Pointer rule

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/)
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 
+## [7.4.0] - 2026-01-25
+
+### Added
+
+- Added `pointer` rule https://github.com/Textualize/textual/pull/6339
+
 ## [7.3.0] - 2026-01-15
 
 ### Fixed
@@ -3322,6 +3328,7 @@ https://textual.textualize.io/blog/2022/11/08/version-040/#version-040
 - New handler system for messages that doesn't require inheritance
 - Improved traceback handling
 
+[7.4.0]: https://github.com/Textualize/textual/compare/v7.3.0...v7.4.0
 [7.3.0]: https://github.com/Textualize/textual/compare/v7.2.0...v7.3.0
 [7.2.0]: https://github.com/Textualize/textual/compare/v7.1.0...v7.2.0
 [7.1.0]: https://github.com/Textualize/textual/compare/v7.0.3...v7.1.0

docs/css_types/pointer.md

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# <pointer>
+
+The `<pointer>` CSS type represents pointer (cursor) shapes that can be displayed when the mouse is over a widget.
+
+## Syntax
+
+The [`<pointer>`](./pointer.md) type can take any of the following values:
+
+| Value           | Description                                      |
+|-----------------|--------------------------------------------------|
+| `default`       | Default pointer shape.                           |
+| `pointer`       | Pointing hand (typically used for links).        |
+| `text`          | Text selection cursor (I-beam).                  |
+| `crosshair`     | Crosshair cursor.                                |
+| `help`          | Help cursor (often a question mark).             |
+| `wait`          | Wait/busy cursor.                                |
+| `progress`      | Progress cursor (indicating background activity).|
+| `move`          | Move cursor (four-directional arrows).           |
+| `grab`          | Open hand (grabbable).                           |
+| `grabbing`      | Closed hand (grabbing).                          |
+| `cell`          | Cell selection cursor.                           |
+| `vertical-text` | Vertical text selection cursor.                  |
+| `alias`         | Alias/shortcut cursor.                           |
+| `copy`          | Copy cursor.                                     |
+| `no-drop`       | No drop allowed cursor.                          |
+| `not-allowed`   | Not allowed/prohibited cursor.                   |
+| `n-resize`      | Resize cursor pointing north.                    |
+| `s-resize`      | Resize cursor pointing south.                    |
+| `e-resize`      | Resize cursor pointing east.                     |
+| `w-resize`      | Resize cursor pointing west.                     |
+| `ne-resize`     | Resize cursor pointing northeast.                |
+| `nw-resize`     | Resize cursor pointing northwest.                |
+| `se-resize`     | Resize cursor pointing southeast.                |
+| `sw-resize`     | Resize cursor pointing southwest.                |
+| `ew-resize`     | Resize cursor for horizontal resizing.           |
+| `ns-resize`     | Resize cursor for vertical resizing.             |
+| `nesw-resize`   | Resize cursor for diagonal (NE-SW) resizing.     |
+| `nwse-resize`   | Resize cursor for diagonal (NW-SE) resizing.     |
+| `zoom-in`       | Zoom in cursor (magnifying glass with +).        |
+| `zoom-out`      | Zoom out cursor (magnifying glass with -).       |
+
+!!! note
+    The `pointer` style requires terminal support for the Kitty pointer shapes protocol. Not all terminals support this feature.
+
+## Examples
+
+### CSS
+
+```css
+#my-button {
+    pointer: pointer;  /* Show a pointing hand cursor */
+}
+```
+
+### Python
+
+```py
+widget.styles.pointer = "pointer"  # Show a pointing hand cursor
+```

