# README.definable-cursor: How to use definable-cursor patch for Window Maker
# created 1999-Apr-24 14:53 jmk
# autodate: 1999-Apr-24 16:29

__________________________________________________
|O|  Definable Mouse Cursors for Window Maker  |X|
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The definable-cursor patch for Window Maker
<http://www.windowmaker.org/> allows user-definable mouse cursors; the
cursors can either be the built-in ones from the X11 cursor font, or
they can be bitmap (XBM) files.  User-definable cursors can be useful
for theme-builders, lefthanders, and the visually impaired.

This README describes how to apply the patch to Window Maker and how to
use the features it enables.

____________________________
|O|  Applying the Patch  |X|
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The definable-cursor patch is available from
<http://www.pobox.com/~jmknoble/WindowMaker/patches/>.

To apply the patch, do the following (where `XX' is the version of
Window Maker you're patching):

    (0) gzip -dc WindowMaker-XX.tar.gz | tar -xvf -
    
    (1) cd ./WindowMaker-XX
    
    (2) patch </wherever/you/put/WindowMaker-XX-definable-cursor.patch
    
    (3) Build Window Maker according to the instructions in the
        accompanying `INSTALL' file.

___________________________________
|O|  Defining Your Own Cursors  |X|
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A cursor specification is one of:

    (none)
    (builtin, <cursor-name>)
    (bitmap, <bitmap-filename>, <mask-filename>)

where <cursor-name> uses the same syntax as for `xsetroot -cursor_name',
and <bitmap-filename> and <mask-filename> are the same as for
`xsetroot -cursor'; <bitmap-filename> and <mask-filename> are searched
for along WM's PixmapPath.  If you use `(none)', the cursor will be
inherited from the parent window (which often ends up being the root
window).

You can set the following cursor types (they're shown here with their
defaults):

    NormalCursor = (builtin, left_ptr);
    MoveCursor   = (builtin, fleur);
    ResizeCursor = (builtin, sizing);
    WaitCursor   = (builtin, watch);

______________________
|O|  Random Notes  |X|
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Most X11 cursors are 16x16 bitmaps.  Many X servers can actually handle
larger cursors, though.  To check, use:

    xdpyinfo

and in the resulting output look for a line such as:

    largest cursor:    64x64

The example above indicates that my X server can handle cursors up to
64 pixels wide by 64 pixels high.

You can create your own bitmap cursors using the `bitmap' program that
accompanies most X11 distributions.  For example bitmap cursors, see
<http://www.pobox.com/~jmknoble/WindowMaker/cursors/>.

For an example

--jim

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% jim knoble %%%%%%%% jmknoble@pobox.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%