HTML Button "Push" Effect

Question

i can't figure out what makes an html button element appear to be pushed (right click an html button and then hover on and off to see what i mean).

the following two examples i've taken from other websites. the first has the typical button push effect. the second does not.

.button { 
border:none 0; 
background-color:Transparent; }
.button .l { background:url('img.gif') no-repeat 0 0; 
padding-left:7px;
display:block; 
height:32px; }
.button .c { background:url('img.gif') repeat-x 0 0; 
display:block; 
height:32px; 
padding-top:7px; }
.button .r {
background:url('img.gif') no-repeat right top; 
padding-right:7px; 
display:block; 
height:32px; }

and

.button {
background:#F0F0F0 url(img.gif) repeat-x scroll 0 0;
border:1px solid Black;
color:#333333;
font-size:12px;
height:20px;
padding-left:8px;
padding-right:8px; }

EDIT: @ mr skeet, i want a button that will look the same in all browsers (ie. background image) but still behave like a real html button with the push effect. am i correct in assuming that i'll need javascript for this? and different css for the push state? an example/tutorial would be awesome

Answer 1

Either use

<input type="button" value="Click Me"/>

which will automatically act like a button, or use the :hover and :active CSS pseudo classes to get what you want...

a.likeAButton {
  background-color:#67a0cf;
  border:1px outset #2683cf;
  color:#fff;
  padding:3px 3px 3px 3px;
  margin:1px;
  text-decoration:none;
}
a.likeAButton:hover {
  background-color:#5788af;
  border:1px outset #2683cf;
  color:#fcffdf;
  padding:3px 3px 3px 3px;
  margin:1px;
  text-decoration:none;
}
a.likeAButton:active {
  background-color:#67b4cf;
  border:1px inset #1d659f;
  color:#e0ffaf;
  padding:4px 2px 2px 4px;
  margin:1px;
  text-decoration:none;
}


<a href="somepage.html" class="likeAButton">Fake Button</a>