How can I easily toggle the cursor size back and forth between normal and largest?

I'm using Mac OS 10.8.3. I have a huge display and bad eyes, so I like to have the mouse cursor be the largest possible size. (under System Preferences: Accessibility: Display: Cursor size.

However, I also do a fair amount of video editing, for which I use Final Cut Pro X. Unfortunately, the UI designers who made the Final Cut Pro X interface didn't properly take into account larger cursor sizes, so when I click a button in the program's interface with the "tip" of a large cursor, it won't register. To remedy this, when I'm using Final Cut Pro X, I change the cursor size back to normal.

However, doing this is fairly time consuming, as I have to do it a few times every day. Is there a way to somehow do this automatically?

Solution 1:

Perhaps this is too excessive but you could create an AppleScript which would toggle the size of the cursor. To do so just:

1. Go to System Preferences / Universal Access and check Enable access for assistive devices, this will let you use AppleScript to query and control the user interface of most Applications.

2. Go to /Applications / Utilities / AppleScript Editor and paste this code and save it as Application:

   tell application "System Preferences"
   
       set current pane to pane "com.apple.preference.universalaccess"
   
       tell application "System Events"
   
           repeat until slider "Cursor size:" of window "Accessibility" of process "System Preferences" exists
           end repeat
   
           set theSlider to slider "Cursor size:" of window "Accessibility" of application process "System Preferences"
   
           set stash to value of theSlider
           if value of theSlider is 1.0 then
               set value of theSlider to 2.2
           else
               set value of theSlider to 1.0
           end if
           stash
   
       end tell
   end tell
   

Solution 2:

The fastest way I know of is to Command+Option+F5 and then click on Preferences to adjust.

A note about large cursor: Changing the cursor size has no impact on the click focus, the point of the cursor remains the same. Which means that you have only magnified your cursor, so the active click point has moved and it is no longer exactly at arrow tip.

In English....try clicking not with the tip of large cursor but more in to it.

You might like the pointer from Mouseposé. It cost $5 and you will not have to switch back and forth.