C# Signature:

[DllImport("user32.dll")]
static extern IntPtr LoadCursorFromFile(string lpFileName);
static extern IntPtr LoadCursor(IntPtr hInstance, int lpCursorName);

VB Signature:

<DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
Public Shared Function LoadCursor( _
    ByVal hInstance As IntPtr, _
    ByVal lpCursorName As String) As IntPtr
End Function

Common VB Overloads:

<DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
Public Shared Function LoadCursor( _
    ByVal hInstance As IntPtr, _
    ByVal lpCursorName As Integer) As IntPtr
End Function

VB.Net Signature

    <DllImport("user32.dll")> _
    Private Shared Function LoadCursorFromFile(ByVal lpFileName As String) As IntPtr
    End Function

User-Defined Types:

None.

IDC_

Notes:

If multiple cursor types are in the cursor file, this function appears to want to load the 32x32 first.

This function may not solve your problems when trying to load animated or colored cursors stored as embedded resources. I've wasted hours trying to get it to work to no avail. The LoadCursorFromFile method however works perfectly, so you might want to extract your cursor resource to a temp file and use the P/Invoke for that function.

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

Well, there is actually a way to do it!!! See VS2010 VB Sample code.

Sample Code C#:

public Form1()

{

    IntPtr colorCursorHandle = LoadCursorFromFile("c:\\temp.cur");
    Cursor myCursor = new Cursor(colorCursorHandle);
    this.Cursor = myCursor;

}

Tips & Tricks:

If you specify the hInstance as IntPtr.Zero, then you can specify one of the constants in IDC_ as the CursorName to utilize system defined cursors.

    private void Surface_MouseEnter(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {//Assuming you have declared the function using the C# signature above, and have a control / form /etc with a MouseEnter handled by this function

        //Assumes that a file (in this case a pencil cursor - PencilCursor.cur) is in Application.StartupPath (in debug mode that's app folder/bin/debug
        Cursor myCursor = new Cursor(GetType(), "PencilCursor.cur");
        IntPtr colorCursorHandle = LoadCursorFromFile("PencilCursor.cur");
        myCursor.GetType().InvokeMember("handle",BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic |BindingFlags.Instance | System.Reflection.BindingFlags.SetField,null,myCursor,new object [] { colorCursorHandle } );
        this.Cursor = myCursor;
    }

C# Sample Code:

    IntPtr handle = LoadCursor(IntPtr.Zero, IDC_Arrow);

Sample Code VB.Net

VB Sample Code:

   Dim HighlightPointer as Cursor = ColorCursor.LoadCursor(101)    

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices

   ''' <summary>
   '''   Provides ability to load color and/or animated cursor for the form or control.
   '''   Note: cursor must be embedded as native win32 resource in the assembly.
   ''' </summary>
   Private Class ColorCursor

Public Class Form1

      Private Declare Function LoadCursorAPI Lib "user32.dll" Alias "LoadCursorA" (ByVal hInstance As IntPtr, ByVal lpCursorName As String) As IntPtr

    <DllImport("user32.dll")> _
    Private Shared Function DestroyCursor(ByVal hCursor As IntPtr) As Integer
    End Function
      Public Shared Function LoadCursor(ByVal embededWin32ResourceID As Integer) As Cursor
     Dim cursor As Cursor = TryLoadCursor(embededWin32ResourceID)
     If cursor Is Nothing Then
        Throw New System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception(Err.LastDllError)
     Else
        Return cursor
     End If
      End Function

    <DllImport("user32.dll")> _
    Private Shared Function LoadCursorFromFile(ByVal lpFileName As String) As IntPtr
    End Function
      Public Shared Function TryLoadCursor(ByVal embededWin32ResourceID As Integer) As Cursor
     Dim hInstance As IntPtr = System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.GetHINSTANCE(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly.GetModules()(0))
     Dim cPtr As IntPtr = LoadCursorAPI(hInstance, embededWin32ResourceID)
     cPtr = LoadCursorAPI(hInstance, "#" & embededWin32ResourceID)
     If cPtr = IntPtr.Zero Then
        Return Nothing
     Else
        Return New Cursor(cPtr)
     End If
      End Function

    Dim mhAniCursor As IntPtr
   End Class

    Private Sub Form_Closed(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As FormClosedEventArgs) Handles MyBase.FormClosed
    'Animierten  bzw. farbigen Cursor entladen
    Dim iResult As Integer = DestroyCursor(mhAniCursor)
    End Sub

How to Embed Multiple Icons and Color/Animated Cursors in VS2010 VB project as Native Win32 Resources:

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
    mhAniCursor = LoadCursorFromFile("c:\FarbCursor.cur")
    If Not mhAniCursor.Equals(IntPtr.Zero) Then
        Me.Cursor = New Cursor(mhAniCursor)
    End If
    End Sub

End Class

This is useful if you need your EXE or DLL to provide multiple icons for documents associated with your application. It also provides a way to load color and animated cursors for your forms and/or controls. Note: even .NET 4.0 does not support this natively, it can only load black and while cursors.

Method 1 (simple, but requires repeating following steps after every build):

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

1. Open your EXE or DLL in Visual Studio (either File->Open File or just drag and drop it into IDE).
2. Add icons and/or cursors to the EXE or DLL
3. Save file.

Method 2 (more involved, but done only once):

1. Find native win32 resource file (*.res) on the web. Google “Embedding Multiple Icons into .NET Executables” and download the sample project which contains *.res file. VS2010 does not have the template to create this file; however the editor is still there.

2. Rename file to assemblyWin32.res, include it in your project, and compile it as content in Build Action.

3. Add icons and/or cursors to the assemblyWin32.res file.

4. Open your project file in notepad (*.vbProj) and add the following block:

      <PropertyGroup>
     <Win32Resource>assemblyWin32.res</Win32Resource>
      </PropertyGroup>

    You can put it after condition block. Here is the example:

      <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|x86' ">
    ...
    ...
      </PropertyGroup>

5. If you have included icons in the Win32 resource file for your EXE then remove application icon in project properties->Application Tab (this icon will no longer be used).

6. Build the project

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

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