A button's state can be characterized by its focus state, push state, and check state. The focus state applies to a check box, radio button, or push button. A button receives the keyboard focus when the user selects it and loses the focus when the user selects another control. Only one control can have the keyboard focus at a time.
The push state applies to a push button, check box, radio button, or three-state check box, but does not apply to other buttons. The push state of a button can be either pushed or not pushed. When a push button is pushed, the button is drawn as a sunken button. When it is not pushed, it is drawn as a raised button. When a check box, radio button, or three-state check box is pushed, the background of the button appears dimmed. When it is not pushed, the background of the button does not appear dimmed.
The check state applies to a check box, radio button, or three-state check box, but does not apply to other buttons. The state can be checked, unchecked, or indeterminate; the latter state applies only to three-state check boxes. A check box is checked when it contains a check mark, and is unchecked when it does not. A radio button is checked when it contains a black dot and it is unchecked when it does not. A three-state check box is checked when it contains a check mark, unchecked when it does not, and indeterminate when it contains a box that appears dimmed. Windows CE changes the check state of an automatic button, but the application must change the check state of a button that is not automatic.