Tk Source Code

This is a copy of ticket http://core.tcl.tk/tk/tktview/3531366fffffffffffff since that seems tied to 8.5 but the problem persists in 8.6 and I can't see how to change the version number and it won't let me edit the ticket.

The ttk text entry widgets (e.g., ttk::entry, ttk::combobox, ttk::spinbox) do not support the -insertOffTime option so it is not possible to stop cursor blink.

Using non-ttk widgets it is possible to stop cursor blink by putting *insertOffTime: 0 in the .Xdefaults file; but there doesn't appear to be any way to do this for the ttk widgets.

The problem appears in file generic/ttk/ttkBlink.c which has a TODO on this topic.

Some rationale: First is that this functionality has been supported for years using insertOffTime for non-themed widgets. Second, even Microsoft finally recognized that some users cannot use software with blinking cursors and since Windows 2000 have provided a system-wide setting to switch off cursor blink. (And which the ttk widgets do not respect.) Apple have not been so considerate. For more about cursor blinking see for example: http://www.jurta.org/en/prog/noblink
I know that most people really like cursor blink since it helps them locate where they are. But a significant minority cannot work with blinking cursors. So I really hope you'll once more allow Tk to respect user preferences (just as you do for colors and fonts) with regard blinking.

I changed the other ticket to represent 8.6.
I'm going to close this as a duplicate, as most of the work is in the 
other ticket.

The referenced site has incorrect information for Mac OS 10.15.

Duplicate of [3531366].