Ubuntu – New mouse cursor doesn’t appear in list sudo update-alternatives –config x-cursor-theme

cursormousethemes

I tried installing a new mouse cursor and put the unzipp/tarred file in the folder named ~/.icons.

I selected the theme with gnome-tweak-tool, but it won't change properly. The default cursor doesn't change, all the rest does though. I've tried this method (and many others now) of manually adding it through gksu gedit /usr/share/icons/default/index.theme. I've tried it with gnome-tweak-tool, with ubuntu tweak, with gconf-editor and even sudo update-alternatives --config x-cursor-theme, but when I try this method my mouse cursor doesn't even appear in the list. How can I add my new mouse cursor to this list?

Best Answer

I believe you have to move your theme to the /usr/share/icons directory for it to work.

Also you have to locate the index.theme (or any .theme file) of the theme you want to install and add it to update-alternatives using the --install option.

Let's take as example the theme ComixCursors-LH-White-Small ( a left-handed cursor theme from the package comixcursors-lefthanded Install comixcursors-lefthanded ). Its index.theme file looks like

[Icon Theme]
Name = Comix Cursor LH White Small Bold
Comment = The left-handed Comix Cursors - White Small Bold
Example = default

but it should have an Inherits line equal to the directory in /usr/share/icons in which the theme is saved, otherwise it won't work. So add

Inherits = ComixCursors-LH-White-Small

Now tell update-alternatives about your new theme

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/share/icons/default/index.theme x-cursor-theme /usr/share/icons/ComixCursors-LH-White-Small/index.theme 91

where you should change the second last parameter to the index.theme of your theme. If you did this correctly

sudo update-alternatives --config x-cursor-theme

should display your new theme, and after logging out and in, your new theme should be applied.

Multi-user 14.04

If you have only one user on your system, it will be ok to change default curser theme, whether by copying DMZ-Black contents onto DMZ-White, or changing default index.theme content, or even using command sudo update-alternatives --config x-cursor-theme.

But on a multi-user system, you need to personalize for yourself alone without affecting other users. Well, it's not so hard. You just need to make a "default" curser theme under your home.

Let's change the cursor theme in steps:

Via Terminal

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme "DMZ-Black" – simply replace "DMZ-Black" with your desired theme
mkdir ~/.icons/default
gedit ~/.icons/default/index.theme
copy the following lines in the text file and save it:
```
[Icon Theme]
Inherits=DMZ-Black
```
– again replace "DMZ-Black" with your desired theme.

Via GUI

Install Dconf Editor or Unity Tweal Tool to be able to change the cursor theme;
On Dconf Editor, search for "cursor-theme", double click it and change the value to "DMZ-Black" or your desired theme.

Alternatively on Unity Tweak Tool under Apearance, go to Cursors and select "DMZ-Black" or your desired theme.
Open Files (Nautilus) and go to ~/.icons (make one if there isn't any);
Make a new folder, name it default and open it;
Make an empty document and name it index.theme;
Open the file, paste the following lines and save it:
```
[Icon Theme]
Inherits=DMZ-Black
```
You can replace "DMZ-Black" with your desired theme.