SWI equivalent to *POINTER

Is there an SWI equivalent to *POINTER 0 / 1?

Wimp_SetPointerShape ,X ,-1 looks like it might do the same as *POINTER X, however:

1. Its deprecated and Wimp_SpriteOp 36 / OS_SpriteOp 36 that replace it, doesn’t appear to provide the equivalent to Wimp_SetPointerShape, 1, -1
2. The documentation states it requires six parameters, but the last four appear to be redundant if R1=-1 indicating no pointer change

Initially, I thought I could use OS_Byte 106 to turn the pointer on/off, but it only works after a MODE change once you’ve issued *POINTER 1

There isn’t, exactly.

*Pointer is implemented in Wimp.s.Wimp01 (look for “Pointer_Code” towards the end). It parses the parameter, and for turning the pointer ON, it appears to:

• Read VDU vars (screen size etc).
• Set “ptr_default” sprite (pointer #1) as pointer shape using SpriteOp 36.
  • This builds a pointer sprite in a complicated looking way (…mixed.RiscOS.Sources.Video.Render.SprExtend.Sources.SprOp)
  • and then sets up a parameter block to call OS_Word to define the mouse pointer and shape.
• Finally, OS_Word 21,1 to define the boundary of the pointer area (usually the screen, but smaller when an error box is visible).

It looks as if the Wimp runs with the pointer “always on” as the *Pointer 0 command appears to just set the pointer shape 0.

This will do it manually from ShellCLI:

SYS "Wimp_BaseOfSprites" TO , ram%
SYS "OS_SpriteOp", (36 + 256), ram%, "ptr_default", 1, 0, 0, 0, 0