Microsoft KB Archive/213424

= XL2000: How to Control the Appearance of the Mouse Pointer While a Macro Runs =

Article ID: 213424

Article Last Modified on 11/23/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q213424





SUMMARY
In Microsoft Excel 2000, 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 versions of Excel earlier than 7.0, you do not have the ability to change the way the mouse pointer is displayed.



MORE INFORMATION
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 the constant for the I-beam pointer, the letter that follows the "xl" prefix is an "I" (for I-beam).

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Cursor Property Example
Type or paste the following code in a Visual Basic module sheet to illustrate the various mouse pointer shapes: 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 is not automatically reset when the macro stops running, you need to reset the mouse pointer by setting the Cursor property to the xlNormal value before your macro stops.

