topic Re: Cursor and crosshair dissapears in AutoCAD Forum

Cursor and crosshair dissapears

dharperG89FG — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 13:23:00 GMT

WHY does the crosshair and cursor disappear, in view ports and working area but still display on the ribbons and toolbars.

Yet another bug in the program that AUTODESK seems to not care that it has been an issue for at least the past 4-5 years in the numbered releases, it might even be 10 years.

Re: Cursor and crosshair dissapears

pendean — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 13:52:47 GMT

Read this https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Mouse-cursor-or-crosshair-disappears-in-AutoCAD-2012.html#:~:text=To%20bring%20the%20crosshair%20back&text=Click%20anywhere%20on%20the%20ribbon,between%20model%20and%20layout%20tabs.

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

dharperG89FG — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 13:59:32 GMT

I have tried all of these and they do not fix the problem.
Only sure fix is save the file close the file and reopen.

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

pendean — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 14:14:48 GMT

If restarting the program is the only fix, then you probably need to turn off hardware acceleration in GRAPHICSCONFIG command to see if that help. The issue is your graphics hardware not being able to keep up with AutoCAD/LT's demands.

What does ABOUT command list as your LT version?
What is your OS?
What video card is listed in GRAPHICSCONFIG command as being used? And is that the one you were expecting the program to use?

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

deke01 — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 15:45:55 GMT

I have also tried those suggestions to varying degrees of success.
The most consistent remedy I have had is to use 'VSCURRENT' and change to 'Wireframe' from whatever it is. Then switch it back.
Or if it is set to 'Wireframe', switch it to something else, exit command, 'VSCURRENT' again and then switch it back.

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

RobDraw — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 16:26:37 GMT

You're barking up the wrong tree. This sounds like a local hardware issue. Can you replicate on another machine?

If not, then it is not a problem with the program. There are minimum specs to run it. Does your system meet those specs?

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

dharperG89FG — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 20:46:32 GMT

I have not been able to FORCE it or intentionally make it happen..... It just happened again.

I am using product version O.49.0.0 autocad 2018. I did turn off the hardware acceleration, after one of the reply's.
I have reviewed the recommended minimum specs , this is a corporate owned pc, It is and DELL and it meets and exceeds the minimum requirements.
I have noticed this issue mentioned on numerous message boards while searching for a fix or how to correct the issue after it happens, other than closing the file, not exiting AutoCAD , I tried the 4 options that were in the link sent on Thursday,

This generally happens when a viewport is active and the display is locked. The layout happens to be zoomed in or out and a mouse based Pan or a Mouse wheel zoom is done. And the crosshair decides to just go away. Only the arrow is usable while over a ribbon of tool bar.
To bring the crosshair back
Try any of the following:
* Click anywhere on the ribbon. This is the first thing I do and it has never worked for me, in the past..
* Move the mouse cursor over the Viewport Controls in the upper-left corner of the drawing window. Getting the cursor over this area when it is not visible is a challenge, even with using the control tap to flag where the cursor should be, challenge. But it actually worked this time.
* Change the visual style. In the past it has also happened while in the model tab and changing the visual style has not worked then.
* Switch between model and layout tabs This is an other I have tried in the past and today my Manages was looking over my shoulder as it happened so I dug out reply. This has not corrected it for me in the past, and did not today.

I have tried most of the other items

* Switch between model and layout tabs. This has not worked so far.
* Minimize and then restore AutoCAD. This I do not recall trying this
* Close and reopen the drawing. This is the 100% go to fix for me.
* Exit and relaunch AutoCAD. It has not gone this far unless it repeatedly happens in a single acad session.
* Change the color of the crosshairs. This has not worked for me
* Open a blank AutoCAD template, copy the model using COPYBASE from a point within the model and then paste the model to 0,0. This might be problematic if the original file has multiple layouts , having to transfer them to the NEW file and having to double check and adjust the viewport freezes, once they are transferred, or copy an pasted. Or there might be issues of having to reconnecting external references.
*
* Double-click the mouse wheel to zoom to extents.

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

pendean — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 21:00:27 GMT

>>>...It just happened again....<<<
There is no universal fix for a random issue: sorry.

Your AutoCAD needs to be at the 2018.1.2 update level, check ABOUT command to confirm it is.
Then turn off LINESMOOTHING, LINEFADING, see if that helps.

Since you don't like to answer specific questions about details of your video card or OS, you may need upgraded (or downgraded) video card drivers too.

HTH

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

RobDraw — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 22:02:10 GMT

@dharperG89FG wrote:
This generally happens when a viewport is active and the display is locked. The layout happens to be zoomed in or out and a mouse based Pan or a Mouse wheel zoom is done. And the crosshair decides to just go away. Only the arrow is usable while over a ribbon of tool bar.

