Action Buttons

Action Button widgets let DashForge trigger game or tool actions while you drive.

Typical uses:

• pit limiter
• headlights
• wipers
• camera changes
• replay controls
• stream markers
• custom keyboard shortcuts

Requirements

For Windows game control, run DashForge Bridge and enable its command listener.

Default command port:

8765

Telemetry and commands use different ports. Do not send Bridge commands to the UDP telemetry port.

Command Types

Type	Use it when
Keyboard	The game accepts keyboard shortcuts
Mouse	You need click or pointer actions
Win32	The game needs Windows virtual-key messages
Gamepad	Reserved for future Bridge support; not currently executed

For most games, start with Keyboard. Use Win32 only when keyboard simulation is not accepted by the game.

What Goes In Code

Examples:

Goal	Type	Code
Press F8	Keyboard	F8
Press Ctrl+P	Keyboard	CTRL+P
Left click	Mouse	LeftButton
Right click	Mouse	RightButton
Send virtual-key F1	Win32	F1, 0x70, or 112

Gamepad command packets are accepted by the protocol for future compatibility, but DashForge Bridge does not currently emulate a virtual gamepad. For true gamepad behavior, use external USB HID hardware or a separate virtual controller driver layer.

Button Box Skins

Action Button widgets can be styled like a small button box panel instead of a plain dashboard pill.

Open the widget settings and use Skin:

Skin	Best for
Capsule	Compact dashboard actions such as record, UDP, or quick commands.
Push Button	Momentary controls such as flash, radio, camera, marker, or horn.
On / Off	Toggle-like controls where you want clear ON and OFF states.
Start Engine	Large start/ignition style buttons.
Rocker	Up/down style controls, mode switches, or two-state cockpit toggles.
Toggle Lever	A more realistic physical switch visual for button boxes.

Use Active color and Idle color to match your cockpit theme. Common patterns:

Use case	Suggested skin	Suggested colors
Ignition / start	Start Engine	Mint active, white idle
Pit limiter	On / Off	Mint active, red idle
Wipers / lights	Toggle Lever	Cyan active, white idle
Brake bias / menu up-down	Rocker	Cyan active, orange idle

For Bridge commands, toggle-style skins keep a local visual state after each press. The Bridge does not report the real in-game state back to DashForge, so the switch position is visual only and can reset when the dashboard is reloaded.

Label Placement

The Label setting controls where the title/status appears relative to the button skin:

Placement	Result
Auto	Uses the default placement designed for the selected skin.
Left	Label before the button.
Right	Label after the button.
Top	Label above the button.
Bottom	Label below the button.

Use Auto for existing dashboards and switch to a fixed placement when building a grid of button-box controls.

For the full command reference, see Game Control and Hardware Overview.