Types of Controls

The types of controls that can be found in Mari are listed in the table below. Each control is accompanied by an example image of how it appears in Mari, as well as a description of what it does and how to use it.

Controls	What it looks like	What it does	How to use it	Notes
Add attribute		Lets you add an attribute to a property.	Click the icon and fill in the Add User Attribute dialog box.	For more information, see Extending Mari
Buttons		Lets you select a function.	Click it.	May show an icon or a word.
Checkbox	unselected, selected	Lets you select an option.	Click to select.	An x displays when selected.
Control sphere		Lets you move a light around the scene.	Click and drag to pull the light around.
Curve editor	The Curve Editor button displays the Curve Editor in a pop-up window.	Maps between input and output values (45° = the same). Bar along the bottom displays the effect at each point.	Add points by clicking on the curve or bar. Click and drag to move a point on the graph. Shift+click and drag to move multiple points on the graph. To select and deselect multiple points: • Shift+click the points. • Click outside the curve. To edit points: • Double-click the selected points and change their values. • Right-click the points and select Edit Points. You can also edit a single point using the same methods. To delete a point: • Ctrl/Cmd+click it. • Right-click it and select Delete Point. To delete multiple points: • Right-click the selected points and select Delete Points.	You can move, edit, and delete multiple points at once.
Dropdown list		Lets you select from a list of valid values.	Click the down arrow on the right, then click to select an option.
text field		Lets you type an entry.	Click inside the box and type a valid entry.	Often combined with a slider and reset button. When an text field has been combined with a slider to change values, click in the text field and press the middle-mouse button+drag up or down to increase or decrease the value.
Horizontal slider		Slides along a range of valid values.	Click and drag left (more) or right (less).	Often combined with an text field (that shows the value) and reset button.
Incrementers		Lets you increase or decrease a value.	Click the up or down arrows.	If you press Ctrl (on Windows and Linux) or fn (Mac) while pressing the up or down arrows, the number is increased or decreased by whole numbers rather than individual decimal points.
List		Lets you select from a list of valid values.	Click to select an option.
On/Off Indicator	on, off	Shows whether an option is on or off	Look at it.	Often combined with a switch.
Option buttons		Lets you select mutually exclusive options.	Click to select which option you want.	Circle is filled when selected. Sometimes called “radio buttons”.
Remove attribute		Lets you remove an attribute from a property.	Click the icon, then click Remove to confirm.
Reset button		Reset to the default.	Click the icon.	Often combined with an text field and slider
Swatch		Displays the currently selected color, and lets you select a different color.	Click to select a color from the Colors Palette
Switch		Turns an option on or off.	Click and drag right (on) or left (off).	Often combined with an On/Off indicator.
Tabs		Displays several groups of the same kind of information, such as different categories of brush tips in the Shelf Palette.	Click: • a tab to view it • to view the previous or next tab • to add a tab • to delete a tab • to open the current tab in a separate window
Thumbnail		Displays a thumbnail preview of a selected feature or function.	Look at it.