Animated Inverse Cursor Scheme Version 1.1

Copyright 1998-2001 by W. J. Harnden, Jr., all rights reserved.  For personal use only, all other uses require permission from the copyright holder (email joescursors@yahoo.com).

Latest version available at http://joescursors.tripod.com/AniInvPg.htm.

Use "Word Wrap" to view this file.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction

This is a collection of inverse cursors which replace all the standard cursors in Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000. You'll never have to worry about having to look at only one color, just move the cursor and it changes! Also included are a number of alternate animated cursors in keeping with the inverse or multi-color theme. For installation see the "Instructions" below.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Version History

Version 1.0  (2/3/98)  -- Initial issue of the Animated Inverse Cursor Scheme with 34 cursors.

Version 1.0a (9/8/98)  -- Updated readme file and registry files for Windows 98 and added two cursors.

Version 1.0b (11/10/98)-- Added new animated link cursor and updated readme and registry files (37 cursors total).

Version 1.0c (2/18/00) -- Updated readme file for new website (Geocities to XOOM).

Version 1.0d (3/10/00) -- Updated registry file to use animated hand cursor for browser cursor.

Version 1.0e (10/5/00) -- Updated readme file for new URL (XOOM bought by NBCi).

Version 1.0f (6/28/01) -- Updated readme file for new website (NBCi out of business).

Version 1.1 (8/11/01)  -- Added two new animated hand pointers. Added installation registration files for NT. Updated readme file for new website (theGlobe out of business). Added "pad" file.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Instructions for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000

The installation instructions provided in this file are given only as a courtesy. If you don't know what you are doing, please get help from someone who does. Since not everyone wants their setup to change to someone else's arbitrary default, this setup has intentionally been made to allow manual user input.

If you have a non-standard Windows installation folder, you will have to manually copy the cursors into your default "Windows\Cursors" or "Winnt\Cursors" folder and DO NOT use the registry file. The cursors can then be manually installed following steps 4, 5 & 7, except you will be using the default folder.

Installation

1. Unzip the AniInvCr.zip file using an unzip utility which can handle long file names such as WinZip. The default directory will be "\Windows\Cursors\AniInverse." If you have Windows 2000 or NT or do not use this as the default directory on your computer, unzip the files into the correct "cursors" directory/folder. For Windows 2000 and NT this is "WinNT\Cursors\AniInverse" and this will be the folder the registry file looks for. If you do not use the correct folder you will get alot of error messages that the cursors cannot be found when you open the Mouse Control Panel and will have to start over.

2. In Windows Explorer go to the directory/folder that you unzipped the cursors to. You have a choice to install just the cursor scheme and not change your cursors or to install the scheme and the cursors. To install the scheme but not change any cursors, if you have Windows 95/98/ME installed, right click on the "AInvScheme.reg" file and click on "Merge." If you have Windows NT/2000 installed, right click on the "AInvSchemeNT.reg" file and click on "Merge." This adds the Animated Inverse Cursors Scheme to the mouse control panel, but will NOT make any changes to your existing cursors.  To install the scheme AND the cursors, if you have Windows 95/98/ME installed, right click on the "AInvInstall.reg" file and click on "Merge." If you have Windows NT/2000 installed, right click on the "AInvInstallNT.reg" file and click on "Merge."

3. To activate the "Animated Inverse Cursor Scheme," manually select the scheme, or to make any changes to the alternate cursors in the set, follow the directions below.

4. In Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000, click on "Start," then "Settings," then "Control Panel."

5. In Control Panel, double click on "Mouse" for Mouse Properties. Click on "Pointers" in Mouse Properties.

6. If you installed the scheme using the installation files, under "Scheme," if not already showing the "Animated Inverse Cursor Scheme" scheme, click on the arrow for the drop down menu and double click on the "Animated Inverse Cursor Scheme" entry. You should now see the Animated Inverse Cursors for each default entry. If you did not install the scheme, you may manually select each cursor and then save your sheme by following step 7.

