# How to change popup button style, depending on container values? **URL:** \ **Category:** Floating Topics\ **Tags:** community, layout-design, layout, container, filemaker, macos\ **Created:** [March 5, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-change-popup-button-style-depending-on-container-values/4691 "2025-03-05T19:18:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jprinter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jprinter](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jprinter)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-change-popup-button-style-depending-on-container-values/4691/1 "2025-03-05T19:18:50Z")
I've just inserted popover buttons into my Contact Management file, and have a set of checkboxes inside the popup panel. Is there a way to create a visual effect with the popup button if any of the checkboxes inside the popup panel have been checked? If so, what are the steps for setting this up? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![bdbd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/bdbd/32/620_2.png) [@bdbd](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/bdbd)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-change-popup-button-style-depending-on-container-values/4691/2 "2025-03-05T20:30:55Z")
Conditional formatting does the trick. ---
**Author:** ![jprinter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jprinter](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jprinter)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-change-popup-button-style-depending-on-container-values/4691/3 "2025-03-06T17:40:01Z")
Thanks, @bdbd for the conditional formatting suggestions. I've checked out various forums and online instructions for setting up conditional formatting, and tried my hand at it a bit, but haven't yet figured it out. As I understand it, I should: go to layout mode, select the popover button -- which, when double-clicked, produced the panel containing the field with checkboxes -- then select "Conditional Formatting" (for the popover button), and click "Add" to create a new formula. It seems I could either include a formula here or click "Specify..." to include a more complex formula. As I said, I just want to change the popover button _whenever any checkbox has been checked_ for the checkboxes in the popover panel containing the field with checkboxes. Based on that, what formula would one suggest for this? Many thanks! ---
**Author:** ![bdbd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/bdbd/32/620_2.png) [@bdbd](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/bdbd)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-change-popup-button-style-depending-on-container-values/4691/4 "2025-03-06T18:02:21Z")
Single click the popover button. It is the object for which you wish to apply conditional formatting. Conditional formatting requires you create a condition to apply a formatting. Your condition is the calculation you specify in the conditional formatting panel. It must return True (anything but 0 (zero), False or empty) for the formatting to apply. The formatting applies to the text of the object. You decide what formatting to apply. The help text for conditional formatting is [here](https://help.claris.com/en/pro-help/content/conditional-formatting.html). Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![jprinter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jprinter](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jprinter)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2025, 6:43pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-change-popup-button-style-depending-on-container-values/4691/5 "2025-03-06T18:43:22Z")
> [@bdbd](#): > > Single click the popover button. It is the object for which you wish to apply conditional formatting. Done. > [@bdbd](#): > > Conditional formatting requires you create a condition to apply a formatting. Your condition is the calculation you specify in the conditional formatting panel. It must return True (anything but 0 (zero), False or empty) for the formatting to apply. > > The formatting applies to the text of the object. You decide what formatting to apply. Thanks. I've tried to glean what I can from the link you provided (I read through it earlier), though I found the instructions limited -- and didn't see anything that relates to checkboxes. Anyway, I did add a formula, for "Condition" set Formula is, then added "True." That didn't work. So then I clicked "Specify...", selected the Value List associated with the checkbox and then wrote "true" next to it. It didn't work, and it seems like I have to figure out how to put together a more complex formula for the conditional formatting to work. Any other suggestions? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![bdbd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/bdbd/32/620_2.png) [@bdbd](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/bdbd)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-change-popup-button-style-depending-on-container-values/4691/6 "2025-03-06T20:44:50Z")
I want you to learn so I want you to do the troubleshooting. The solution is simple. Let me just add this: you put a field in the popover, not a set of checkboxes. ---
**Author:** ![JasonMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@JasonMark](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/JasonMark)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 2:22am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-change-popup-button-style-depending-on-container-values/4691/7 "2025-03-07T02:22:02Z")
[popover.fmp12.zip](https://the.fmsoup.org/uploads/short-url/gFzXlR7hE1Ku22NE4r94KeiZC16.zip) (85.2 KB) Here's a sample of it in action that you can pick apart and see how the conditional format formulas work. Also, if you're trying to change the icons, not the color you actually need two copies of the buttons and you hide them so only one appears at a time. ---
**Author:** ![Markus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Markus](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Markus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 10:17am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-change-popup-button-style-depending-on-container-values/4691/8 "2025-03-07T10:17:16Z")
Any chance that Your layouts are 'classic' (not one of the newer themes)? There are some limitations with 'classic' (one should get rid of classic, not just because of formatting..) ---
**Author:** ![jprinter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jprinter](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jprinter)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-change-popup-button-style-depending-on-container-values/4691/9 "2025-03-07T16:54:06Z")
Thanks all. Got the answer from a helpful user on the other Filemaker forum. The formula is: `not IsEmpty(your_table::your_checklist_field)` Wouldn't have figured it out without his help...