docs/styles/pointer.md

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+# Pointer
+
+The `pointer` style sets the shape of the mouse pointer (cursor) when it is over a widget.
+
+!!! note
+    The `pointer` style requires terminal support for the Kitty pointer shapes protocol. Not all terminals support this feature. If your terminal does not support this protocol, the cursor shape will not change.
+
+
+## Syntax
+
+--8<-- "docs/snippets/syntax_block_start.md"
+pointer: <a href="../../css_types/pointer">&lt;pointer&gt;</a>;
+--8<-- "docs/snippets/syntax_block_end.md"
+
+The `pointer` style accepts a value of the type [`<pointer>`](../css_types/pointer.md) that defines the shape of the cursor when hovering over the widget.
+
+### Defaults
+
+The default value is `default`.
+
+## Example
+
+Many builtin widgets and scrollbars set the mouse pointer.
+
+Run the Textual demo to see the mouse pointer change (hover over buttons or click and drag a scrollbar):
+
+```
+python -m textual
+```
+
+## CSS
+
+```css
+/* Show a pointing hand cursor */
+pointer: pointer;
+
+/* Show a text selection cursor */
+pointer: text;
+
+/* Show a grab cursor */
+pointer: grab;
+
+/* Show a crosshair cursor */
+pointer: crosshair;
+```
+
+## Python
+
+```python
+# Show a pointing hand cursor
+widget.styles.pointer = "pointer"
+
+# Show a text selection cursor
+widget.styles.pointer = "text"
+
+# Show a grab cursor
+widget.styles.pointer = "grab"
+
+# Show a crosshair cursor
+widget.styles.pointer = "crosshair"
+```
+
+
+## See also
+
+ - [`<pointer>`](../css_types/pointer.md) data type for all available pointer shapes.

mkdocs-nav.yml

@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ nav:
           - "css_types/name.md"
           - "css_types/number.md"
           - "css_types/overflow.md"
+          - "css_types/pointer.md"
           - "css_types/position.md"
           - "css_types/percentage.md"
           - "css_types/scalar.md"
@@ -124,6 +125,7 @@ nav:
           - "styles/outline.md"
           - "styles/overflow.md"
           - "styles/padding.md"
+          - "styles/pointer.md"
           - "styles/position.md"
           - Scrollbar colors:
               - "styles/scrollbar_colors/index.md"

pyproject.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "textual"
-version = "7.3.0"
+version = "7.4.0"
 homepage = "https://github.com/Textualize/textual"
 repository = "https://github.com/Textualize/textual"
 documentation = "https://textual.textualize.io/"

src/textual/_ansi_sequences.py

@@ -435,3 +435,20 @@ class IgnoredSequence:
 # https://gist.github.com/christianparpart/d8a62cc1ab659194337d73e399004036
 SYNC_START = "\x1b[?2026h"
 SYNC_END = "\x1b[?2026l"
+
+
+def set_pointer_shape(shape: str) -> str:
+    """Generate escape sequence to set pointer (cursor) shape using Kitty protocol.
+
+    Args:
+        shape: The pointer shape name (e.g., "default", "pointer", "text", "crosshair", etc.)
+
+    Returns:
+        The escape sequence to set the pointer shape.
+
+    See: https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/pointer-shapes/
+    """
+    # Kitty pointer shape protocol: ESC ] 22 ; <shape> ST
+    # where ST is ESC \ or BEL (\x07)
+    # Using BEL as terminator for better compatibility
+    return f"\x1b]22;{shape}\x07"

src/textual/app.py

@@ -3105,6 +3105,7 @@ def capture_mouse(self, widget: Widget | None) -> None:
         self.mouse_captured = widget
         if widget is not None:
             widget.post_message(events.MouseCapture(self.mouse_position))
+        self.screen.update_pointer_shape()
 
     def panic(self, *renderables: RenderableType) -> None:
         """Exits the app and display error message(s).
@@ -3782,6 +3783,24 @@ def bell(self) -> None:
         if not self.is_headless and self._driver is not None:
             self._driver.write("\07")
 
+    def _set_pointer_shape(self, shape: str) -> None:
+        """Generate escape sequence to set pointer (cursor) shape using Kitty protocol.
+
+        Args:
+            shape: The pointer shape name (e.g., "default", "pointer", "text", "crosshair", etc.)
+
+        Returns:
+            The escape sequence to set the pointer shape.
+
+        See: https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/pointer-shapes/
+        """
+        # Kitty pointer shape protocol: ESC ] 22 ; <shape> ST
+        # where ST is ESC \ or BEL (\x07)
+        # Using BEL as terminator for better compatibility
+        if self._driver is not None:
+            shape_sequence = f"\x1b]22;{shape}\x07"
+            self._driver.write(shape_sequence)
+
     @property
     def _binding_chain(self) -> list[tuple[DOMNode, BindingsMap]]:
         """Get a chain of nodes and bindings to consider.