7. To keep the set shown, just click on "Apply" and go to step 8. To change any of the cursors, select that cursor and click on "Browse," double click on the AniInverse directory, then select the new cursor desired from those listed. Then click "Open." You should now see the new cursor shown for that event. Continue this until you have all the cursors the way you want. At this time you may want to save this as a custom scheme. Type in a scheme name and click on "Save As." To initiate the new cursors, click on "Apply."

8. Exit Mouse Properties and Control Panel. You're done! 

Note 1: Ainvatom, ainvspin, ainvstarcolor1, ainvstarcolor2, and ainvstargold are 256 color cursors. You must have Windows 95 Plus! installed and a true or high color video card to take advantage of these icons (enable high color mode under "Settings/Control Panel/Display Properties/Plus!"). You can also use Microangelo Engineer (shareware) or MULEVEL (freeware), but still must have a true or high color video card. MULEVEL is available from the 3D Red Animated Cursors home page.

Note 2: Ainvtimer is a 60 second timer and can be used to measure waiting time for your applications.

To uninstall:

1. Select new cursors that are not in the "\Windows\Cursors\AniInverse" or "\WinNT\Cursors\AniInverse" directory for your default cursors using Steps 3-8 under Installation. When done, select the Animated Inverse Cursors under Scheme and click on "Delete."

2. In Windows Explorer delete directory "\Windows\Cursors\AniInverse" or "\WinNT\Cursors\AniInverse." (Or delete the AniInverse cursors from the default Cursors folder if you did not use the standard installation folder, but do NOT delete the \Cursors folder.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

CAUTION!

If you do not use a white background for your main window, your text insertion pointer may be too similar in color to your background and may "disappear." This is usually only a problem with setups using 16 or 256 colors. This is easily solved by going to a white or other primary color background to get proper contrast. This is done by going to "Settings," opening "Control Panel," opening "Display," selecting the "Appearance" tab, selecting "Window" under "Item," clicking on "Color" and selecting the white block, and then clicking "Apply" and "Close."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

License

These files are copyrighted and being released as freeware for personal and non-profit use only. If you wish to use ANY of these cursors for ANY OTHER USE than the ones stated above, send a request for permission via email to joescursors@yahoo.com. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer of Warranty

These cursor files are "AS IS" and come WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which these cursors may be put, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED. You take full responsibility for their use, suitability, and consequences. They are not guaranteed to work on your computer or your application. You should perform your own virus screenings and perform your own tests for suitability. The user must assume the entire risk of using these files, including their installation. If your computer crashes, I am NOT responsible, nor am I responsible for any collateral damages or consequences of any kind. YOU are the ONLY one responsible for their use.  (Remember you got this for free!)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
EPILEPSY WARNING

Although intentionally made without "flashing" animations, this warning is provided for your benefit. These cursors are animated and could induce epileptic seizures in those with epilepsy. These problems can arise even in those who have not been previously diagnosed with the condition. If you notice any unusual conditions develop (seizures, loss of awareness, etc.), STOP USING THESE CURSORS IMMEDIATELY and seek medical aid.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Credits

These inverse cursors are my unique work. A few unanimated inverse arrow cursors have shown up on the internet, but this is the first full inverse scheme and I experimented with a number of ideas which would keep the inverse concept yet still be easy to find against a similar colored background. I believe that I was able to develop these into a set that could be used everyday. I have also included ideas developed from making my other cursor sets: 
3D Green Animated Cursors       - http://joescursors.tripod.com/3DGCurPg.htm
3D Red Animated Cursors         - http://joescursors.tripod.com/3DRCurPg.htm
3D Yellow Animated Cursors      - http://joescursors.tripod.com/3DYCurPg.htm
3D Orange Animated Cursors      - http://joescursors.tripod.com/3DOCurPg.htm
3D Blue2 Animated Cursors       - http://joescursors.tripod.com/3DB2CrPg.htm
3D Maroon Animated Cursors      - http://joescursors.tripod.com/3DMCurPg.htm
3D Purple Animated Cursors      - http://joescursors.tripod.com/3DPCurPg.htm
Flat Blue Animated Cursors	- http://joescursors.tripod.com/FBCurPg.htm
Neon Animated Cursors           - http://joescursors.tripod.com/NeonCrPg.htm
High Visibility Animated Cursors- http://joescursors.tripod.com/HVCurPg.htm
Christmas Animated Cursors      - http://joescursors.tripod.com/CHCurPg.htm
New Year Animated Cursors       - http://joescursors.tripod.com/NYCurPg.htm

