diff --git a/src/main.c3 b/src/main.c3
index 42f38a9..2a1a5d9 100644
--- a/src/main.c3
+++ b/src/main.c3
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ fn int main(String[] args)
 		ui.div_begin("main", ugui::Rect{.w=ui.width/2})!!;
 		{|
 
-			ui.layout_set_row()!!;
+			ui.layout_set_column()!!;
 			if (ui.button("button0", ugui::Rect{0,0,30,30}, toggle)!!.mouse_press) {
 				io::printn("press button0");
 				toggle = !toggle;
diff --git a/src/ugui_button.c3 b/src/ugui_button.c3
index e1d9fb6..598389a 100644
--- a/src/ugui_button.c3
+++ b/src/ugui_button.c3
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ import std::io;
 
 // button element
 struct ElemButton {
-	Color color;
-	bool active;
+	int filler;
 }
 
 // draw a button, return the events on that button
@@ -20,7 +19,6 @@ fn ElemEvents! Ctx.button(&ctx, String label, Rect size, bool state = false)
 
 	if (elem.flags.is_new) {
 		elem.type = ETYPE_BUTTON;
-		elem.button.color = uint_to_rgba(0x0000ffff);
 	} else if (elem.type != ETYPE_BUTTON) {
 		return UgError.WRONG_ELEMENT_TYPE?;
 	}
@@ -31,22 +29,16 @@ fn ElemEvents! Ctx.button(&ctx, String label, Rect size, bool state = false)
 	//  no interaction should occur so just return
 	if (elem.bounds.is_null()) { return ElemEvents{}; }
 
+	Color col = uint_to_rgba(0x0000ffff);
 	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
-	if (elem.events.mouse_hover) {
-		if (parent.flags.has_focus) {
-			elem.flags.has_focus = true;
-			elem.button.color = uint_to_rgba(0x00ff00ff);
-		}
-	} else {
-		elem.button.color = uint_to_rgba(0x0000ffff);
-	}
-
 	if (state) {
-		elem.button.color = uint_to_rgba(0xff00ffff);
+		col = uint_to_rgba(0xff0000ff);
+	} else if (ctx.elem_focus(elem) || elem.events.mouse_hover) {
+		col = uint_to_rgba(0xff00ffff);
 	}
 
 	// Draw the button
-	ctx.push_rect(elem.bounds, elem.button.color, do_border: true, do_radius: true)!;
+	ctx.push_rect(elem.bounds, col, do_border: true, do_radius: true)!;
 
 	return elem.events;
 }
diff --git a/src/ugui_core.c3 b/src/ugui_core.c3
index 0a34627..065af5d 100644
--- a/src/ugui_core.c3
+++ b/src/ugui_core.c3
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@ enum ElemType {
 
 bitstruct ElemFlags : uint {
 	bool updated : 0;
-	bool has_focus : 1;
-	bool is_new : 2;
+	bool is_new : 1;
 }
 
 bitstruct ElemEvents : uint {
@@ -134,6 +133,9 @@ struct Ctx {
 		}
 	}
 
+	Id hover_id;
+	Id focus_id;
+
 	Rect div_scissor; // the current div bounds used for scissor test
 	isz active_div; // tree node indicating the current active div
 }
@@ -195,13 +197,15 @@ macro Ctx.get_elem(&ctx, Id id)
 	return elem;
 }
 
+// FIXME: Since ids are now keyed with the element's parent id, this function does not work
+//        outside of the element's div block.
 // this searches an element in the cache by label, it does not create a new element
 // if it does't find one
-macro Ctx.get_elem_by_label(&ctx, String label)
-{
-	Id id = label.hash();
-	return ctx.cache.search(id);
-}
+//macro Ctx.get_elem_by_label(&ctx, String label)
+//{
+//	Id id = ctx.get_id(label);
+//	return ctx.cache.search(id);
+//}
 
 macro Ctx.get_elem_by_tree_idx(&ctx, isz idx) @private
 {
@@ -252,7 +256,7 @@ fn void! Ctx.frame_begin(&ctx)
 	// if the window has focus then the root element also has focus, no other
 	// computation needed, child elements need to check the mouse positon and
 	// other stuff
-	elem.flags.has_focus = ctx.has_focus;
+	//elem.flags.has_focus = ctx.has_focus;
 
