Transparent invisible mouse pointers + visible pointers

[Stormrider]

I've managed to setup my Windows XP so that transparent pointers are used during the boot process and while MaLa is active (it runs directly launched on startup by userinit), and then visible pointers when explorer.exe is run on Mala's exit. Many people use black pointers or small dots, but I don't like that solution because sometimes you can see the black pointer when MaLa is running, and also because these pointers are unconfortable when using Windows, specially on the black background you may have set for hiding the pointers during the boot. My idea is a little farfetched but I can't figure out an easier solution. If anyone has a better idea, please tell me. I've setup a file with all the necessary files.

http://www.alvarezeninternet.com/malalayout/system.zip

Remember to edit mala.ini and checkout these lines: RunApplicationOnExit=1 and RunApplicationOnExitPath=c:\windows\explorer.exe.

Extract the content of system.zip

The pointers folder must be placed in \Windows\ The rest of the files go to the MaLa's root folder.

Edit pointers.cmd in case your paths settings (Mala and Windows) are different. If mouseok.exe doesn't work, use mouseok-eng.exe The former file was created for the Spanish version of Windows, so this is the English version. It's supposed to work, but I cannot test it. Please tell me.

Make a shortcut to pointers.cmd in your startup folder

Open up Mouse properties and set up the cursors arrow, help, waitb, and wait to the files you have in the root of \windows\pointers\

The first time we restart, we will still see visible pointers during the boot. When we quit the frontend and the cmd file is run, everything will be setup to work as expected.

Let me explain how this works:

When we quit Mala, explorer.exe is automatically loaded, so the Windows gui is displayed and operative. The cmd file is automatically run because it's linked in the startup folder. This batch file copies the visible pointers in pointers\vis\ to the root (\pointers), where Windows looks for the files to use. Now we should have visible pointers, but we've only replaced the files. Windows have not refreshed the information. At this point, mouseok.exe runs. This is a file which I have compiled with Autoit, a utility for scripts, macros, etc. It opens up the mouse properties in the pointers section (it executes control main.cpl,@0,1) and then sends the intro keystroke. That's enough to refresh, which gives us visible pointers. Next, the invisible pointers are copied again to the root, which will grant invisibility during our next boot and Mala session.

[Bender]

if that works

that is an awesome solution

anybody try it yet?