how to change color of a button

[Thaddy]

Good question, why does the button component have a color property if you can't change it?

It is simply a limitation of the underlying Windows API control. but yes, that property should be hidden on Windows. I already mentioned the alternatives..

[Ten_Mile_Hike]

Good question, why does the button component have a color property if you can't change it?

Because (IIRC) TButton can be assigned colors under Linux, but not windows

[Handoko]

Good question, why does the button component have a color property if you can't change it?

You can, if you're using Linux. As others already said, changing button color is OS depended behavior. You can know it from the "Restricted" tab in your Object Inspector.

[Joanna]

Don’t use tbutton    Use tcdbutton in customdrawncontrols 

[DreamVB]

I use a one of the opensource Button components, or you could even use a panel and change its bevel state, or if you want to be creative create your own button.

[Joanna]

A panel will not give the program user the feedback of having clicked something though... which is probably why buttons were invented.

[KodeZwerg]

A panel will not give the program user the feedback of having clicked something though... which is probably why buttons were invented.

Then you have missed playing with events I assume.
Exemplary:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. unit Unit1;
2.  
3. {$mode objfpc}{$H+}
4.  
5. interface
6.  
7. uses
8.   Classes, SysUtils, Forms, Controls, Graphics, Dialogs, ExtCtrls;
9.  
10. type
11.  
12.   { TForm1 }
13.  
14.   TForm1 = class(TForm)
15.     Panel1: TPanel;
16.     procedure Panel1MouseEnter(Sender: TObject);
17.     procedure Panel1MouseLeave(Sender: TObject);
18.     procedure Panel1MouseDown(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
19.       Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
20.     procedure Panel1MouseUp(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
21.       Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
22.   private
23.  
24.   public
25.  
26.   end;
27.  
28. var
29.   Form1: TForm1;
30.  
31. implementation
32.  
33. {$R *.lfm}
34.  
35. { TForm1 }
36.  
37. procedure TForm1.Panel1MouseEnter(Sender: TObject);
38. begin
39.   Panel1.BorderStyle := bsSingle;
40. end;
41.  
42. procedure TForm1.Panel1MouseLeave(Sender: TObject);
43. begin
44.   Panel1.BorderStyle := bsNone;
45. end;
46.  
47. procedure TForm1.Panel1MouseDown(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
48.   Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
49. begin
50.   Panel1.BevelOuter := bvLowered;
51. end;
52.  
53. procedure TForm1.Panel1MouseUp(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
54.   Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
55. begin
56.   Panel1.BevelOuter := bvRaised;
57. end;
58.  
59. end.

[Joanna]

Why go to such lengths to avoid using a real button though?

[kwyan]

I use speed button, TSpeedButton. All you need to do is to set the button's property:

Flat is true
Transparent is false

Then you can set background colour and font colour as you like.

[KodeZwerg]

Why go to such lengths to avoid using a real button though?

Just because you said:

A panel will not give the program user the feedback of having clicked something though... which is probably why buttons were invented.

And I showed that you are wrong. At least in my humble opinion.

[lainz]

Use BGRAControls, attached screenshots of TBCButton and TBCImageButton.