This is an FKEY which I wrote to help me align objects on the screen. Install the FKEY either directly into your System file using ResEdit, or use one of the shareware or commercial FKEY management utilities.
Operation
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MouseFKEY is set up by default to be invoked via the keystroke: <Command>+<Shift>+<9>, upon which you should see a window such as the one in the middle of the following diagram (the "New Slip" window in the background is not part of MouseFKEY):
Ê
Once MouseFKEY is invoked, the cursor changes to a crosshair (visible above, in the "Who" box of the "New Slip" window). The center of this crosshair cursor is one pixel in size and is transparent. Holding down the <option> key will switch to an alternate cursor where the crosshairs are composed of white pixels. This is useful for predominantly dark backgrounds.
The MouseFKEY window will appear slightly offset from the mouse position at the time the FKEY is invoked. Therefore, you can get the window to appear "out-of-the-way" by first moving the mouse to a different position on the screen prior to invoking the FKEY.
While the FKEY is operational it will continually display the coordinates of the mouse. You can move and click the mouse and the coordinates will be updated.
To dismiss the FKEY, click anywhere in it's window.
Global coordinates
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The first column of numbers in the MouseFKEY dialog display coordinates relative to the top-left corner of the main screen.
The "Mouse" coordinate is the current location of the mouse.
The "Click" coordinate is the location where the mouse was last clicked.
The "Æ mouse" is the distance traveled since the last click.
The "Æ click" is the distance between the last two clicks.
Coordinates relative to "PortRect"
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If MouseFKEY is invoked when the current application has a window displayed, an additional column will be displayed showing the coordinates relative to the top-left corner of the window's content region (below the title bar and inside the border of the window).
In the above example, the mouse is currently 128 pixels to the right and 26 pixels below the top-left corner of the window.
Coordinates relative to "Origin"
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The location of the top-left corner of a window's content region is usually (0,0). If the origin of the frontmost window has been offset from the top-left corner of the window, then MouseFKEY will display an additional column (the 3rd in the above example) showing coordinates relative to the origin of the window.
In the above example, the origin of the window is a few pixels within the "Who" box. The "Æ Origin" column shows that the cursor is 27 pixels to the right and 10 pixels down from the origin.
If the origin of the frontmost window coincides with the portrect, then this column will be omitted.
Legal stuff
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MouseFKEY is provided "as is". I provide no guarantees or warranties with respect to the completeness or correctness of the utility's operation, accompanying documentation, the use or results obtained from the utility, nor it's fitness for any particular purpose. I will not be liable for any damages resulting from the installation or usage of the utility or the results it provides. (ominous, eh?!)
You may make and distribute copies of MouseFKEY, provided that you include this documentation. However, you may not sell or distribute MouseFKEY for profit, nor include it with other software which is sold or distributed for profit, without my written consent.
Acknowledgements
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This FKEY was written using Symantec's Think Pascal 4.0. Thanks to Wes Zuber for the suggestion of including coordinates relative to the frontmost window.
