How to Use Operating System Styles in CSS
One of the lesser-known features of CSS2.1 is the ability to define fonts and colors that are in use by the underlying Operating System theme. This can be useful in situations when you require tighter OS integration, e.g. HTML help files, Adobe AIR or perhaps offline web applications.
Before we begin, there are a few caveats:
- Do not rely on these properties working in all OS/browser combinations. If your application must work in Opera on BeOS, then I’d recommend you test it first!
- The properties have been deprecated in CSS3 in favor of the appearance value type (although browser support is extremely limited at this time).
- There is nothing to prevent the user defining unusual, clashing, or ugly color schemes in their OS. Pages will reflect their choices — not your designer’s.
System Fonts
System fonts are assigned using the ‘font’ property. Note that the family, size, and style are all assigned as appropriate, e.g.
body
{
font: caption;
}
The following font values are available. The ‘Example’ column shows the current font set by your OS.
Property | Description | Example |
---|---|---|
caption | Controls font (buttons, drop-downs, etc.) | ABC abc 123 |
icon | Icon label font | ABC abc 123 |
menu | Menu font | ABC abc 123 |
message-box | Dialog box font | ABC abc 123 |
small-caption | Small control labels | ABC abc 123 |
status-bar | Status bar font | ABC abc 123 |
System Colors
System colors can be assigned to to any property that expects a color value, e.g.
body
{
color: WindowText;
background-color: Window;
border: 2px solid ActiveBorder;
}
The following color values are available. They are shown in CamelCase for legibility, but any casing is valid. The ‘Example’ column shows the color set by your OS.
Property | Description | Example |
---|---|---|
ActiveBorder | Active window border | |
ActiveCaption | Active window caption | |
AppWorkspace | Background color of multiple document interface | |
Background | Desktop background | |
ButtonFace | Face color for 3D display elements | |
ButtonHighlight | Dark shadow for 3D display elements (facing away from light) | |
ButtonShadow | Shadow color for 3D display elements | |
ButtonText | Text on push buttons | |
CaptionText | Text in caption, size box, and scrollbar arrow box | |
GrayText | Grayed (disabled) text (#000 if not supported by OS) | |
Highlight | Item(s) selected in a control | |
HighlightText | Text of item(s) selected in a control | |
InactiveBorder | Inactive window border | |
InactiveCaption | Inactive window caption | |
InactiveCaptionText | Color of text in an inactive caption | |
InfoBackground | Background color for tooltip controls | |
InfoText | Text color for tooltip controls | |
Menu | Menu background | |
MenuText | Text in menus | |
Scrollbar | Scroll bar gray area | |
ThreeDDarkShadow | Dark shadow for 3D display elements | |
ThreeDFace | Face color for 3D display elements | |
ThreeDHighlight | Highlight color for 3D display elements | |
ThreeDLightShadow | Light color for 3D display elements (facing the light) | |
ThreeDShadow | Dark shadow for 3D display elements | |
Window | Window background | |
WindowFrame | Window frame | |
WindowText | Text in windows |
Would these properties be useful in your next project?