That white knob is the timer dial. All automatic, just push one of the buttons, no need to turn the cycle knob to start dishwasher. Only time knob adjustment is needed if one wanted to use Plate Warmer or repeat a portion of the cycle.
<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;">Those buttons look as though they have hardly been pressed. Usually on a machine this age they show some where. I wonder if that means this is a low use machine. He says he's never tried to run it. Really? I couldn't do that. I'd have to press one of those buttons to see what happens!!</span>