custom pointer problems

macquarrie · 2010-05-07 07:54:51

Hey everyone, i hope this topis isnt already covered somewhere else. So far as i can tell it was not Im a first time arch user and im quite proud ive mde it this far on my own installing the whole system with only few minor hicupps allong the way. at this point however im having trouble with my custom pointers sadly enough. Im running gnome and compiz and when i choose a custom pointer i dont see a change. This is obviousyl not a huge problem but the standard pointers are very unappealing. Please let me know what other informtion i should post to help this process allong

toffyrn · 2010-05-07 08:20:39

Welcome to Arch.

This is indeed already a known bug.
It should be found searching either forum or bugtracker:
i.e. http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=94407

Perhaps you find a workaround

macquarrie · 2010-05-07 17:05:02

Hi, thanks a lot. I've tried both the methods that i fould through that link and neither seems to have worked. Id also like to know if there is a way to change themes with a gui instead of having to go through the complex processes that the guide you liked to shows simply to change my pointers.

schen · 2010-05-07 20:43:29

Try putting this command before you start gnome.

xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr

DON'T modify it at all.

Last edited by schen (2010-05-07 20:44:20)

macquarrie · 2010-05-08 00:18:28

sorry can you elaborate? my gnome begins automatically on boot so should i set this to run before that somehow? or run the command and then restart gnome somehow?

schen · 2010-05-08 00:44:14

How do you start GNOME? Through login manager(GDM), .xinitrc?

macquarrie · 2010-05-08 04:26:10

ahhh yes I believe so

macquarrie · 2010-05-09 19:27:49

sorry to bump this ive been playing around some more and its just frustrated me even further that of all problems THIS is the one i cant solve myself. Currently I see the default X pointer change to the hand of the pointer theme i want to diplay when im clicking on links in web pages, however the pointer remains the default for the rest of the time. the one that bugs me most is the extraordinarily gross "loading" pointers since its just an ugly watch and has no animation. As i say ive tried both methods and now ive also tried the command that schen has posted for me aultho Im not sure when im supposed to run the command so im not certain ive done that the right way yet. Any information would be great

schen · 2010-05-09 19:34:06

Run the command before you start GNOME but after you start X. If you use .xinitrc, it would look like this:

xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr &
exec gnome-session

macquarrie · 2010-05-09 22:51:36

Ahhh of course, i understand now. Yes i do use .xinitrc and ive tried this as well to no avail. I see that the code you gave originally was xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr and the second time was xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr & i have tried booting with both of these and neither has worked. Thanks again

schen · 2010-05-09 22:53:34

Change your pointer through .Xdefaults. Specifically, add this to your .Xdefaults;

Xcursor.theme: foobar

macquarrie · 2010-05-09 23:32:10

excelent, Thanks again foryour continued support. Ive done this and again there is no change, i continue to see the proper cursors in internet boxes and links but not on my desktop and other places.

schen · 2010-05-10 21:59:12

Exactly what pointer theme do you want? Also, how do you attempt to change your cursor?

macquarrie · 2010-05-11 00:37:23

I really dont care just something other than the default one, whiteglass would be fine. I change my cursor through preferences-appearance i choose theme, customize the theme and select a different pointer option. Ideally i would like a way to change my cursor whenever i want to any theme but i would settle for having a theme a little nicer looking than default

schen · 2010-05-11 02:08:11

So I assume that GNOME doesn't set something nicelooking for you by default?

Last edited by schen (2010-05-11 02:13:21)

macquarrie · 2010-05-11 09:40:05

no not at all, i believe it is the default X11 pointer set, nothing animated, ugly black and white icons.

schen · 2010-05-11 20:54:45

How do you change it? Do you go into some GNOME menu and change it?

Surgat_ · 2010-05-11 21:39:39

There is an open bug report for this, and a workaround: http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/18923

schen · 2010-05-11 22:30:41

Ahh! You are running compiz, so using metacity again should solve your problems.

macquarrie · 2010-05-12 01:47:38

yes if i dont run compiz there is no problem but I want to be able to run compiz and also have my pointers

Surgat_ · 2010-05-12 14:18:46

I have my pointers while I run compiz, see the bug report above

Arch Linux

#1 2010-05-07 07:54:51

custom pointer problems

#2 2010-05-07 08:20:39

Re: custom pointer problems

#3 2010-05-07 17:05:02

Re: custom pointer problems

#4 2010-05-07 20:43:29

Re: custom pointer problems

#5 2010-05-08 00:18:28

Re: custom pointer problems

#6 2010-05-08 00:44:14

Re: custom pointer problems

#7 2010-05-08 04:26:10

Re: custom pointer problems

#8 2010-05-09 19:27:49

Re: custom pointer problems

#9 2010-05-09 19:34:06

Re: custom pointer problems

#10 2010-05-09 22:51:36

Re: custom pointer problems

#11 2010-05-09 22:53:34

Re: custom pointer problems

#12 2010-05-09 23:32:10

Re: custom pointer problems

#13 2010-05-10 21:59:12

Re: custom pointer problems

#14 2010-05-11 00:37:23

Re: custom pointer problems

#15 2010-05-11 02:08:11

Re: custom pointer problems

#16 2010-05-11 09:40:05

Re: custom pointer problems

#17 2010-05-11 20:54:45

Re: custom pointer problems

#18 2010-05-11 21:39:39

Re: custom pointer problems

#19 2010-05-11 22:30:41

Re: custom pointer problems

#20 2010-05-12 01:47:38

Re: custom pointer problems

#21 2010-05-12 14:18:46

Re: custom pointer problems

Board footer