Cursor modes

There are two special cursor modes to make using tools and placing objects more convenient.

Auto Select
True to its name this will automatically select an item to use, depending on where you point the cursor. The item need not be in your hot bar. By default this is activated by pressing Shift on PC, R3 on PS3, or pressing down right thumbstick on Xbox 360. If more than one tool is equally appropriate it will select the first one in your inventory.

Smart Cursor
Somewhat the reverse of Auto Select, this mode selects a target based on your active tool. By default it is toggled on and off by pressing Ctrl. There is an option in General Settings to make it last only while the key is held down. Smart Cursor mode is indicated by a slightly wider cursor, and the tile targeted is shown with a yellow box. Using Smart Cursor with multi-function tool like Drax or a Hamaxe may have unexpected results. These tools will behave as an axe preferentially, meaning they always target a tree if one is in range.