InvisibleButton

InvisibleButton (Invisible Interaction Area)

The Invisible Button is a special control object used to create a clickable interaction area that is invisible on the screen.

The object itself is completely transparent at Runtime; it has no border, color, or text. At design time, the area occupied by the object is indicated by a blue dashed line.

Common Use Cases
  • Visual Control: Placing it over an image (PictureBox) of a motor, valve, or pump allows the operator to click directly on the image to operate that device (Start/Stop).
  • P&ID Navigation: Placing it over a specific area on a complex P&ID (Piping/Instrumentation) diagram to open the relevant detail screen (OpenScreen) when clicked.
  • Label Functionality: Placing it over a Label (Text) object to trigger a pop-up when that text is clicked.

Properties Panel – Key Properties

Value

  • Tag
    • When you bind a BOOL tag to the button’s Tag property: At Runtime, while the button is pressed, the tag value toggles (if True, it becomes False; if False, it becomes True). When the button is released, the value reverts to its previous state.

Events

  • Mouse Down
    • Triggered the moment the operator presses the mouse button. Used to execute a function.
  • Mouse Up
    • Triggered the moment the operator releases the mouse button. Used to execute a function.

Advanced Panel – Key Properties

  • Location / Size
    • Determines the position and size of the object at design time. These settings are used to ensure the button perfectly covers the underlying object.
  • Anchor / Dock
    • Determines how this area behaves when the screen is resized.
  • TabIndex / TabStop
    • Determines whether this invisible area can be focused using the Tab key on the keyboard.

Common Usage Examples

Example: Screen Navigation

To open a detail screen for a specific region when clicking on a map image.

  1. Place the Invisible Button over the relevant region on the map image.
  2. Go to the Events tab.
  3. Double-click the MouseDown event to open the function dialog screen.
  4. Create the function: Screen -> OpenScreen -> [Your Region Screen].

Result: When the operator clicks on the relevant region, the invisible button function executes, and the corresponding screen opens.

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