ButtonGroup

__init__(
    self,
    master,
    options=[],
    selected=None,
    horizontal=False,
    command=None,
    grid=None,
    align=None,
    args=None,
    visible=True,
    enabled=None,
    width=None,
    height=None)

What is it?

The ButtonGroup object displays a group of radio buttons, allowing the user to choose a single option.

ButtonGroup

How do I make one?

Create a ButtonGroup object like this:

from guizero import App, ButtonGroup
app = App()
choice = ButtonGroup(app, options=["cheese", "ham", "salad"], selected="cheese")
app.display()

Starting parameters

When you create a ButtonGroup object you must specify a master and you can specify any of the optional parameters. Specify parameters in the brackets like this: choice = ButtonGroup(app, options=["cheese", "ham", "salad"], selected=1)

Parameter Takes Default Compulsory Description
master App, Window or Box - Yes The container to which this widget belongs
options list or 2D List - No Either a list or a 2D list of [text, value] pairs. If a 2D list is specified, the first item in the pair will be displayed on the interface, and the second item will be a hidden value associated with this option.
selected string - - The option that should be selected, if a value isn't provided the first option will be selected.
align string None - Alignment of this widget within its container. Possible values: "top", "bottom", "left", "right".
command function name None - The name of a function to call when the selected option changes.
args list None - If you wish to pass any arguments to the function specified in the command parameter, you can specify them as a list
grid list [int, int] None - [x,y] coordinates of this widget. This parameter is only required if the master object has a grid layout.
horizontal boolean False - Whether the buttons stack vertically or horizontally. (Defaults to vertical)
visible boolean True No If the widget should be visible.
enabled boolean None No If the widget should be enabled. If None (the default) the enabled property will be inherited from the master
width size None No Set the width of the widget in characters or to "fill"
height size None No Set the height of the widget in characters or to "fill"

Methods

You can call the following methods on an ButtonGroup object.

Method Takes Returns Description
append(option) item (string) - Appends a new option to the end of the ButtonGroup.
after(time, command, args=None) time (int), command (function name), args (list of arguments) - Schedules a single call to command after time milliseconds. (To repeatedly call the same command, use repeat())
cancel(command) command (function name) - Cancels a scheduled call to command
destroy() - - Destroys the widget
disable() - - Disables the widget so that it is "greyed out" and cannot be interacted with
enable() - - Enables the widget
focus() - - Gives focus to the widget
get_group_as_list() - list Returns a list containing all of the text/hidden value pairs from the ButtonGroup (useful for debugging)
hide() - - Hides the widget from view. This method will unpack the widget from the layout manager.
insert(index, option) index (int), option (string) - Insert a new option in the ButtonGroup at index
remove(option) item (string) Boolean Removes the first option from the ButtonGroup. Returns True if an item was removed.
repeat(time, command, args=None) time (int), command (function name), args (list of arguments) - Repeats command every time milliseconds. This is useful for scheduling a function to be regularly called, for example updating a value read from a sensor.
resize(width, height) width (int), height (int) - Sets the width and height of the widget
show() - - Displays the widget if it was previously hidden
update_command(command, args =None) command (function name), args (Optional List of arguments to be passed to command) - Updates the function to call when the selected option changes

Properties

You can set and get the following properties:

Method Data type Description
align string The alignment of this widget within its container
bg color The background colour of the widget
children List A list of the widgets in this container. [RadioButton, *]
enabled boolean True if the widget is enabled
font string The font of the text
grid List [x,y] coordinates of this widget. This parameter is only required if the master object has a grid
height size Set the height of the widget in characters or to "fill"
master App or Box The container to which this widget belongs
value string The hidden value associated with the currently selected option
value_text string The text associated with the currently selected option
visible boolean If this widget is visible
width size Set the width of the widget in characters or to "fill"
text_size int The size of the text
text_color color The colour of the text
tk tkinter.Frame The internal tkinter object, see Using tkinter

Refer to a property as <name of widget>.property. For example, if your ButtonGroup object is called choice you would write choice.value.

You can set the property (for example choice.value = "2") or get the value of the property to use (for example print(choice.value)).

Examples

Creating a ButtonGroup with a 2D list

If you want to create a ButtonGroup object with your own hidden values you can specify a 2D list of options:

from guizero import App, ButtonGroup, Text

def update_text():
    what_is_selected.value = activities.value

app = App()
activities = ButtonGroup(app, options=[
                              ["Roller Skating", "skate"],
                              ["White water rafting", "WWR"],
                              ["Mountain climbing", "climb"]
                            ],
                            selected="skate", command=update_text)

what_is_selected = Text(app, text="skate")
app.display()

Using ButtonGroup tk widgets

Advanced users can gain internal access to the internal tkinter widgets used by ButtonGroup. For more information on using tkinter in combination with guizero see Using tkinter.

The ButtonGroup widget contains a tkinter.Frame object, which frames multiple guizero RadioButton widgets. Each RadioButton widget contains a tkinter.Radiobutton object.

The .children property returns the list of RadioButton widgets in the order they appear in the ButtonGroup:

To access the internal RadioButton tk object you would use the child's tk property e.g.

button_group = ButtonGroup(app)

for radio_button in button_group.children:
    tk_radio_button = radio_button.tk