The information in this topic pertains only to applications written in C++.

DirectDraw allows a process to call the DirectDrawCreate function as many times as necessary. A unique and independent interface to a unique and independent DirectDraw object is returned after each call. Each DirectDraw object can be used as desired; there are no dependencies between the objects. Each object behaves exactly as if it had been created by a unique process.

DirectDraw objects are independent of one another and the DirectDrawSurface, DirectDrawPalette, and DirectDrawClipper objects they create should not be used with other DirectDraw objects because they are automatically released when the parent DirectDraw object is destroyed. If they are used with another DirectDraw object, they might stop functioning if their parent object is destroyed, causing the remaining DirectDraw object to malfunction.

The exception is DirectDrawClipper objects created by using the DirectDrawCreateClipper function. These objects are independent of any particular DirectDraw object and can be used with one or more DirectDraw objects.