HTML cursors can be changed in appearance and behavior within an HTML document. They can be changed to a custom image or one of the system’s default modules. The introduction of CSS has made the process easier, but incomplete browser implementations and operating system restrictions can cause problems. Custom images must be no larger than 32 pixels and designed with transparency. Different browsers may not implement all features equally.
A HyperText Markup Language (HTML) cursor refers to the appearance of the mouse pointer as it is represented on the screen. While the cursor has a number of default appearances and behaviors that are controlled by both the operating system on a computer and the web browser itself, both can be changed within an HTML document. Changing the shape of a slider can be purely for aesthetic or design purposes, or it can be useful to emphasize the usefulness of a website component. Besides being able to change the cursor to one of the system’s default modules, it can also be changed to a custom image. There are a few problems with using an HTML cursor, however, most of which stem from incomplete browser implementations of the language or operating system restrictions.
The ability to change the state and image of an HTML cursor was almost always a feature that could be achieved online through the use of some very long and inconsistent performing script or plug-in, but the introduction of the second version of Cascading Style Sheets ( CSS) in HTML has made the process much easier and much more consistent. By changing the Document Object Model (DOM) cursor property, you can change the cursor as it appears in the browser display window. The actual functionality of the mouse, in regards to clicking and dragging, cannot be changed in this way.
The HTML cursor can be changed to any of a number of predefined shapes. Most of these shapes are employed by the operating system in normal use and include the standard pointing arrow, crosshair, a wait icon, or arrows used when resizing windows in different directions. There is also the ability to specify a custom image to be used in place of the cursor. To specify a customer HTML cursor, the image file must be no larger than 32 pixels in width and height. It should also be designed in a file format that allows for transparency so that parts of the website below unused sections of the cursor are visible and thus the cursor itself doesn’t appear as a solid opaque block with an icon drawn inside it.
Not all browsers implement all features equally, so changing an HTML cursor doesn’t always have the same results. Some browsers support different names for different system cursors, while others require some code tweaking for a custom HTML cursor to appear. Also, the operating system used and the context in which the browser is running can prevent the cursor from being changed.
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