Thread: Virtual Cursor?

Imagine this: You make a simple game using a contained within a JFrame. The game is played by moving your mouse around and clicking on different things.

Can you then make a virtual mouse to interact with that game that will not interfere with your normal cursor actions, and only do things within the JFrame. Like you could browse the web while it is running and it wouldn't interfere.

Note: This has nothing to do with interacting with the game objects in code directly, but simple a virtual mouse overlay to interact with it in a simulated way.

--- Update ---

This was also mention in a similar thread here: http://www.javaprogrammingforums.com...awt-robot.html

What is supposed to make the virtual mouse cursor move? You mention that you could be using the real mouse for something else like browsing. Not that it really affects your question, but I was wondering. Will it be following some logic of its own? or responding to other events like keystrokes?

In any case I don't think you can rely on the OS to help you. What I mean is that the real mouse will be interacting with the web browser or whatever and, as far as the OS is concerned, that is what your mouse is doing. Your game application will simply not receive any mouse event information.

Your game will, therefore, have to be prepared to interact with events generated by the virtual mouse. So perhaps "this has nothing to do with interacting with the game objects in code directly" needs to be clarified. Surely everything that affects the game's state arises because of interactions with the game objects reflected in the code of the game, those objects and whatever it is that initiates the interactions.

There may be some way of programatically sending the game application mouse or keyboard input even while some other application has focus. (and without that application permanently losing focus) But that would seem to be some OS specific question and, as such, not one really suited to finding an implementation in Java.

Bump?

There is no need to "bump" a post.
Every post is read by multiple people.
When someone has some advice they will post on your thread.
Have you looked at the robot class?

Originally Posted by jps

There is no need to "bump" a post.
Every post is read by multiple people.
When someone has some advice they will post on your thread.
Have you looked at the robot class?

Well either you have never used the robot class or your clearly don't understand what I mean, the whole point is not to take control of the mouse in the OS, but to create a virtual (secondary) one.

Simple: I want to be able to have a cursor only controlled by programming that is separate from the cursor controlled by my mouse.

keywords "SEPARATE FROM THE CURSOR CONTROLLED BY MY MOUSE" so I would appreciate it if you don't mention the Robot class unless it has to do with creating mouse events to send to the "virtual cursor".

I say this because it never seems like people understand what you are trying to do.

Consider using Robot. Actually, there was a topic on this forum about this.

What?

You have now turned this into a joke...[COLOR="Silver"]

Oh, I'm really sorry, man, haven't read your post patiently. Then most likely you'll have to use JNI. There's some library, take a look. Even if that's only for listening, you can combine it in an appropriate way with Robot, so that each time a user moves mouse the event is intercepted by the lib and the mouse is forced to stay on it's position with Robot.

Please do not double post your question.
Threads merged

Try explaining what you have tried, and why said attempt was not satisfactory.