XL: Controlling Appearance of Mouse Pointer Within Macro

ID: Q130044

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel 97 and 7.0, you can use the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Cursor property to control the appearance of the mouse pointer while a macro is running. In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, you do not have this ability to change the way the mouse pointer is displayed.

MORE INFORMATION

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   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/

In Microsoft Excel version 5.0, the mouse pointer is normally displayed as an hourglass when you run a macro. The exception to this is when you run a macro from a control in a custom dialog box. In this case, the mouse pointer continues to be displayed as an arrow, and does not give you an indication that the macro (event procedure) is running.

In Microsoft Excel versions 7.0 and 97, you can use the Cursor property to display the mouse pointer as an arrow, an hourglass, an I-beam (displayed when editing text), and the default pointer. The following built-in constants correspond to each of the available cursor shapes:

   xlNorthwestArrow    The northwest-arrow pointer
   xlWait              The hourglass pointer
   xlIBeam             The I-beam pointer
   xlNormal            The default pointer

Note that when you type in the constant for the I-beam pointer, the letter that follows the "xl" prefix is an "I" (for I-beam).

Cursor Property Example

Sub ChangePointer()

    ' Display dialog box indicating mouse pointer will change.
    MsgBox "Click OK to display mouse pointer as hourglass."

    ' Display mouse pointer as hourglass.
    Application.Cursor = xlWait

    ' Wait so mouse pointer change will be noticeable.
    Application.Wait Now + TimeValue("0:0:03")
    MsgBox "Click OK to display mouse pointer as arrow."

    ' Display mouse pointer as arrow
    Application.Cursor = xlNorthwestArrow

    ' Wait so mouse pointer change will be noticeable.
    Application.Wait Now + TimeValue("0:0:03")

    MsgBox "Click OK to display mouse pointer as I-beam."

    ' Display mouse pointer as I-beam.
    Application.Cursor = xlIBeam

    ' Wait so mouse pointer change will be noticeable.
    Application.Wait Now + TimeValue("0:0:03")

    MsgBox "Click OK to return mouse pointer to normal."

    ' Return mouse pointer to normal display.
    Application.Cursor = xlNormal

End Sub

Note that because the Cursor property isn't automatically reset when the macro stops running, you should reset the mouse pointer by setting the Cursor property to the xlNormal value before your macro stops.

REFERENCES

For more information about the Cursor property in Microsoft Excel 97, from

the Visual Basic Editor, click the Office Assistant, type "Cursor," click Search, and then click to view "Cursor Property."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If the Assistant is not able to answer your query, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q176476
   TITLE     : OFF: Office Assistant Not Answering Visual Basic Questions

Additional query words: 7.00 8.00 97 XL97

Keywords          : kbdta KbVBA 
Version           : WINDOWS:7.0,97
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999