Disappearing cursor when using color picker

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Level 4

1,231 points

Disappearing cursor when using color picker

I'm using a 2017 MacBook Pro (Two TB3 ports) running macOS Mojave 10.14.3.

I've noticed that when I use the color picker (eye dropper?) feature of certain apps, my cursor becomes transparent. This happens with many apps, including apps that were made for Mac (Affinity Designer and BBEdit), but it doesn't happen when using the color picker in GIMP. This tells me that GIMP uses different color picker functionality than is used in Affinity Designer and BBEdit. I can make the cursor visible again using the Command+Tab keyboard combination (switch apps then switch back).

My questions:

How do I prevent this issue?
Is there a dedicated color picker app that doesn't do this?

See the red oval at the bottom of the screenshot:

MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.14

Posted on Mar 11, 2019 3:55 PM

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Answer 1

leroydouglas

Level 10

200,352 points

Mar 11, 2019 7:02 PM in response to revmacian

Both Affinity and Bbedit are third party. I suspect there could be some third party extension interfering . Take it up with the developer of the app or their support page. https://forum.affinity.serif.com/

Bare Bones Software | Support

I can say test BBEdit color picker works for me without the effect you describe.

To trouble shoot further you can:

Try a SafeBoot https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

Takes noticeable longer to get to the login screen, does a 5 minute disk repair before it fully boots up, and certain system caches, dynamic loader cache, etc. get cleared and rebuilt.

This test will tell you if third party interference; extensions etc are not loaded in safe boot mode.

Test issue in another user (or guest user) account https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204443

This will tell you if it a universal issue or isolated to your user/admin account.

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Answer 2

revmacian Author

Level 4

1,231 points

Mar 11, 2019 6:59 PM in response to leroydouglas

I only have two optimized apps (BBEdit and Affinity Designer) that have a color picker and the issue appears in both of them. GIMP works, but it's really slow.. and it's not optimized for macOS. The two apps that I have which are optimized for macOS are the two that cause the cursor problem—you would think that the optimized apps would work better, but that isn't the case.

I can recover full use of the cursor by pressing the Command+Tab keyboard combination, switch apps and then switch back.. but the user shouldn't have to resort to that.

The fact that the exact same issue results from using similar functions in unrelated apps, by unrelated developers, tells me that the issue most likely stems from a rendering bug in macOS display/rendering source code.

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Answer 3

leroydouglas

Level 10

200,352 points

Mar 11, 2019 6:53 PM in response to revmacian

Your screen shot above does not specify which app this is?

Non the less not all apps are optimized for the latest macOS. If GIMP works for you stick with it. Verify your third party apps are up to date. You can always contact the developer of the app and submit your user feedback.

Is there a catastrophic failure with this behavior—or — can you recover full function of your mouse cursor? Your command tab seems to be an easy work around for effected apps.

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Disappearing cursor when using color picker

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