The gold star cursor is used with permission from a freeware gold cursor set by Matt Brown. Matt's home page was at http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~mattb, but this link recently stopped working.

The animated pendulum clock cursors were made based on a clock cursor I saw by Juan C. Pradas-Bergnes.

Some of the alternate 256 color cursors were developed from animated gifs. All were unattributed and/or in the public domain except the following: 
The animated color star and atom were made by me based on animated gifs by Matt Brown (since I didn't have a conversion program when I did this, it was alot more complicated than it sounds).
(If someone is the original author of an unattributed gif and does not want me to use it for a cursor, contact me and I will remove the subject cursor.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Animated Inverse Cursor Scheme "ZIP" File List for Version 1.1

ainvalt.ani        - "UpArrow" or alternate cursor
ainvappshrgls.ani  - "application starting" rotating hourglass
ainvappswatch.ani  - "application starting" stopwatch
ainvarrow.cur      - "arrow" cursor
ainvatom.ani       - "wait" 256 color rotating atom
ainvbeam.cur       - "Ibeam" or text select
ainvboot.ani       - "wait" walking shoe
ainvbuzy.ani       - "wait" sleeping
ainvcrazyclock.ani - "wait" crazy pendulum clock
ainvcross.cur      - "Crosshair" or precision select
ainvdiagl.ani      - "SizeNWSE" or diagonal move cursor
ainvdiagr.ani      - "SizeSWNE" or diagonal move cursor
ainvdisp.ani       - "application starting" disappearing tail
ainveyes.ani       - "application starting" blinking eyes
ainvheart.ani      - "wait" pulsing heart
ainvhelp.ani       - "help" cursor (with red blinking question mark)
ainvhelp2.ani      - "help" cursor (with inverse/red blinking question mark)
ainvhor.ani        - "SizeWE" or horizontal move cursor
ainvhourglass.ani  - "wait" vertical rotating hourglass
AInvInstall.reg    - registry file to install the cursor scheme and cursors
ainvjump.ani       - "Wait" jumping arrow
ainvlink.ani       - "link" Windows 98 browser link cursor
ainvlink2.ani      - "link" animated Windows 98 browser link cursor
ainvmove.ani       - "SizeAll" or move cursor
ainvno.ani         - "No" cursor rotating
ainvno2.ani        - "No" cursor blinking no
ainvpen.ani        - "NWPen" or handwriting cursor
ainvpendclock.ani  - "wait" pendulum clock
AInvReadme.txt     - this readme file
AInvScheme.reg     - registry file to install just the cursor scheme
ainvspin.ain       - "wait" spining color pinwheel
ainvstarcolor1.ani - "wait" 256 color rotating star with black background
ainvstarcolor2.ani - "wait" 256 color rotating star with no background
ainvstargold.ain   - "wait" 256 color gold rotating star
ainvstopwatch.ani  - "wait" stopwatch
ainvtiedup.ani     - "application starting" with tied up tail
ainvtimer.ani      - "wait" 60 second timer
ainvvert.ani       - "SizeNS" or vertical move cursor
ainvwag.ani        - "application starting" wagging tail
ainvwipeout.ani    - "wait" "wipe out"
file_id.diz        - short description (BBS) file
pad_file.xml     - ASP format file description

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------