Change cursor image

[Davve]

How do you change the cursor image to an image from the project resources?

The methods I have found either don't work or only change the image within the form, and reverts back to default when the mouse leaves the window.

[.paul.]

you can use the SetSystemCursor api:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/For...a-ad65de753b86

[Davve]

you can use the SetSystemCursor api:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/For...a-ad65de753b86

How exactly do I use that? Can you give an example of changing the cursor to curs.ico and then back to the default again?

[.paul.]

ok. upload curs.ico + i'll write an example

[Davve]

http://www.mediafire.com/?gmbag8g9zjouq91

[.paul.]

i couldn't use your .ico file.
i've attached the file i used at the end of this post.
be careful using this code as it's difficult to restore you standard arrow cursor:

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
 
Public Class Form1
 
    <DllImport("user32.dll")> _
    Friend Shared Function SetSystemCursor(ByVal hCursor As IntPtr, ByVal id As UInteger) As Boolean
    End Function
 
    <DllImport("user32.dll")> _
    Friend Shared Function LoadCursor(ByVal hInstance As IntPtr, ByVal id As UInteger) As IntPtr
    End Function
 
    Public Const OCR_CROSS As UInteger = 32515
    Public Const OCR_WAIT As UInteger = 32514
    Public Const IDC_ARROW As UInteger = 32512
 
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim b As New Bitmap("C:\Users\Paul\Desktop\picker.png")
        b.MakeTransparent(Color.White)
        Dim c As Cursor = create.CreateCursor(b, 0, b.Height)
        SetSystemCursor(c.Handle, IDC_ARROW)
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Dim currentDefaultCursor As New Cursor("C:\Windows\Cursors\arrow_i.cur")
        SetSystemCursor(currentDefaultCursor.Handle, IDC_ARROW)
    End Sub
 
End Class

Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.drawing
''' <summary>
''' contains API + local functions for creating
''' a cursor from a bitmap on the fly
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Class create
 
#Region "   CreateIconIndirect"
 
    Private Structure IconInfo
        Public fIcon As Boolean
        Public xHotspot As Int32
        Public yHotspot As Int32
        Public hbmMask As IntPtr
        Public hbmColor As IntPtr
    End Structure
 
    <DllImport("user32.dll", EntryPoint:="CreateIconIndirect")> _
    Private Shared Function CreateIconIndirect(ByVal iconInfo As IntPtr) As IntPtr
    End Function
 
    <DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
    Public Shared Function DestroyIcon(ByVal handle As IntPtr) As Boolean
    End Function
 
    <DllImport("gdi32.dll")> _
    Public Shared Function DeleteObject(ByVal hObject As IntPtr) As Boolean
    End Function
 
    ''' <summary>
    ''' CreateCursor
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <param name="bmp"></param>
    ''' <returns>custom Cursor</returns>
    ''' <remarks>creates a custom cursor from a bitmap</remarks>
    Public Shared Function CreateCursor(ByVal bmp As Bitmap, ByVal xHotspot As Integer, ByVal yHotspot As Integer) As Cursor
        'Setup the Cursors IconInfo
        Dim tmp As New IconInfo
        tmp.xHotspot = xHotspot
        tmp.yHotspot = yHotspot
        tmp.fIcon = False
        tmp.hbmMask = bmp.GetHbitmap()
        tmp.hbmColor = bmp.GetHbitmap()
 
        'Create the Pointer for the Cursor Icon
        Dim pnt As IntPtr = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(Marshal.SizeOf(tmp))
        Marshal.StructureToPtr(tmp, pnt, True)
        Dim curPtr As IntPtr = CreateIconIndirect(pnt)
 
        'Clean Up
        DestroyIcon(pnt)
        DeleteObject(tmp.hbmMask)
        DeleteObject(tmp.hbmColor)
 
        Return New Cursor(curPtr)
    End Function
 
#End Region
 
End Class

[Davve]

How do I change it to an image from the resources, rather than "C:\Users\Paul\Desktop\picker.png"?

[.paul.]

if that image is the 1 you uploaded you won't be able to use it.

Dim b As Bitmap = my.resources.[resourceName]

[Davve]

It works, but it doesn't revert back to the default cursor, instead it turns it into one with a negative color.

[.paul.]

i warned you about that

as i said i couldn't find the original cursor that was changed + the black cursor is what i could find

[.paul.]

to restore your cursor, go to control panel + search for cursor
vb.net doesn't appear to be able to use aero cursors

[Davve]

Nevermind then... Guess I'll have to do without changing the cursor.

[Edgemeal]

i warned you about that

as i said i couldn't find the original cursor that was changed + the black cursor is what i could find

This seems to work for me in XP32, got the idea from vb6 code on vbhelper.com.

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices

Public Class Form1
    Private old_cursor As IntPtr

    Private Declare Function GetCursor Lib "user32.dll" () As IntPtr

    <DllImport("user32.dll")> _
    Public Shared Function CopyIcon(ByVal hIcon As IntPtr) As IntPtr
    End Function

    <DllImport("user32.dll")> _
    Friend Shared Function SetSystemCursor(ByVal hCursor As IntPtr, ByVal id As UInteger) As Boolean
    End Function

    Public Const IDC_ARROW As UInteger = 32512

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        old_cursor = GetCursor()
        old_cursor = CopyIcon(old_cursor)
        '
        Dim b As New Bitmap("R:\picker.png") ' our image
        b.MakeTransparent(Color.White)
        Dim c As Cursor = create.CreateCursor(b, 0, b.Height)
        SetSystemCursor(c.Handle, IDC_ARROW)
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        SetSystemCursor(old_cursor, IDC_ARROW)
    End Sub

End Class

[.paul.]

@EdgeMeal. good find. that works in win7 too.

[Edgemeal]

@EdgeMeal. good find. that works in win7 too.

Good to know, thanks.