How to use Buttons to run alternate Manipulate functions

Question

I wish to use Buttons to trigger alternate Manipulates.

According to the documentation: "The first argument to Button is the label" ....and the "second argument is the function that will evaluate when you click the button." (source: https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/IntroductionToControlObjects.html

Here is simple code which works and runs a Manipulate

Remove[a, b, ma, mb]
ma[a_, b_] := a^2 + b
Manipulate[ma[a, b], {{a, 1}, 0, 5}, {{b, 1}, 0, 5}]      

And here is modified example which SHOULD work via button according to the documentation (unless Manipulate is not in fact a function!). This code does NOT work.

Remove[a, b, ma, mb]
ma[a_, b_] := a^2 + b
Button["Crazy Dead Button",Manipulate[ma[a, b], {{a, 1}, 0, 5}, {{b, 1}, 0, 5}]]  

The documentation is leading me astray. Only some functions can be triggered this way I guess. But why not, and what is easiest way to fix the code?

Answer 1

There are two issues here. The first one can be explained easily because you simply forgot that your button needs to do something. Just evaluating your Manipulate is not going to do what you like, because you need to see it on screen when you want to interact with it. Therefore, you need to Print or CellPrint your Manipulate.

The second issue arises when you use a button, which is a dynamic object to create another dynamic object. Both rely on the same infrastructure and you need to be careful. The whole story behind this is too long to be explained here but a good start is the advanced dynamic tutorial in the documentation. Nevertheless, two solutions as posted in the comments by kguler and Bob

Button["Crazy Dead Button", Print@Manipulate[ma[a, b], {{a, 1}, 0, 5},
  {{b, 1}, 0, 5}], Method -> "Queued"]

Button["Crazy Dead Button", CellPrint[Manipulate[ma[a, b], 
  {{a, 1}, 0, 5, Appearance -> "Labeled"}, {{b, 1}, 0, 5, 
  Appearance -> "Labeled"}]]]