang out its left outlet.
int input [int]
 If ubutton is waiting for a particular number (its Stay-on Value) and the incoming number matches it, the button is highlighted but nothing is sent out. If the incoming number does not match the number that ubutton is waiting for, the button is unhighlighted (or remains that way). If ubutton has a Stay-on Value of 0, int is the same as bang.
float input [float]
 Converted to int.
anything bang [list]
 Converted to bang.
(mouse) In "button" mode, a mouse click on ubutton highlights it for as long as the mouse is held down, sending a bang out the right outlet when the mouse button is pressed down, and another bang out the left outlet when the mouse button is released. In "toggle" mode, a mouse click behaves the same as a bang. When the mouse is clicked, ubutton will send a 1 out the right outlet if the cursor is inside of the ubutton object's rectangle, and 0 if it is not. It will also send these messages when the mouse button is released. When the object is in "Track Mouse While Dragging" mode, these messages are sent continuously while the mouse button is held down after a click.
set highlight-set or stay-on-value [int]
 If ubutton is in toggle mode, set 1 sets the ubutton object's toggle (highlights it) and set 0 clears the ubutton object's toggle (unhighlights it). Other integer arguments for set will send the number to ubutton, for comparison to its Stay-on Value, without causing any output.

Attributes

Name Type g/s Description
dragtrack int
def.:0 		The word dragtrack, followed by a non-zero number, enables "Track Mouse While Dragging" mode. In this mode, positional and inside/outside messages (described above for mouse clicks) are sent continuously while the mouse button is held down after a click. dragtrack 0 disables this behavior, which is off by default. Dragging the mouse will continue to generate these message pairs until the mouse button is released. Drag tracking is off by default. It can also be enabled in the ubutton object's Inspector.
hilite int
def.:1 		Toggles the display of a highlight when ubutton is clicked.
hltcolor float Sets the Hightlight Color in RGBA format.
stay int
def.:0 		Selects the button mode. The modes are:
0 the ubutton object is in normal button mode. It does not look for any particular number.
(any non-zero number) the object is in button mode and waits for the specified non-zero number. When that number is received in the inlet, no output is sent, but ubutton stays highlighted until some other message (or a mouse click) is received.
toggle int
def.:0 		Selects the toggle mode. The modes are:
0 button mode
(any non-zero number) toggle mode

Information for box attributes common to all objects

Output

bang: Out 1st outlet: In button mode (with a Stay-on Value of 0), any input causes ubutton to flash and send a bang out the left outlet. A bang is also sent out the left outlet when the mouse button is released.

If the ubutton object is in toggle mode and is already highlighted, any input causes ubutton to become unhighlighted and send a bang out its left outlet.
bang: Out 2nd outlet: In button mode (with a Stay-on Value of 0), a mouse click sends a bang when the mouse button is pressed.

If the object is in toggle mode, any input causes ubutton to become highlighted and send a bang out the outlet. If it is already highlighted, it becomes unhighlighted and no bang is sent.
int: Out right outlet: When the mouse button is clicked and released, a 1 is sent out this outlet if the cursor is inside of the ubutton object's rectangular area. If the "Track Mouse While Dragging" option is enabled using the Inspector or the dragtrack message, a 0 will be output if the cursor moves outside of the ubutton object's rectangular area while the mouse button is pressed.
list: Out 3rd outlet: When the mouse button is clicked and released, the ubutton object sends out a list composed of two numbers which specify the coordinates for the cursor position expressed as an offset, in pixels, from the upper left-hand corner of the ubutton object rectangle. If the "Track Mouse While Dragging" option is enabled using the Inspector or the dragtrack message, new coordinates will be reported as the mouse is moved until the mouse button is released.

Examples

When ubutton is placed on comments or pictures they can 'respond' to a mouse click

See Also

Name Description
button Flash on any message, send a bang
fpic Display a picture from a graphics file
led Display on/off status in color
matrixctrl Matrix switch control
pictctrl Picture-based control
radiogroup Radio button/check box user interface object
tab A user interface tab/multiple button object
textbutton A user interface button/toggle