Windows Desktop

Introduction

Windows Desktop games can display custom cursors. The default XNA window is a Windows Forms window, so customization of the cursor visuals is done the same as for any other Windows Forms app.

Example Code - Changing the Cursor using MonoGame

MonoGame 3.6 and newer introduces a method for changing the Windows cursor. The cursor can be set from a Texture2D. Assuming CursorTexture is a valid Texture2D:

FlatRedBallServices.Game.IsMouseVisible = true;

int originX = 0;
int originY = 0;

MouseCursor customCursor = MouseCursor.FromTexture2D(CursorTexture, originX, originY);
Mouse.SetCursor(customCursor);

For more information, see the following links:

• https://docs.monogame.net/api/Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Input.Mouse.html#Microsoft_Xna_Framework_Input_Mouse_SetCursor_Microsoft_Xna_Framework_Input_MouseCursor_

• https://docs.monogame.net/api/Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Input.MouseCursor.html

Example Code - Changing the Cursor using Windows Forms and .cur File

This approach only worked with the original XNA engine, and may work in the future if FRB adds support for MonoGame DirectX. This does not work with DesktopGL projects.

The following code loads a .cur file and sets the window's default cursor:

var cursor = new System.Windows.Forms.Cursor("Content/GlobalContent/Cursor.cur");
System.Windows.Forms.Form asForm =
    (System.Windows.Forms.Form)System.Windows.Forms.Control.FromHandle(this.Window.Handle);
asForm.Cursor = cursor;

Example Code - Changing the Cursor using Windows Forms and .png File

This approach only worked with the original XNA engine, and may work in the future if FRB adds support for MonoGame DirectX. This does not work with DesktopGL projects.

.cur files have a 32x32 pixel size limit. This can be bypassed by loading a .png into a Bitmap object, then using that object to construct a Cursor, as shown in the following code:

// code obtained from StackOverflow, as posted by user "Nick"
// http://stackoverflow.com/questions/550918/change-cursor-hotspot-in-winforms-net
public struct IconInfo
{
    public bool fIcon;
    public int xHotspot;
    public int yHotspot;
    public IntPtr hbmMask;
    public IntPtr hbmColor;
}
[DllImport("user32.dll")]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
public static extern bool GetIconInfo(IntPtr hIcon, ref IconInfo pIconInfo);
[DllImport("user32.dll")]
public static extern IntPtr CreateIconIndirect(ref IconInfo icon);

/// <summary>
/// Create a cursor from a bitmap without resizing and with the specified
/// hot spot
/// </summary>
static System.Windows.Forms.Cursor CreateCursor(System.Drawing.Bitmap bmp, int xHotSpot, int yHotSpot)
{
    IntPtr ptr = bmp.GetHicon();
    IconInfo tmp = new IconInfo();
    GetIconInfo(ptr, ref tmp);
    tmp.xHotspot = xHotSpot;
    tmp.yHotspot = yHotSpot;
    tmp.fIcon = false;
    ptr = CreateIconIndirect(ref tmp);
    return new System.Windows.Forms.Cursor(ptr);
}

void Initialize()
{
    var bitmap = 
        (System.Drawing.Bitmap)System.Drawing.Bitmap.FromFile("Content/GlobalContent/SmallCursor.png");
    var cursor = CreateCursor(bitmap, 0, 0);
}