I need a small black cursor

[Medox]

I'm trying for hours (and some days) to make a black cursor, instead of that X-shaped cursor, but it doesn't work and because it would be very painful to explain everything that I've done so far (wrong) and/or get step by step instructions... wouldn't it be easier for someone to make me a small black cursor? I'm asking those who have done it already or know how to do it in a couple of minutes (or seconds?)

Even a 1x1 black dot would be appreciated (but only black).
So that I only need to replace the cursor file (cursor.pcf.gz)

Thanks.



p.s. It's some kind of workaround that I plan...

[roberts]

You should not have an X shaped cursor. It should be a small black arrow.
If you are getting the large X cursor, it is likely because you need to upgrade a file to two.
Compare /etc/skel/.profile with .profile and update if any differences. Same with /etc/skel/.xsession and .xsession

[Medox]

I don't need any cursor... that's the problem

I've managed to get the X-shaped one for only a fraction of a second, before my applications go fullscreen (from the startup script) and get their specific cursors. Now I want to get rid of that X-shaped one, because it's annoying, so a small and black one would be good too (as a workaround) or is there a way to remove it completely? Something like Xvesa -nocursor... I searched around but nothing...

[robc]

you can load an empty cursor. Just create a file that looks like this:

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#define nn1_width 16
#define nn1_height 16
static unsigned char nn1_bits[] {
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00};
then put something like this in your .xsession file before the wm:

Code: [Select]

xsetroot -cursor /path/to/empty/cursor/file /path/to/empty/cursor/file
xsetroot is found in the Xorg extension, it should work with the base system by itself so you can create your own extension with it or put it in a remaster. this will make your cursor disappear on the window manager and X display, you should still have a cursor for some apps if it is defined by them.

[Medox]

no xsetroot...  

· Dropped xsetroot, use Esetroot to set solid colors with logo.xpm or empty.xpm

now what?  

p.s. thanks for the quick and detailed response.

[roberts]

From the prior post:

xsetroot is found in the Xorg extension, it should work with the base system by itself

[Medox]

Done & remastered.

but still not working   that X-shaped thing still appears before zsnes loads.

now I have something like this:

Xvesa -br -mode 0x0112 -nolisten tcp -I 2>&1 > /dev/null &
waitforX
xsetroot -cursor /opt/emptycursor /opt/emptycursor
sudo /usr/local/bin/zsnes

I've placed that xsetroot line everywhere but nothing.
(but xsetroot and the cursor file are added)

[bmarkus]

Just curious, did you try Xorg instead of Xvesa?

[robc]

Try backgrounding the xsetroot:

Code: [Select]

xsetroot -cursor /opt/emptycursor /opt/emptycursor &That is working for me

[Medox]

Just curious, did you try Xorg instead of Xvesa?

I use Xvesa because I've added those core components to my microcore remaster.
The Xorg extension would make the final iso much bigger, I think.
Also Xvesa works perfect... except that annoying X cursor that doesn't dissapear.

Try backgrounding the xsetroot:

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xsetroot -cursor /opt/emptycursor /opt/emptycursor &That is working for me

already tried and I've tried it again, still, the problem remains...  

[robc]

there may be a permissions/ownership issue. Replace the zsnes line with aterm and run the xsetroot command manually, it will tell you if there are any problems then

[Medox]

here you have a screenshot (of aterm)



but my remaster script already adds permissions (I hope the right ones)


still the same...

[mikshaw]

As far as I know, xsetroot -cursor only changes the cursor that appears over the root window, not over application windows.  You may need to use an application like unclutter if you want to hide remove the cursor.  

Another option is to try to find a blank cursor font somewhere (sorry I dunno where at the moment) and replace the original /usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc/cursor.pcf.gz file with it.

[robc]

I'm not sure what to tell you 
I just repeated my steps and it works for a base 2.3 system. Here is what I did after opening aterm in the base:

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tc@box:~$ echo "#define nn1_width 16
#define nn1_height 16
static unsigned char nn1_bits[] {
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00};" > emptycursor
tc@box:~$ sudo cp emptycursor /opt
tc@box:~$ tar zxf /mnt/hda3/tce/optional/Xorg-7.4.tcel
tc@box:~$ sudo cp usr/local/bin/xsetroot /usr/local/bin
tc@box:~$ xsetroot -cursor /opt/emptycursor /opt/emptycursor
I attached my emptycursor file in case that helps.

[Medox]

thanks for your responses.

i found this a couple of minutes ago:
http://stlouis-shopper.com/cgi-bin/mozdev-wiki/kiosk-wiki.pl?KioskSetups/TouchScreen

I have replaced the default X cursors with invisible ones. Replace (make a backup 1st) the file cursor.pcf.gz in the directory /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/ (or wherever your 'misc' fonts are located; use 'locate cursor.pcf.gz' to find out) with the one in the tar file I have attached to this link [cusor.tar.gz] The source file is cursor.bdf. You can recreate cursor.pcf.gz from that with: bdftopcf cursor.bdf | gzip -c > cursor.pcf.gz

and it finally works.  



 
p.s. here you have a mirror for this useful invisible cursor:
http://www.box.net/shared/9xcghe8j1t