The Window Manager Changing The Pointer

Programmer's Reference Manuals

» Part 7 - The Desktop?

» The Window Manager

» Technical Details

» Changing the Pointer

Overview

The Wimp allows for applications to change the mouse pointer via Wimp_SpriteOp where R0=&24 (36). The Wimp achieves this by transforming (and scaling if necessary) a sprite.

Sprites used for a pointer should have a suffix of ‘ptr_’. e.g. the standard arrow shape is named ptr_default.

Applications should only change the mouse pointer when it is within the work area of one of its windows.

Note: Each sprite should have its own palette.

Notification

The Wimp provides two event codes for applications to know when the pointer enters and leaves a window. This allows applications to change the pointer between entering and leaving a window.

Tasks should also respond to the Message_ModeChange event code because the Wimp resets the pointer to its default shape upon a screen-mode change. In other words, if a pointer is over an application window when a screen-mode change occurs, it the responsibility of the application to ensure that the correct mouse pointer is used.