---
name: "SDL::Cursor"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "libsdl-perl"
version: "2.548-5+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/SDL::Cursor"
---

# SDL::Cursor(3pm)

Mouse cursor structure

## NAME

SDL::Cursor - Mouse cursor structure

## CATEGORY

Core, Mouse, Structure

## SYNOPSIS

```
 my $cursor = SDL::Cursor->new(
     \@data,
     \@mask,
     $width,
     $height,
     $hotspot_left,
     $hotspot_top
 );
 SDL::Mouse::set_cursor($cursor);
```

## DESCRIPTION

The `"SDL::Cursor"` module handles mouse cursors, and allows the developer to use custom-made cursors. Note that cursors can only be in black and white.

## METHODS

### new

```
 my $cursor = SDL::Cursor->new(
     \@data, \@mask, $width, $height, $hotspot_left, $hotspot_top
 );
```

Create a cursor using the specified data and mask (in MSB format). The cursor is created in black and white according to the following:

```
 Data / Mask   Resulting pixel on screen
    0 / 1      White
    1 / 1      Black
    0 / 0      Transparent
    1 / 0      Inverted color if possible, black if not.
```

If you want to have color cursor, then this function is not for you. Instead, you should hide the cursor with `SDL::Mouse::show_cursor(SDL_DISABLE)`. Then in your main loop, when you draw graphics, draw a `"SDL::Surface"` at the location of the mouse cursor.

Example:

```
 use SDL;
 use SDL::Video;
 use SDL::Mouse;
 use SDL::Cursor;
 SDL::init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
 SDL::Video::set_video_mode(640, 480, 16, SDL_SWSURFACE);
 my @data = (
     0b00000000,
     0b00111100,
     0b01111110,
     0b01111110,
     0b01111110,
     0b01111110,
     0b00111100,
     0b00000000
 );
 my @mask = (
     0b00111100,
     0b01111110,
     0b11100111,
     0b11000011,
     0b11000011,
     0b11100111,
     0b01111110,
     0b00111100
 );
 my $cursor = SDL::Cursor->new(\@data, \@mask, 8, 8, 0, 0);
 sleep(1);
 SDL::Mouse::set_cursor($cursor);
 sleep(5);
```

The width of cursors work in groups of 8. If the width is above 8, twice the amount of elements in `@data` and `@mask` are required. If the width is above 16, three times are required, and so on. For example, if you wanted a 9 pixel crosshair you might do the following:

```
 my @data = (
     0b00001000,0b00000000,
     0b00001000,0b00000000,
     0b00001000,0b00000000,
     0b00001000,0b00000000,
     0b11111111,0b10000000,
     0b00001000,0b00000000,
     0b00001000,0b00000000,
     0b00001000,0b00000000,
     0b00001000,0b00000000,
 );
 my @mask = @data;
 my $cursor = SDL::Cursor->new(\@data, \@mask, 9, 9, 4, 4);
```

The hotspot is offset by 4 pixels because a crosshair clicks from the center instead of the top left.

## AUTHORS

See "AUTHORS" in SDL.

## SEE ALSO

perl SDL::Mouse