Mouse Pointer Sprites

I’m currently (still?) editing edition 3 of Ray Favre’s Dr Wimp’s Surgery and, not being a programmer, I need to check an historical limitation on modes for the mouse pointer sprites.

In 1998 (1st edition) and again in 2003 (2nd edition), Ray says the following:

“A further thing to note is that sprites used for pointers are normally defined in screen mode 8 and 19 (both 4-colour modes) and attempts to use other sprites may not work properly.”

Is this limitation still in force after a quarter of a century? I’d be grateful if anyone who knows can enlighten me.

Yes and no. ;)

Most of the pointer sprites in ResourceFS.Wimp.Sprites are mode 19, but two of them (ptr_write and ptr_write2) are extended RISC OS 3.5 style (a mode descriptor rather than a number).

It might be better to say that pointer sprites must be four colour, and this was traditionally mode 8 (for 2:4 TV style modes) and mode 19 (for 2:2 square pixel modes) and the use of these modes is recommended.

Thanks for that, Rick. I shall not have to change that part, though there is much else that remains to be done.