This sounds like it might be somehow activating another viewport that is off screen, if that is even possible. The crosshairs would be in the active viewport off screen, not visible in paper space on screen. What happens if you type PS to bring it back to paper space?

@dharperG89FG wrote:
* Close and reopen the drawing. This is the 100% go to fix for me.

Are you saving before closing? If not, what happens if you do save, close, and reopen?

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

pauliW8MSM — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 13:07:57 GMT

Thanks @RobDraw !!! I only had the crosshairs missing on one tab and did all of the things above. The "PS" worked and I got back out. I got lost before, and I leave a little edge of the view port so I can click out and don't zoom all the way in. Somehow I must have got in another view port off the screen.

Re: Cursor and crosshair dissapears

hendrik.lamprecht — Thu, 25 May 2023 01:27:22 GMT

Not sure if this will help, but I had a similar frustrating thing happen to me while working in the model space. Entered a command and gone was my cursor, only visible in the ribbon or when I escaped out of the command.

I closed and restarted the software hoping it would solve the problem, but didn't work. Turns out my issue was I accidentally activated Snap Mode (F9) and the cursor would snap to points outside my visible area.

Re: Cursor and crosshair dissapears

DarFitzgerald — Wed, 31 May 2023 22:35:31 GMT

Thank you! F9 solved my problem!

Re: Cursor and crosshair dissapears

Kent1Cooper — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:57:00 GMT

@DarFitzgerald wrote:

Thank you! F9 solved my problem!

Then another solution would be to set Snap to a smaller value.

Re: Cursor and crosshair dissapears

AnneinKZN — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 10:33:45 GMT

Thank you! Solved it for me, too! I keep hitting F9 instead of F8 by mistake.

Anne Coventry

Re: Cursor and crosshair dissapears

woehlKGKLA — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 20:39:22 GMT

I don't know why this happens just how to fix it when it does.

If you click on the 2D Wireframe in the upper left hand corner of your view port, your cursor usually comes back instantly.

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Mouse-cursor-or-crosshair-disappears-in-AutoCAD-2012.html#:~:text=Causes%3A,Corrupted%20drawing.

Re: Cursor and crosshair dissapears

hczinn — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 22:01:56 GMT

After trying the numerous other suggestions, this one worked for me.

Re: Cursor and crosshair dissapears

subdivision_engineering — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 18:10:34 GMT

Thanks for this!
Somehow I selected grid snap and could not figure out why the cursor is off when command is activated. Changing to the polar snap went back to normal.
Cheers
Andre

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

jwilliamsZRQUC — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 18:02:49 GMT

I really dislike this blanket comment that it must be your updates, etc.

I'm running 2024.4.1 This issue is random and happens no matter what version I'm running at various times.

I just looked for updates since the update notification quit with my 2024 update and there's a licensing update and nothing else - problem persists but only occasionally but not always. graphics card is up to date, computer is close to top of the line - it's a Civil3D issue that should be fixed but I don't expect any changes

AutoDesk hates admitting numerous people experience the same dang problem but insist it's just me - always odd that I go to Reddit and find many other experience that exact same problem

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

pendean — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 19:17:20 GMT

@jwilliamsZRQUC wrote:
I really dislike this blanket comment that it must be your updates, etc....

Unless you state all updates are installed, and which ones, no one around here knows you and for the most part no one can assume you've done anything about the updates yet.

@jwilliamsZRQUC wrote:
...I'm running 2024.4.1 ...

2024.1.6 is the most current update level

https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2024/ENU/?guid=AUTOCAD_2024_1_6_FIXED_ISSUES

@jwilliamsZRQUC wrote:
...This issue is random and happens no matter what version I'm running at various times.
...problem persists but only occasionally but not always...

There is never gong to be a fix for random issues you can never replicate on demand: next time this occurs, try to decipher what else might be going on. It could just be your video card having a moment of incompatibility, or it could be your system or program needs a restart, or just Windows being Windows, or something else started in the background

https://www.coohom.com/article/cursor-disappears-in-autocad#:~:text=issue%20in%20AutoCAD-,Cursor%20disappears%20in%20autocad%3A%20Troubleshooting%20the%20disappearing%20cursor%20issue%20in%20AutoCAD,-Zelma%20Hargrove

Or... any one of these

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Mouse-cursor-or-crosshair-disappears-in-AutoCAD-2012.html#:~:text=added%20in%20AutoCAD.-,Solution,-%3A

You can also open a support case with Autodesk if you are on subscription to seek out Autodesk Support's help if you feel the issue is very embedded in the actual software:
https://www.autodesk.com/support/account/manage/use/support#:~:text=com/plans.-,Contact%20support,-Select%20a%20path

HTH

Re: Cursor and crosshair disappears

jwilliamsZRQUC — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 19:31:32 GMT

ALL UPDATES that "Autodesk Access" app in my tray are installed - if CAD can't tell me what I should have, I'd say that's another glitch