A button that, when pressed, performs some action in your application.

Action Button

Polybench reference manual · Last updated 2026-06-18

Use this button to perform an Action (see "Actions - Overview"). The Action can be chosen from a list in the properties of the button.

The button layout depends on a layout that is defined in the "Button Repository".

Properties

Find more information about changing properties here: "Properties Viewer"

Action

type: Select from the list
Select the Action that is performed when the button is clicked.

Select one of those presets:

Value

type: See description
Fill in a Value, if one is needed for the Action or to set a value in Address.

Address

type: Address, enclosed in '$' characters (see "Address - how to address objects and variable parameters")
Fill in the address of the object that the Action targets. The address should start with '$'.

You may type or paste the address, or you may press the small button on the right to open the Address Constructor ("Address Constructor")

ButtonFormat

type: Known button type name
The name of the button format in the Button Repository, used to draw this button.

This property selects a button layout from the Button Repository. For more information about the use of buttons in a project, refer to "Button Repository"

ButtonText

type: See description
The text on the button. May contain variables.

If the button text contains variables, then those are only update after a RESET action.

Size

type: Size containing width and height
The size of the user interface of this object (width, height).

Coordinates

type: Coordinate
The location of the user interface of this object in (x,y) coordinates, relative to the object it is on top of.

Caption

type: Word or phrase
The name of the object in the project. This name must not contain '.', '$' nor '@' characters.

For more information about the rules and usage of the Caption property, please refer to "Caption property - background and usage".

Documentation

type: See description
Optional documentation of this object. If this object is an operator, the Documentation text is displayed below the operator symbol.

Variable Parameters

Find more information about Variable Parameters here: "Variable Parameters"

ButtonText

type: See description
The text on the button (equals the Caption).

Action

type: See description
Defines the Action that is performed when the button is clicked. See the properties for available Action names.

Value

type: See description
Fill in a Value, if one is needed for the Action or to set a value in Address.

Address

type: See description
Fill in the address of the object that the Action targets. The address should start with '$$'.

Note that if you let another object write an address into this variable, that you have to use two '$' characters, or '$$'.
For example: you want to change the Address of $Design.Action Button 1. You will do that using another Action Button with the following settings: Action=SET_PARAMETER, Address=$Design.Action Button 1.Address, Value=$$New Address.
If you would write only one '$', then Polybench will replace the address text with the contents of that address, which is probably 'xxxxxx'.

Functions

Find more information about Functions here: "Operator Functions"

Enable

Sets the button appearance to Enabled, so that the user can click the button.

Parameter:
(not used)

Disable

Sets the button appearance to Disabled, so that the user cannot click the button.

Parameter:
(not used)

This button can be used on Design pages, as well as Display pages. If it is put on a Printable page, the button will not be printed.

Note: if you load a project that has been created in Polybench 1.8 or earlier (prior to 2010), then the original button text will disappear. To solve that issue, you could load and save that old project in Polybench version 1.34 first.

Examples

Example: Start-Stop with one Action Button

Demonstrates how the function of an Action Button can be changed after pressing the button. Initially the button starts the Signal Generator, but it also changes the button text and the address of the action sequence that is called on the next button press.
Examples\DF0306006_002_Action_Button_Start_Stop_Demo.xmc