Cursor (user interface): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:59, 9 June 2024

Revision as of 15:16, 7 July 2024

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{{use dmy dates|date=August 2021|cs1-dates=y}}

[[File:Text cursor blinking.gif|right|frame|A blinking text cursor while typing the word "''Wikipedia"'']]

In [[human–computer interaction]], a '''cursor''' is an indicator used to show the current position on a [[computer monitor]] or other [[display device]] that will respond to input.

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[[File:slide rule cursor.jpg|thumb|Cursor on a slide rule]]

On 14 November 1963, while attending a conference on computer graphics in [[Reno, Nevada]], [[Douglas Engelbart]] of [[Augmentation Research Center]] (ARC) first expressed his thoughts to pursue his objective of developing both hardware and software computer technology to "''augment"'' human intelligence by pondering how to adapt the underlying principles of the [[planimeter]] to inputting X- and Y-coordinate data, and envisioned something like the cursor of a [[computer mouse|mouse]] he initially called a "''bug"'', which, in a "3-point" form, could have a "drop point and 2 orthogonal wheels".<ref name="Bardini_2000"/> He wrote that the "bug" would be "easier" and "more natural" to use, and unlike a stylus, it would stay still when let go, which meant it would be "much better for coordination with the keyboard."<ref name="Bardini_2000"/>

According to Roger Bates, a young hardware designer at ARC under [[Bill English (computer engineer)|Bill English]], the cursor on the screen was for some unknown reason also referred to as "''CAT"'' at the time, which led to calling the new pointing device a "''mouse"'' as well.<ref name="Markoff_2005"/><ref name="Markoff_2013"/>

== Text cursor ==

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The concept of a blinking cursor can be attributed to Charles Kiesling Sr. via US Patent 3531796,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kiesling |first1=Charles |title=US Patent 3531796: Blinking cursor for crt display |url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US3531796 |website=US3531796A - Blinking cursor for crt display - Google Patents |access-date=6 January 2022 |ref=patent}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Text size comment share tweet email Print Charles A., Sr. Kiesling obituary |url=https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/13986254/ |website= Star Tribune |access-date=6 January 2022 |ref=obituary}}</ref> filed in August 1967.<ref>{{cite web |title=Who invented the blinking cursor |url=https://ux.stackexchange.com/questions/33640/who-invented-the-blinking-cursor/33644 |website=mouse - Who invented the blinking cursor - User Experience Stack Exchange |publisher=Stack Exchange |access-date=6 January 2022 |ref=discussion}}</ref>

Some interfaces use an underscore or thin vertical bar to indicate that the user is in [[insert mode]], a [[mode (user interface)|mode]] where text will be [[insert key|inserted]] in the middle of the existing text, and a larger block to indicate that the user is in [[insert key|overtype]] mode, where inserted text will overwrite existing text. In this way, a block cursor may be seen as a piece of selected text one character wide, since typing will replace the text "''in"'' the cursor with the new text.

=== Bi-directional text ===

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In many GUIs, moving the pointer around the screen may reveal other [[screen hotspot]]s as the pointer changes shape depending on the circumstances. For example:

* In the text that the user can [[selection (user interface)|select]] or edit, the pointer changes to a vertical bar with little cross-bars (or curved [[serif]]-like extensions) at the top and bottom &mdash; sometimes called an "''[[I-beam]]"'' since it resembles the cross-section of the construction detail of the same name.

* When displaying a document, the pointer can appear as a hand with all fingers extended allowing scrolling by "''pushing"'' the displayed page around.

* Graphics-editing pointers such as brushes, pencils, or paint buckets may display when the user edits an image.

* On an edge or corner of a [[window (computing)|window]] the pointer usually changes into a double arrow (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) indicating that the user can drag the edge/corner in an indicated direction to adjust the size and shape of the window.

* The corners and edges of the whole screen may also act as [[screen hotspot]]s. According to [[Fitts's law]], which predicts the time it takes to reach a target area, moving mouse and stylus pointers to those spots is easy and fast. As the pointer usually stops when reaching a screen edge, the size of those spots can be considered of virtual infinite size, so the hot corners and edges can be reached quickly by throwing the pointer toward the edges.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://particletree.com/features/visualizing-fittss-law/ |title=Visualizing Fitts' Law |first=Kevin |last=Hale |website=Particle Tree |date=3 October 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2006/08/fitts-law-and-infinite-width.html |title=Fitts' Law and Infinite Width |first=Jeff |last=Atwood |author-link=Jeff Atwood |website=Coding Horror |date=9 August 2006 |access-date=2021-04-07 |archive-date=2014-02-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214030831/http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2006/08/fitts-law-and-infinite-width.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

* While a computer process is performing tasks and cannot accept user input, a wait pointer (an [[hourglass]] in [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] before [[Windows Vista|Vista]] and many other systems, spinning ring in [[Windows Vista]] and later, watch in [[classic Mac OS]], or [[spinning pinwheel]] in macOS) is displayed when the mouse pointer is in the corresponding window.

* When the pointer hovers over a [[hyperlink]], a [[mouseover]] event changes the pointer into a hand with an outstretched index finger. Often some informative text about the link may pop up in a [[tooltip]], which disappears when the user moves the pointer away. The tooltips revealed in the box depending on the implementation of the [[web browser]]; many web browsers will display the "''title"'' of the element, the "''alt"'' attribute, or the non-[[web standard|standard]] "''tooltips"'' attribute. This pointer shape was first used for hyperlinks in Apple Computer's [[HyperCard]].

* In [[Windows 7]], when Windows Touch was introduced in the mainstream to make Windows more touch-friendly, a touch pointer is displayed instead of the mouse pointer. The touch pointer can be switched off in Control Panel and resembles a small diamond shape. When the screen is touched a blue ripple appears around the touch pointer to provide visual touch feedback. When swiping to scroll etc., the touch pointer would follow the finger as it moves. If touch and hold to right-click is enabled, touching and holding will show a thick white ring around the touch pointer. When this ring appears, releasing one's finger would perform a right-click.

** If a pen is used the left-click ripple is colorless instead of blue and the right-click ring is a thinner ring that appears closer to the pen tip making contact with the screen. A click (either left or right) will not show the touch pointer, but swiping would still show the pointer which would follow the pen tip.

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====I-beam pointer====

[[File: I-beam pointer.png|thumb|The I-beam pointer]]

The I-beam pointer (also called the I-cursor) is a cursor shaped like a [[serif]]ed capital letter "''I"''. The purpose of this cursor is to indicate that the text beneath the cursor can be highlighted and sometimes inserted or changed.<ref>[http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/i/ibeam.htm ComputerHope.com]</ref>

=== Pointer trails and animation ===