Creating Custom-shaped Buttons

I'm looking for suggestions for creating a series of custom-shaped buttons that will control DZV on my dashboard.

Each button will have various behavior and include specific elements:

1. On click, the appropriate DZV opens
2. On click, the background color of the button changes
3. On click, the font color changes
4. Additionally, each button will include a color circle which I can control through calculations

Attempt #1: Custom Shape

I created a custom shape which looked fine on the screen. I used an ASCII circle with the Zone name to get a refined view.

Issue: Neighboring tabs cannot be selected-- this is because (despite the image looking like a long rectangle with a rounded end), Tableau is plotting it as a square. This means many tab selections cannot be clicked on. (see workbook)

Attempt #2: Building Shape with Circle and Bar

I tried to build the image using a dual-axis circle and bar.

Issue: The bar width and circle diameter must be precise or the element looks awkward. Any way to make sure this is always the case?

Additionally, it would be better if, on hover, the whole element is highlighted, rather than just the rectangle or circle. I'm not too worried about this, though.

Attempt #3: Individual Worksheets per Tab

I thought I could skirt this by creating individual worksheets per tab....

Issue: This is a lot of work-- would be much easier if a single worksheet included them all. Perhaps more importantly, this method did not allow me to "smush" the images close enough together when I dropped them in a container. Additionally, it requires that the shape on every worksheet be identically sized. If one is off, they all look odd.

Suggestions? Right now, #2 is my best option.

Michael Hesser (Tableau Forum Ambassador)

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