#2333 [Scintilla] Mouse cursor visibility when typing starts

[Alan Kilborn]

In Notepad++ usage of Scintilla, my Windows 10 mouse options choice for "Hide pointer while typing" isn't respected when the mouse cursor and keyboard input focus is in a Scintilla control/window. Some further discussion is located here: https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/topic/23017/mouse-cursor-visibility-when-typing-starts

[pryrt]

The same happens in SciTE 5.2.2, so it's not just Notepad++'s usage of the library.

[johnsonj]

Inspired from sakura editor.
patch added:

[johnsonj]

Respect SPI_GETMOUSEVANISH from OS

[Neil Hodgson]

SPI_GETMOUSEVANISH sets a BOOL (4 bytes), not a bool (1 byte).

sizeof(bool)
0x0000000000000001

sizeof(BOOL)
0x0000000000000004

RequestShowCursor doesn't need to call DisplayCursor as the cursor will be set in soon-to-be-called ButtonMoveWithModifiers and there could be flicker if set twice. Therefore RequestShowCursor can just be isCursorHidden = false;.

[Zufu Liu]

how about move SystemParametersInfoW(SPI_GETMOUSEVANISH, ... into GetIntelliMouseParameters()?

[johnsonj]

A function Shoud have only one function according its name.

[Neil Hodgson]

GetMouseParameters or GetSystemParameters.

[Neil Hodgson]

Committed as [5bd06e] with some name changes:
TypingWithoutCursor -> HideCursorIfPreferred
typingWithoutCursorByOS -> typingWithoutCursor
isCursorHidden -> cursorIsHidden

[Zufu Liu]

It seems this needs further works: in Windows Notepad deleting character (e.g. with Backspace) mouse is still hidden.

Edit: It's my fail on sync the patch for case WM_CHAR:.

[johnsonj]

code simplified.
easier reading!

[Neil Hodgson]

That doesn't work for me. The cursor flickers for the first character typed then switches to the arrow on the next.

[johnsonj]

Thank you for your testing.
I am sorry I did not catch it.
patch attached:

[Neil Hodgson]

By placing the cursor hiding inside WM_KEYDOWN the cursor is hidden for arrow movement and other keyboard commands. The "Hide pointer while typing" option is only meant for typing visible characters as demonstrated by Notepad and edit fields in system dialogs.

In the code NULL is strongly disliked by code checking tools and comparing a HCURSOR to nullptr is also iffy so its best to rely on the falsy value of HCURSOR{} with a bare if (::GetCursor()).

[johnsonj]

Thank you for your instructions.
Gtk patch attached according your instructions.

[Neil Hodgson]

This doesn't appear to be checking the system for the equivalent to the "hide pointer while typing" choice SPI_GETMOUSEVANISH.

[johnsonj]

I appreciate you for your hard works.
I submit a patch for Qt.

[Neil Hodgson]

Setting a global override cursor seems too likely to interfere with other elements of the application. It may be safer to set the cursor for the window as is done by Window::SetCursorcalling QWidget::setCursor in qt/ScintillaEditBase/PlatQt.cpp.

Despite having system settings support for "Hide pointer while typing", it is not commonly implemented on Windows. Even Microsoft products like Visual C++ and OneNote do not have it. Since it is unusual on Windows, it shouldn't be active unless the option has ben chosen but this Qt patch turns it on without checking the option.