1.42.2 Send methods

cursor ->initialise: name=name*, image=[image|animation], hot_spot=[point]

This method takes two forms. If only a name is specified, this should be a name of a cursor that is predefined in @cursor_names. This provides access to the SDL predefined cursors. See the demo program Cursors for the available predefined cursors. A typical usage is:

send(DebugIcon, cursor, not_allowed).

The predefined cursor none hides the pointer while it is over the graphical, for example in the field of a game that is played with the keyboard.

In its second form it allows the user the define a cursor. Such a cursor consists of:

cursor<-name	Name for reference (see cursor<-lookup).
cursor<-image	Image object describing the image.
cursor<-hot_spot	Position of the pointer in the image.
cursor<-foreground	Colour for the _1_-s in cursor<-image
cursor<-background	Colour for the _0_-s in cursor<-image

cursor<-image must be specified. cursor<-hot_spot defaults to image <-hot_spot', or otherwise to point(0,0). Images loaded from a Windows cursor file (.cur`) have the hot spot of the file.

cursor<-image may also be an animation, e.g., loaded from a Windows animated cursor (.ani) or an animated PNG or GIF. The hot spot then defaults to that of its first frame:

send(Window, cursor, cursor(busy, animation('busy.ani'))).

Whether the cursor is animated depends on the platform. Both colours default to the fore- and background colours of the display on which the cursor is opened and often need not be specified.

If the cursor has a cursor<-name, it is locked using object->protect. Otherwise the livetime of the cursor object follows the normal rules.