VNC version 3.3.4 - Cursor updates changed?

[Gary Sieker]

While testing the new version in the Windows
environment, I noticed a change in the behaviour
in remote cursor.

The remote cursor follows the 'dot' cursor along at
a lag as in version 3.3.3, but now, if I stop moving
the mouse for more than a second or two, the remote
cursor disappears, and all I see is the dot! The old
version would continue showing and updating the remote
cursor indefinitely (as far as I've seen)...

Is anyone else experiencing this? Can someone from
RealVNC tell me if this is intentional and explain
why it was done? Can it be turned off?

P.S. I am using 'Poll Full Screen' at the server and
the default 'dotcursor' option on the viewer side.

Any comments on this would be appreciated!

-Gary

[GLM]

Post by Gary Sieker
While testing the new version in the Windows
environment, I noticed a change in the behaviour
in remote cursor.
The remote cursor follows the 'dot' cursor along at
a lag as in version 3.3.3, but now, if I stop moving
the mouse for more than a second or two, the remote
cursor disappears, and all I see is the dot! The old
version would continue showing and updating the remote
cursor indefinitely (as far as I've seen)...
Is anyone else experiencing this?

Yes, same behaviour here.

Post by Gary Sieker
Can someone from
RealVNC tell me if this is intentional and explain
why it was done? Can it be turned off?
P.S. I am using 'Poll Full Screen' at the server and
the default 'dotcursor' option on the viewer side.

When "Poll Full Screen" is disabled the remote cursor does not disappears.
So, I think the mentioned behaviour is intentional -- and not too bad, IMHO.

Post by Gary Sieker
Any comments on this would be appreciated!
-Gary
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Regards,
-G.

[James ''Wez'' Weatherall]

The internal update handling mechanisms of WinVNC have changed rather
radically between versions 3.3.3R9 and 3.3.4. The is the cause of the
"dissappearing cursor" "feature". Basically, the cursor is only
rendered into WinVNC's internal buffers when it moves, so if WinVNC
thinks the area of the screen the cursor is in has changed, it'll
dissappear.

Cheers,

[Mas LIARFO]

Hey James,

That's a pity you didn't simply reuse the TigthVNC code for mouse cursor handling, because it's just perfect.
The current RealVNC cursor behavior is still somewhat frustrating IMHO. It gives the feeling to always be late
on fast mouse movements. Users usually simply want to see the mouse arrow. The little point that runs after
the arrow makes it impossible to forget that you are not actually using the local machine, even over a fast LAN.
BTW it prevents me to quickly port eSVNC improvements into RealVNC and prevents RealVNC to instantly become the
new VNC reference.

It's really a pity because the rest of your VNC revamping is simply cool and a real big step forward.
You shouldn't ignore the others VNC distributions improvements ;)

What do you plan to do next ?

Sam

[Mike Miller]

The little point that runs after the arrow makes it impossible to forget
that you are not actually using the local machine, even over a fast LAN.

But on a slow connection, having the little point is very helpful. You
know where your cursor *will* be and you can click before it gets there.

Mike

[p***@planethilmer.com]

Post by Mike Miller

The little point that runs after the arrow makes it impossible to forget
that you are not actually using the local machine, even over a fast LAN.

But on a slow connection, having the little point is very helpful. You
know where your cursor *will* be and you can click before it gets there.

Isn't this just the same as in TightVNC - just sort of the opposite?

If the arrow runs after the point or the point runs after the arrow? Or am I missing something?

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[Mike Miller]

Post by p***@planethilmer.com

Post by Mike Miller

The little point that runs after the arrow makes it impossible to
forget that you are not actually using the local machine, even over
a fast LAN.

But on a slow connection, having the little point is very helpful.
You know where your cursor *will* be and you can click before it gets
there.

Isn't this just the same as in TightVNC - just sort of the opposite?
If the arrow runs after the point or the point runs after the arrow? Or
am I missing something?

I wrote the second thing above ("But on a slow connection...").
Unfortunately, I haven't used TightVNC, so I'm not clear on what it does.
Someone else wrote to tell me that he likes the TightVNC approach better
than the RealVNC approach. Can someone explain the differences?

Regards,

Mike

[Constantin Kaplinsky]

Hello Mike,
MM> I wrote the second thing above ("But on a slow connection...").
MM> Unfortunately, I haven't used TightVNC, so I'm not clear on what
MM> it does. Someone else wrote to tell me that he likes the TightVNC
MM> approach better than the RealVNC approach. Can someone explain the
MM> differences?

In TightVNC, there is no delay in cursor movements, even over slow
connections (if the local cursor feature is on which is the default).
You will notice small delay only on changes of the cursor shape, or on
changes in the desktop contents under the cursor.

[Gary Sieker]

James,

Please don't take this the wrong way, I think what your team is doing
is great, and overall I love the new version. I just can't help but
think that this new remote cursor behaviour is a step backward from
what we had at 3.3.3.

I am (sort of) willing to put up with the lagging remote cursor for
some of the other nice improvements in the new version, but now the
situation with the remote cursor seems decidely worse than before.

Example 1: I have clicked something that will take a while to process
(and so, I have an hourglass cursor). In the new version, I have to
move my mouse around every few seconds to see if the hourglass has
changed to the 'normal' cursor again.

Example 2: I click on something, glance away from the screen for a
second and look back. The remote arrow/hourglass has disappeared and
I am now looking for the mouse pointer which is now just a dot, which
of course makes it much harder to see (without, again, jiggling the
mouse and searching for signs of life...)

Please tell me there is a way to disable this 'feature'. It really
makes using the new version very awkward, IMHO.

Forgive me if you have answered this before, but: Have you looked at
the way TightVNC is doing the local cursor? If you have, there must
be something that you didn't like about it (or not?). If you haven't looked at it, is there a reason why? It seems like it might be a good,
optional, alternative to the disappearing remote cursor in 3.3.4.

Thanks in advance for your response,

-Gary


----- Original Message -----

Subject: Re: VNC version 3.3.4 - Cursor updates changed?
Date: 27 Sep 2002 12:36:10 +0100
The internal update handling mechanisms of WinVNC have changed rather
radically between versions 3.3.3R9 and 3.3.4. The is the cause of the
"dissappearing cursor" "feature". Basically, the cursor is only
rendered into WinVNC's internal buffers when it moves, so if WinVNC
thinks the area of the screen the cursor is in has changed, it'll
dissappear.
Cheers,
--
---
James "Wez" Weatherall www.spineless.org.uk
"The path to enlightenment is /usr/bin/enlightenment"
Laboratory for Communications Engineering, Cambridge - Tel : 766513