Extended Cursors

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Graphic Details

Cursor Preferences

Numeric Formats

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Extended Cursor

Enhanced, extended cursor options are accessed from the Cursor popup menu. The normal system cursor displays no ancillary elements on the drawing. The extended cursor selections provide extended reference lines, alternate cursor shapes and/or live numeric read-out values for the cursor location on the drawing.

The Extended (or enhanced) cursor option is selected with this popup menu. The actual form of the extended / enhanced information is specified on the Cursor panel accessed from the primary EazyDraw Preferences window. Preferences are accessed from the EazyDraw main menu (near the top). For reference a screen shot of this preferences panel is shown to the right.

This input selection is accessed by opening the Graphic Details Inspector, top item on the main Tools menu, and de-selecting all graphics (Cmd-Shift-A).

Selecting "Nothing" turns off all extended and enhanced cursor information. In this state the cursor shown over the drawing is the standard macOS system cursor. This is usually the Arrow cursor and no extended reference lines are shown, and no numeric read-outs (unless the Tape tool is in use) are presented.

Full Screen: provides two (or more) cursor lines that extend the full width and height of the drawing. They extend to the edge of the drawing or the drawing rulers.

Ruler Edge: shows cursor marks at the left and top edges of the drawing, near the rulers. These are a fixed length.

To Ruler: shows cursor marks drawn from the cursor position to the rulers on the left and top edges of the drawing.

When Extended Cursors are in use (something other than "Nothing" selected for this Cursor selection) numeric Read-Outs for the cursor position may be shown "live" on the drawing. This option is managed from the Cursor preferences settings on the main EazyDraw preferences panel.

When Extended Cursors are in use there may be more than one extended cursor shown in many situations. For example when creating a rectangle a second pair of cursor reference lines are used to indicate all 4 sides of the rectangle. Read-outs are only shown for the primary cursor, not the others. Color and line weight for both types of extended cursor are selected on the Cursor preferences panel.

Formatting for the Read-Outs derives from the Numeric display - lengths - settings. If more decimal places or perhaps fractional notation is needed make the selections on Graphic Details Inspector , Display settings.

Cursor reference lines, marks, or numeric read-outs may not always be at the exact location of the actual cursor. When creating a graphic or using an on-screen handle there may be other constraints in play, in these cases the postion of the target handle may not correspond to the cursor position. Notice the example to the right, the top-left cursor marks the actual "snapped" position of the intersection of the lines not the adjustable cut-line position. When appropriate the read-outs and indicator reference lines will show the precise / constrained position and the cursor icon will show the actual unconstrained cursor position.

The extended cursor selection only applies to an EazyDraw drawing window and specifically to the single drawing where the selection is made. The cursor chosen and the ancillary display information is not shown in other applications, or other documents of other applications. The extended cursor may or may not be shown on another EazyDraw drawing window, the setting for the "other" drawing window is managed by the corresponding popup menu on that drawing window.

There is no explicit preferences setting for the actual extended cursor selection, this preference is managed automatically by EazyDraw. The format of the enhanced cursor information is managed by the main preferences panel - see above. The actual extended cursor selection (the selection of the popup menu shown to the left) is saved with each drawing. This provides the ability to use an extended cursor on drawings where it may be appropriate (a technical drawing perhaps ..) yet not have this as the setting for other drawings (a brochure drawing, or something more artistic in nature). A new drawing will assume the most recently used value for this setting.

The Measuring Tape live numeric read-out of the cursor position on the drawing. This option provides more information and is more contextual, it will display information more specific to graphics that are selected by the cursor. The Extended Cursor options focus more on the cursor itself as compared to graphics on the drawing.

Live numeric Read-Outs make significant use of CPU resources. The presentations and computations have been optimized but they still may impact CPU load on older or limited capability systems. In these situations some lag of cursor movement may be noticed and it may be necessary to revert to the non-extended cursor setting for complex drawings. The Numeric Read-Outs require the most CPU load, the extended cursors should not normally show noticeable impact on responsiveness.