How to verify background (css) image was loaded?

@Jamie Dixon - he didn't say he wanted to do anything with the background image, just know when it's loaded...

$(function( )
{
    var a = new Image;
    a.onload = function( ){ /* do whatever */ };
    a.src = $( 'body' ).css( 'background-image' );
});

The only way I know of to do this is to load the image using Javascript, and then set that image as the backgroud.

For example:

var bgImg = new Image();
bgImg.onload = function(){
   myDiv.style.backgroundImage = 'url(' + bgImg.src + ')';
};
bgImg.src = imageLocation;

This article may help you. Relevant section:

// Once the document is loaded, check to see if the
// image has loaded.
$(
    function(){
        var jImg = $( "img:first" );

        // Alert the image "complete" flag using the
        // attr() method as well as the DOM property.
        alert(
            "attr(): " +
            jImg.attr( "complete" ) + "\n\n" +

            ".complete: " +
            jImg[ 0 ].complete + "\n\n" +

            "getAttribute(): " +
            jImg[ 0 ].getAttribute( "complete" )
        );
    }
);

Basically select the background-image and do the check to see it's loaded.

Give the class to a div with visibility:hidden at the initial page load. That way, it'll already be in the browser cache when you assign the class to your table cell.