A cycle button or toggle button is a
graphical control element
A graphical widget (also graphical control element or control) in a graphical user interface is an element of interaction, such as a button or a scroll bar. Controls are software components that a computer user interacts with through dir ...
that allows the user to choose one from a predefined set of options.
It is used as a
button
A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole.
In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, o ...
, the content of which changes with each
click and cycles between two or more values;
[ the currently displayed value is the user's choice.
A cycle button's advantage over ]radio button
A radio button or option button is a graphical control element that allows the user to choose only one of a predefined set of mutually exclusive options. The singular property of a radio button makes it distinct from checkboxes, where the user ...
s or a list box
A list box is a graphical control element that allows the user to select one or more items from a list contained within a static, multiple line text box. The user clicks inside the box on an item to select it, sometimes in combination with the ...
is that it takes less screen space;[ its advantage over a ]drop-down list
A drop-down list (abbreviated drop-down, or DDL; also known as a drop-down menu, drop menu, pull-down list, picklist) is a graphical control element, similar to a list box, that allows the user to choose one value from a list. When a drop-dow ...
is that a single mouse click is enough to switch between the two options. The disadvantage is if the button has many options, many clicks are needed to switch to the desired one. This is why some GUI environments have the ability to display the same element as a cycle button or a drop-down list, depending on the number of options.
References
Graphical control elements
{{GUI-stub