Changing mouse cursor on Raspberry Pi OS (Debian Linux)

AI Thread Summary
Editing cursor files in GIMP for themes like "Adwaita" and "DMZ-white" may not reflect changes due to multiple layers of cursor files and caching issues. After renaming original cursor files and replacing them with edited versions, users may still not see modifications even after rebooting. To activate the changes, running lxappearance from the command prompt is necessary to select the modified cursor theme. It was discovered that the default arrow cursor, left_ptr, must be correctly identified and edited, as it may inherit other cursor styles from the previous theme. Successful modifications require addressing all layers of cursor files, as the system may utilize different layers at different times.
Swamp Thing
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I used GIMP to edit copies of certain cursor files called left_ptr and hand2 from the "cursors" folders within the theme directories /usr/share/icons/[theme name]/cursor. This was for the themes "Adwaita" and "DMZ-white".

Then I renamed the original cursor files and put the new edited versions in their place. When I switch to the modified cursor themes, I don't see the modified cursors -- even after a reboot. Why does this happen, and how can I activate the GIMP-edited cursor files?
 
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Is this LXDE? You probably need to run lxappearance from a command prompt and tweak the settings.
 
pbuk said:
Is this LXDE? You probably need to run lxappearance from a command prompt and tweak the settings.
That is how i select a cursor theme. But after selecting a theme containing a modified cursor file, i don't see the new cursor.

One possibility is that, of the large number of cursor files present in the folder, i haven't chosen the ones that actually provide the default arrow and hand cursors. If that's the case I'll have to determine which file provides the default arrow.
 
I just created a new theme folder called test, with a folder inside called cursors. Then I copied into it a single file (left_ptr) from the dmz_white theme. When I select the test cursor theme in lxappearance, I see that it takes the default pointer from that single file, and it inherits all the other cursors (hand, move, etc) from the theme that was in effect just before switching to test.

So that proves that left_ptr is indeed the default arrow file. But it doesn't reflect the design change done on it using GIMP.

Going to burrow further into this (rather pointless, actually) rabbit hole... Well not entirely pointless because I want a prominent cursor for capturing desktop video.
 
Swamp Thing said:
Going to burrow further into this (rather pointless, actually) rabbit hole... Well not entirely pointless because I want a prominent cursor for capturing desktop video.
Good luck, it sounds like a maze of cached/nested/recursive configuration files.
 
Turns out the cursor file has multiple layers. You need to edit all of them, because you don't know which layer will be used when. So now it's working!

Screenshot:

1660057151199.png


 
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When I read your last post, I thought the blue sqiggly arrow was the one you modded.
 
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