PRB: Using Color Cursors in a Visual Basic Application (267849)

MORE INFORMATION

The Resource file can be created with the Visual Basic 6.0 Resource Editor Add-In, and the cursor files can be created with the ImagEdit.exe tool included with Visual Basic 6.0. The ImagEdit.exe tool is located on Disk 1 of Visual Basic, Disk 2 of Microsoft Visual Studio Professional, or Disk 3 of Microsoft Visual Studio Enterprise in the following folder:

   \Common\Tools\Vb\Imagedit
				

This tool also allows you to set the Hot Spot for the cursor, which determines the exact point of the image for purposes of clicking, MouseOver event, and so forth. When you have the cursor file open, you should have an icon that looks like an arrow with lines emanating from the tip in the lower-right of the Toolbox. When you click on this icon to select it and then click on the image where you want the hot spot to be, you see the coordinates listed in the Toolbar where it says "Hotspot."

Step-by-Step Example of Loading Color Cursors from a Resource File

1. Start a Standard EXE project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.
2. On the Add-Ins menu, click to select Add-In Manager. From the list of Add-Ins, click to select VB 6 Resource Editor, check Loaded/Unloaded in the lower-right of the dialog box, and then click OK.
3. On the Project menu, click to select Add New Resource File. In the Open dialog box, type ColorCursors.res for FileName, and then click OK. Click OK again on the dialog box that asks to create this file.
4. On the Properties window, expand Related Documents, and double-click on ColorCursors.res to open the file in the Resource Editor.
5. On the Toolbar, click on the button that looks like an arrow pointer over an hourglass (the Tooltip displays Add cursor...)
6. In the Open dialog box, navigate to the Cursors folder and select a color cursor. By default, Visual Basic creates this folder at this location:

   C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\Common\Graphics\Cursors\

   If you are unable to locate this folder it is probably because these graphics were not installed. Either use four other cursors, create four cursors using the ImagEdit.exe tool, or follow instructions in "Steps to Install the Visual Studio Graphics Files" later.
7. Add three more color cursors in this same way. Note that these are numbered 101 - 104 in the editor. This is the Resource ID. Close the Editor window.
8. Add a CommandButton control to Form1.
9. Place the following code into the code window of Form1:

   Option Explicit
   
   Dim ResID As Integer
   
   Private Sub Command1_Click()
       If ResID = 104 Then   ' last cursor
           ResID = 101   ' start over
       Else
           ResID = ResID + 1
       End If
       Me.MouseIcon = LoadResPicture(ResID, vbResCursor)
   End Sub
   
   Private Sub Form_Load()
       Me.MousePointer = vbCustom
       ResID = 100   ' Starting value. We add 1 right away before it is used.
   End Sub
   					

10. Save and compile the project.
11. Press the F5 key to run the project. Each time you click on Command1, the cursor changes, but it is always monochrome (black and white.)
12. Start the Windows Explorer and run the .exe file. Again, each time you click on Command1, the cursor changes, but the cursors now display in their proper colors.

Steps to install the Visual Studio Graphics files

1. Make sure that Visual Basic is not running. On the Start menu, locate Settings, select Control Panel, and then double-click on Add/Remove Programs.
2. Select your product from the list. It will either be Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 or Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 (Professional or Enterprise). Click on the Add/Remove Programs button.
3. From the Setup Maintenance window, click on the Add/Remove Programs button.
4. Select Graphics from the list of Options, and press either Continue or Change Option to select only the types of graphics you want to install. Click OK. Click Continue and follow the instructions on the screen. The ...\Cursors folder should now be available.