src/textual/css/_style_properties.py

@@ -799,13 +799,15 @@ def __init__(
         refresh_children: bool = False,
         refresh_parent: bool = False,
         display: bool = False,
+        pointer: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         self._valid_values = valid_values
         self._default = default
         self._layout = layout
         self._refresh_children = refresh_children
         self._refresh_parent = refresh_parent
         self._display = display
+        self._pointer = pointer
 
     def __set_name__(self, owner: StylesBase, name: str) -> None:
         self.name = name
@@ -874,6 +876,13 @@ def __set__(self, obj: StylesBase, value: EnumType | None = None):
                     children=self._refresh_children,
                     parent=self._refresh_parent,
                 )
+                if self._pointer and obj.node is not None:
+                    from textual.dom import NoScreen
+
+                    try:
+                        obj.node.screen.update_pointer_shape()
+                    except NoScreen:
+                        pass
 
 
 class OverflowProperty(StringEnumProperty):

src/textual/css/_styles_builder.py

@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
     VALID_KEYLINE,
     VALID_OVERFLOW,
     VALID_OVERLAY,
+    VALID_POINTER,
     VALID_POSITION,
     VALID_SCROLLBAR_GUTTER,
     VALID_SCROLLBAR_VISIBILITY,
@@ -1278,6 +1279,24 @@ def process_expand(self, name: str, tokens: list[Token]):
                 self.error(name, tokens[0], expand_help_text(name))
             self.styles._rules["expand"] = token.value
 
+    def process_pointer(self, name: str, tokens: list[Token]) -> None:
+        for token in tokens:
+            name, value, _, _, location, _ = token
+            if name == "token":
+                value = value.lower()
+                if value in VALID_POINTER:
+                    self.styles._rules["pointer"] = value
+                else:
+                    self.error(
+                        name,
+                        token,
+                        string_enum_help_text(
+                            "pointer",
+                            valid_values=list(VALID_POINTER),
+                            context="css",
+                        ),
+                    )
+
     def _get_suggested_property_name_for_rule(self, rule_name: str) -> str | None:
         """
         Returns a valid CSS property "Python" name, or None if no close matches could be found.

src/textual/css/constants.py

@@ -91,6 +91,38 @@
 VALID_TEXT_OVERFLOW: Final = {"clip", "fold", "ellipsis"}
 VALID_EXPAND: Final = {"greedy", "optimal"}
 VALID_SCROLLBAR_VISIBILITY: Final = {"visible", "hidden"}
+VALID_POINTER: Final = {
+    "alias",
+    "cell",
+    "copy",
+    "crosshair",
+    "default",
+    "e-resize",
+    "ew-resize",
+    "grab",
+    "grabbing",
+    "help",
+    "move",
+    "n-resize",
+    "ne-resize",
+    "nesw-resize",
+    "no-drop",
+    "not-allowed",
+    "ns-resize",
+    "nw-resize",
+    "nwse-resize",
+    "pointer",
+    "progress",
+    "s-resize",
+    "se-resize",
+    "sw-resize",
+    "text",
+    "vertical-text",
+    "w-resize",
+    "wait",
+    "zoom-in",
+    "zoom-out",
+}
 
 HATCHES: Final = {
     "left": "╲",

src/textual/css/styles.py

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
     VALID_EXPAND,
     VALID_OVERFLOW,
     VALID_OVERLAY,
+    VALID_POINTER,
     VALID_POSITION,
     VALID_SCROLLBAR_GUTTER,
     VALID_SCROLLBAR_VISIBILITY,
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@
     Expand,
     Overflow,
     Overlay,
+    PointerShape,
     ScrollbarGutter,
     Specificity3,
     Specificity6,
@@ -209,6 +211,8 @@ class RulesMap(TypedDict, total=False):
 
     line_pad: int
 
+    pointer: PointerShape
+
 
 RULE_NAMES = list(RulesMap.__annotations__.keys())
 RULE_NAMES_SET = frozenset(RULE_NAMES)
@@ -504,6 +508,17 @@ class StylesBase:
     line_pad = IntegerProperty(default=0, layout=True)
     """Padding added to left and right of lines."""
 
+    pointer: StringEnumProperty[PointerShape] = StringEnumProperty(
+        VALID_POINTER, "default", pointer=True
+    )
+    """Set the pointer (cursor) shape when the mouse is over this widget.
+
+    Valid values include "default", "pointer", "text", "crosshair", "help", "wait",
+    "move", "grab", "grabbing", and various resize cursors.
+
+    Requires terminal support for Kitty pointer shapes protocol.
+    """
+
     def __textual_animation__(
         self,
         attribute: str,