Create a semi-transparent cursor from an image

Question

Is it possible to create a cursor from an image and have it be semi-transparent?

I'm currently taking a custom image and overylaying the mouse cursor image. It would be great if I could make this semi-transparent, but not necessary. The sales guys love shiny.

Currently doing something like this:

Image cursorImage = customImage.GetThumbnailImage(300, 100, null, IntPtr.Zero);
cursorImage.SetResolution(96.0F, 96.0F);
int midPointX = cursorImage.Width / 2;
int midPointY = cursorImage.Height / 2;
Bitmap cursorMouse = GetCursorImage(cursorOverlay);
Graphics cursorGfx = Graphics.FromImage(cursorImageCopy);
cursorGfx.DrawImageUnscaled(cursorMouse, midPointX, midPointY);

Cursor tmp = new Cursor(cursorImage.GetHicon());

alt text http://members.cox.net/dustinbrooks/drag.jpg

Answer 1

I've tried following example, and it was working fine...

    public struct IconInfo
    {
        public bool fIcon;
        public int xHotspot;
        public int yHotspot;
        public IntPtr hbmMask;
        public IntPtr hbmColor;
    }


    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
    public static extern bool GetIconInfo(IntPtr hIcon, ref IconInfo pIconInfo);

    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    public static extern IntPtr CreateIconIndirect(ref IconInfo icon);

    public static Cursor CreateCursor(Bitmap bmp, int xHotSpot, int yHotSpot)
    {
        IntPtr ptr = bmp.GetHicon();
        IconInfo tmp = new IconInfo();
        GetIconInfo(ptr, ref tmp);
        tmp.xHotspot = xHotSpot;
        tmp.yHotspot = yHotSpot;
        tmp.fIcon = false;
        ptr = CreateIconIndirect(ref tmp);
        return new Cursor(ptr);
    }

And i've put this on button click event (you can call from where you like):

Bitmap b = new Bitmap("D:/Up.png");
this.Cursor = CreateCursor(b, 5, 5);

And the Up.png image is saved with 75% opacity in AdobePhotoshop.