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Replacement Value Tutorial: Button Label

Replacement values allow text in a button label to change based on the replacement value settings. For example, a button label can be set with a replacement value to display the current user name. When a new user logs into the sim, the button label will automatically display the new user name. Other common uses include the current simulation time, or the value of a variable. See the tutorial below for applying a replacement value to display a username and sim time:

Creating a 'Name' Replacement Value

1. Click on the button in your sim to access the 'Button Settings' tab.
   
   
2. Click the horizontal ‘Replacement Values’ tab in the component panel.
   
   

   Button Settings: Replacement Values Tab
   

   
   
   
   
3. Click on the ‘Type’ drop-down menu arrow to view the three options to choose from ('Run', 'User', or 'Variables'). Select the ‘’User’ option.
   
   Note that when a 'Run' or 'User' type is selected, the ‘Variable’ drop-down menu is replaced by a 'Property' drop-down menu. View a complete description of options in the ‘Text Settings: Replacement Values’ section of the user guide.
   
   
4. Click the ‘Property’ drop-down menu arrow, and then click 'Browse' to view the available ‘User’ properties. Click on the ‘First Name’ option, and then the 'Select' button.
   
   

   Browse Screen ('User' Properties)
   

   
   
   
   
5. Scroll down in the ‘Replacement Values’ tab, and then click the 'Add' button located below the list box. A value ID will appear in the ‘ID’ column of the list box (See the example below: {$1}).
   
   

   
   Replacement Value ID '{$1}' List Box

   
   
   
   In this example (illustrated below), a user named Brian logs into the sim, which causes the replacement value ID tag in the button label to display Brian's first name for Brian's sim run. When a user named Sharon also logs into the sim, the button label displays Sharon's first name for Sharon's sim run. The replacement value (ID tag) displays the first name of any user logged into the sim for their sim run only. Replacement values can also be used for displaying current variable values and simulation run properties. View a complete description of replacement value options in the ‘Button Settings: Replacement Values’ section of the user guide.
   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   Note that the ID for each value and property is not interchangeable with other buttons. If you create another button, and want the label to display the same information, you will need to set the replacement value for that specific button by repeating the steps above.
   
   
   Related Links
   How do I set a replacement value for a button?
   How do I set a replacement value for a text label?
   Button Properties

   
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