How do I create a button that is customizable?

[Michael_Dzien]

For the life of me I can't figure out how to make a transparent button to lay over text or how to create a button that is a diferent color than my "Theme colors" which I can't change either. The only options available to me are changing the reflection and shadows, and the text color. Why is this so difficult to achieve?

[MichaelStephens · Accepted solution]

You need to change the button from Text Button to Transparent Button.

Then you'll be able to change the fill and stroke settings.

[Lilybiri]

Which version are you using, please? You are talking about 'Transparent button'n not about a Text buttons which is the most limited type, it takes on the look of your OS.

I never use the old types of buttons, but use shape buttons. However Transparent buttons are the most flexible of the 3 old types. You can fil it with a solid color, with a gradient, with an image and with a texture. You tell that this is not possible in your case?

Did you change the Theme Colors palette? In the color dialog box you always have the choice between a theme color, a color taken from the old swatches panel, a color defined using the color wheel, a hexadecimal code or RGB code, or use the color picker (not recommended by me). Do you not have those options in the color dialog box?

It looks like your application is corrupt. Please run the CleanPreferences...; file appropriate for your system while Captivate is closed.

Another possibility if this is not helping, could be a corrupt theme. Tell which theme you are using, please.

About Theme colors, check:

Theme Colors - Captivate blog

[Michael_Dzien]

I wish I could mark both of these answers as correct. Thank you so much. I totally blanked out and forgot I could enable shapes as buttons. haha. I also used click boxes as buttons to essentially allow for a picture to have "functioning" looking hyperlinks that advances to other slides. Thank you

[Lilybiri]

Please make your question clear. I read that you were using a Transparent button, but apparently you didn't. Which is very strange because none of the include themes with Captivate ever uses a text button. It is not a Default object style neither for buttons. Or you are on a very old bersion maybe?

[Michael_Dzien]

I was just inserting a regular button, I'm using Captivate 11.0.1. I was misunderstanding what I was asking. but just seeing the above description to create a transparent button as well as your explanation I no longer am having an issue.

[MichaelStephens]

Lilybiri, when you insert a button is Text not the default style of your buttons?

[Lilybiri]

You have a default style for each type of button. But none of the themes packaged with Captivate eveer uses that type of button. Look at the Quizzing master slides, they all use Transparent buttons.

Maybe I have to explain that I start each project by creating a theme, which includes master slides. In all cases I wil probably use shape buttons, but on quiz slides for the embedded buttons they are not possible.

I was really confused because the OP clearly stated talking about a Transparent button, but seems to have used a Text button. My eternal frustration that terminology is mostly used in such a sloppy way that it results in waste of time. I wouldn't have searched for possible causes if  I had known he used a text buttons (which should be named a 'system button' IMO).

[Michael_Dzien]

First of all Lilybiri, calm down. This is a discussion forum, for people who are looking for support. Not for people who are professionals to just complain about "sloppy terminology use", get off your throne just because I didn't mark your answer as correct.

I found my issue and complimented you for helping me in just using shapes as buttons rather than the text button.

[Lilybiri]

I don't mind about the marking at all. It has been 10 years I try to fight to have a clear glossary somewhere to make it easier to understand each other. That is not available, the term 'sloppy' was not at all personally to you, just in general it makes everyone lose a lot of time.  It seems typical for eLearning because I never experienced that confusion in any other domain where I worked in my profesional life.