 	Elem def_root = {
 		.id = ROOT_ID,
@@ -317,8 +321,39 @@ $endif
 
 <*
  * @ensure elem != null
- *>
-fn bool Ctx.is_hovered(&ctx, Elem *elem)
+*>
+macro bool Ctx.is_hovered(&ctx, Elem *elem)
 {
 	return point_in_rect(ctx.input.mouse.pos, elem.bounds);
 }
+
+macro bool Ctx.elem_focus(&ctx, Elem *elem)
+{
+	return ctx.focus_id == elem.id;
+}
+
+// TODO: add other events
+// FIXME: this does not work with touch
+macro ElemEvents Ctx.get_elem_events(&ctx, Elem *elem)
+{
+	//io::printfn("id %x, focus id %x", elem.id, ctx.focus_id);
+	
+	bool hover = ctx.is_hovered(elem);
+	bool focus = ctx.focus_id == elem.id || (hover && ctx.is_mouse_pressed(BTN_LEFT));
+
+	if (hover) {
+		ctx.hover_id = elem.id;
+	}
+	if (focus) {
+		ctx.focus_id = elem.id;
+	}
+	
+	ElemEvents ev = {
+		.mouse_hover = hover,
+		.mouse_press = hover && focus && ctx.is_mouse_pressed(BTN_ANY),
+		.mouse_release = hover && focus && ctx.is_mouse_released(BTN_ANY),
+		.mouse_hold = hover && focus && ctx.is_mouse_down(BTN_ANY),
+	};
+	return ev;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/ugui_div.c3 b/src/ugui_div.c3
index 9647a84..a59d37d 100644
--- a/src/ugui_div.c3
+++ b/src/ugui_div.c3
@@ -23,9 +23,6 @@ struct ElemDiv {
 	Rect children_bounds; // current frame children bounds
 	Rect pcb; // previous frame children bounds
 	Point origin_r, origin_c;
-	// the id of the active element, this field is set and reset by the elements themselves and it is
-	// used to keep track of which element should handle some input events between frames
-	Id active_id;
 }
 
 fn void! Ctx.div_begin(&ctx, String label, Rect size, bool scroll_x = false, bool scroll_y = false)
@@ -71,13 +68,6 @@ fn void! Ctx.div_begin(&ctx, String label, Rect size, bool scroll_x = false, boo
 
 	// TODO: check active
 	// TODO: check resizeable
-
-	if (parent.flags.has_focus) {
-		if (point_in_rect(ctx.input.mouse.pos, elem.bounds)) {
-			elem.flags.has_focus = true;
-		}
-	}
-
 }
 
 fn void! Ctx.div_end(&ctx)
@@ -87,7 +77,9 @@ fn void! Ctx.div_end(&ctx)
 	Elem* elem = ctx.get_elem_by_tree_idx(ctx.active_div)!;
 	elem.div.pcb = elem.div.children_bounds;
 
-	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
+	// FIXME: this causes all elements inside the div to loose focus since the mouse press happens
+	//        both inside the element and inside the div bounds
+	//elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 	
 	Rect cb = elem.div.pcb;
 	// children bounds bottom-right corner
diff --git a/src/ugui_input.c3 b/src/ugui_input.c3
index 0c4421e..a82240b 100644
--- a/src/ugui_input.c3
+++ b/src/ugui_input.c3
@@ -59,20 +59,6 @@ macro Ctx.is_mouse_pressed(&ctx, MouseButtons btn) => (ctx.mouse_pressed() & btn
 macro Ctx.is_mouse_released(&ctx, MouseButtons btn) => (ctx.mouse_released() & btn) != BTN_NONE;
 macro Ctx.is_mouse_down(&ctx, MouseButtons btn) => (ctx.mouse_down() & btn) != BTN_NONE;
 
-macro ElemEvents Ctx.get_elem_events(&ctx, Elem *elem)
-{
-	// TODO: add the other events
-	// FIXME: active should be elsewhere
-	bool active = ctx.is_hovered(elem);
-	ElemEvents ev = {
-		.mouse_hover = ctx.is_hovered(elem),
-		.mouse_press = active & ctx.is_mouse_pressed(BTN_ANY),
-		.mouse_release = active & ctx.is_mouse_released(BTN_ANY),
-		.mouse_hold = active & ctx.is_mouse_down(BTN_ANY),
-	};
-	return ev;
-}
-
 // Mouse Button moved
 fn void Ctx.input_mouse_button(&ctx, MouseButtons buttons)
 {
diff --git a/src/ugui_slider.c3 b/src/ugui_slider.c3
index 81671db..e078103 100644
--- a/src/ugui_slider.c3
+++ b/src/ugui_slider.c3
@@ -54,8 +54,7 @@ fn ElemEvents! Ctx.slider_hor(&ctx,
 	Point m = ctx.input.mouse.pos;
 	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 	
-	if (parent.flags.has_focus && elem.events.mouse_hover &&
-	    point_in_rect(m, handle) && elem.events.mouse_hold) {
+	if (ctx.elem_focus(elem) && elem.events.mouse_hold) {
 		*value = calc_value(elem.bounds.x, m.x, elem.bounds.w, hw);
 		elem.slider.handle.x = calc_slider(elem.bounds.x, elem.bounds.w-hw, *value);
 		elem.events.update = true;
@@ -117,10 +116,8 @@ fn ElemEvents! Ctx.slider_ver(&ctx,
 
 	Point m = ctx.input.mouse.pos;
 	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
-	
-	if (parent.flags.has_focus && elem.events.mouse_hover &&
-	    point_in_rect(m, handle) &&
-	    elem.events.mouse_hold) {
+
+	if (ctx.elem_focus(elem) && elem.events.mouse_hold) {
 		*value = calc_value(elem.bounds.y, m.y, elem.bounds.h, hh);
 		elem.slider.handle.y = calc_slider(elem.bounds.y, elem.bounds.h-hh, *value);
 		elem.events.update = true;