> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/ocornut/imgui/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cursor & Layout Positioning

> Functions for controlling cursor position and layout flow in Dear ImGui

## Overview

Dear ImGui uses a cursor-based layout system. The cursor represents the current output position where the next widget will be placed. Understanding cursor positioning is fundamental to creating custom layouts.

<Tip>
  YOU CAN DO 99% OF WHAT YOU NEED WITH ONLY `GetCursorScreenPos()` and `GetContentRegionAvail()`.
</Tip>

## Coordinate Systems

Dear ImGui uses two coordinate systems:

* **Absolute coordinates**: `GetCursorScreenPos()`, `SetCursorScreenPos()`, all `ImDrawList` functions
* **Window-local coordinates**: `GetCursorPos()`, `SetCursorPos()`, `GetCursorStartPos()`

<Warning>
  We currently have inconsistencies between window-local and absolute positions that will be addressed in future API updates. Prefer using absolute coordinates via `GetCursorScreenPos()`.
</Warning>

## Primary Cursor Functions

### GetCursorScreenPos

```cpp theme={null}
ImVec2 GetCursorScreenPos();
```

Get cursor position in absolute screen coordinates. **This is your best friend.**

<ParamField path="Returns" type="ImVec2">
  Current cursor position in absolute screen coordinates
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```cpp theme={null}
ImVec2 pos = ImGui::GetCursorScreenPos();
ImGui::GetWindowDrawList()->AddCircleFilled(pos, 10.0f, IM_COL32(255, 0, 0, 255));
```

### SetCursorScreenPos

```cpp theme={null}
void SetCursorScreenPos(const ImVec2& pos);
```

Set cursor position using absolute screen coordinates. **This is your best friend.**

<ParamField path="pos" type="const ImVec2&">
  New cursor position in absolute screen coordinates
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```cpp theme={null}
ImVec2 pos = ImGui::GetCursorScreenPos();
ImGui::SetCursorScreenPos(ImVec2(pos.x + 100, pos.y + 50));
ImGui::Text("Offset text");
```

### GetContentRegionAvail

```cpp theme={null}
ImVec2 GetContentRegionAvail();
```

Get available space from current cursor position. **This is your best friend.**

<ParamField path="Returns" type="ImVec2">
  Available space in current region
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```cpp theme={null}
ImVec2 avail = ImGui::GetContentRegionAvail();
ImGui::Button("Full Width", ImVec2(avail.x, 0));
```

## Window-Local Cursor Functions

<Note>
  These functions use window-local coordinates. Prefer using `GetCursorScreenPos()` instead.
</Note>

### GetCursorPos

```cpp theme={null}
ImVec2 GetCursorPos();
```

Get cursor position in window-local coordinates.

<ParamField path="Returns" type="ImVec2">
  Cursor position in window-local coordinates
</ParamField>

### GetCursorPosX / GetCursorPosY

```cpp theme={null}
float GetCursorPosX();
float GetCursorPosY();
```

Get X or Y component of cursor position in window-local coordinates.

### SetCursorPos

```cpp theme={null}
void SetCursorPos(const ImVec2& local_pos);
```

Set cursor position in window-local coordinates.

<ParamField path="local_pos" type="const ImVec2&">
  New cursor position in window-local coordinates
</ParamField>

### SetCursorPosX / SetCursorPosY

```cpp theme={null}
void SetCursorPosX(float local_x);
void SetCursorPosY(float local_y);
```

Set X or Y component of cursor position in window-local coordinates.

<ParamField path="local_x" type="float">
  New X position in window-local coordinates
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="local_y" type="float">
  New Y position in window-local coordinates
</ParamField>

### GetCursorStartPos

```cpp theme={null}
ImVec2 GetCursorStartPos();
```

Get initial cursor position in window-local coordinates. Call `GetCursorScreenPos()` after `Begin()` to get the absolute coordinates version.

<ParamField path="Returns" type="ImVec2">
  Initial cursor position in window-local coordinates
</ParamField>

## Conversion

To convert between coordinate systems:

```cpp theme={null}
// Window-local to absolute
ImVec2 absolute = GetCursorPos() + GetWindowPos();

// Absolute to window-local
ImVec2 local = absolute - GetWindowPos();
```

<Warning>
  `GetWindowPos()` is almost only ever useful to convert from window-local to absolute coordinates. Try not to use it.
</Warning>

## Related Functions

See also:

* [Spacing & Alignment](/api/spacing-and-alignment) for `Indent()`, `Unindent()`, `Spacing()`, `Dummy()`
* [Columns & Groups](/api/columns-and-groups) for `BeginGroup()`, `EndGroup()`