Change matplotlib Button color when pressed

Question

I'm running an animation using matplotlib's FuncAnimation to display data (live) from a microprocessor. I'm using buttons to send commands to the processor and would like the color of the button to change after being clicked, but I can't find anything in the matplotlib.widgets.button documentation (yet) that achieves this.

class Command:

    def motor(self, event):
    SERIAL['Serial'].write(' ')
    plt.draw()

write = Command()
bmotor = Button(axmotor, 'Motor', color = '0.85', hovercolor = 'g')
bmotor.on_clicked(write.motor)            #Change Button Color Here

Answer 1

In current matplotlib version (1.4.2) 'color' and 'hovercolor' are took into account only when mouse '_motion' event has happened, so the button change color not when you press mouse button, but only when you move mouse afterwards.

Nevertheless, you can change button background manually:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib.widgets import Button
import itertools

button = Button(plt.axes([0.45, 0.45, 0.2, 0.08]), 'Blink!')


def button_click(event):
    button.ax.set_axis_bgcolor('teal')
    button.ax.figure.canvas.draw()

    # Also you can add timeout to restore previous background:
    plt.pause(0.2)
    button.ax.set_axis_bgcolor(button.color)
    button.ax.figure.canvas.draw()


button.on_clicked(button_click)

plt.show()

Answer 2

Just set button.color.

E.g.

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib.widgets import Button
import itertools


fig, ax = plt.subplots()
button = Button(ax, 'Click me!')

colors = itertools.cycle(['red', 'green', 'blue'])

def change_color(event):
    button.color = next(colors)
    # If you want the button's color to change as soon as it's clicked, you'll
    # need to set the hovercolor, as well, as the mouse is still over it
    button.hovercolor = button.color
    fig.canvas.draw()

button.on_clicked(change_color)

plt.show()