Copyright: Copyright ® 1993 Aristosoft, Inc.


Color Cursors

Color Cursors lets you use large, multicolored, animated cursors with any Windows-compatible color display.

Using Color Cursors

Capturing Cursors

Options

Troubleshooting and Compatibility


Using Color Cursors

The Color Cursors window lets you specify which color cursor to use instead of an old, monochrome cursor.  This process is called "colorizing" a cursor, only in this case we think colorizing actually is an improvement!

To specify a color cursor:

o	Select the pointer you'd like to change in the Normal Pointer list .  If the pointer you want to colorize does not appear in the list, you can capture it first.

o	Select the color cursor you want to use in its place from the list in the Color Cursor box.

You can test how the cursor appears by positioning it over the title bar of the Color Cursors window.

To return a pointer to its uncolored appearance:

o	Select the pointer in the Normal Pointer list

o	Select the dull, monochrome, normal-looking pointer from the Color Cursor list.  It will always be the first one in the list.

To save the Color Cursor settings:

o	Press OK.

To cancel all changes made since the last time settings were saved:

o	Press Cancel.

To turn off Color Cursors and return to your previously scheduled black-and-white cursors:

o	Press Exit.


Capturing Cursors

Color Cursors allows you to capture the monochrome cursors from other applications.  When you capture a cursor, you add its description to the list of normal cursors.  You can then colorize it as you would any of the standard built-in cursors.

To capture a cursor:

o	Perform whatever actions are required to display the cursor you want to capture.  For instance, you may have to select a special tool in a paint program to see its cursor.

o	Press the capture hot key.  You can view and change this in Options.

o	A dialog will appear asking you to describe the cursor.  This description will appear in the list of pointers.  If the displayed cursor is not the one you want to capture, press Cancel.  Otherwise, press OK.

o	You can then use Color Cursors to colorize this cursor


Options

Color Cursors allows you cho choose several options to customize its behavior.  The Options... button allows access to the various options described below.

To enable the use of the color palette:

o	Check the "Use palette" option.  This will allow some cursors to be displayed more colorfully.  However, if you use other applications which affect the palette, the cursors could become quite discolored!  You may want to experiment with this setting to see how it works on your system.

To hide the monochrome cursor:

o	Check the "Hide mono cursor" option.   Some displays, especially those which pan the display as you move the mouse, may require this option be selected.  It is recommended that you try using Color Cursors with it unchecked first, then check it if your system doesn't work correctly with it.

To set the capture hot key:

o	Activate the Capture hot key control, either by tabbing to it or clicking on it with the mouse.  Then, press a key or mouse button, optionally with the shift, control, or alt key held down.  Not all key sequences can be used as the hot key.

To set the sleep cursor delay:

o	Enter the desired amount of time you want the system to be inactive before the snooze cursor is selected.  This cursor will drift across the screen until system activity resumes.  The snooze cursor is the giant Z, and can be colorized like other cursors.  A delay of 0 will disable the sleep cursor.

To automatically load Color Cursors when you start Windows:

o	Press the Autoload button.  This will insert a copy of the Color Cursors icon into your Startup group.

To stop automatically loading Color Cursors when you start Windows:

o	Press the Don't load button.  This will remove the Color Cursors icon from your Startup group.


Troubleshooting and Compatibility

Color Cursors has been tested on a wide variety of display hardware and with a number of different drivers.  Since there are hundreds of display cards for Windows, and often a dozen drivers for each card, it is possible you may encounter problems using Color Cursors.

If possible, you should use one of the standard Windows 3.1 drivers which is included with your Windows 3.1 disks.  We've found these drivers to be more compatible and stable in general than many 3rd party drivers, and we have tested Color Cursors with them the most.  The VGA and SuperVGA drivers work with nearly all computers.  Some higher-end cards, such as ATI cards, can use the 8514/a drivers.

It is possible that your Windows colors may appear a bit differently with Color Cursors installed.

You may want to use the drivers which come with your display card to allow support for more colors or resolution.  If so, make sure you have the latest version available.  If you still experience problems, contact Aristosoft technical support.  We will do our best to make sure Color Cursors works with your machine, but we can do it only with your help.