The Microsoft Windows graphics functions generate device-specific output for displays and printers. Every graphics driver consists of a set of graphics functions that translate device-independent requests from the graphics-device interface (GDI) into the commands and data of a given device. Although the exact number and type of graphics functions in a driver depends on the device technology and capabilities, most graphics drivers export all the functions described in this chapter.
This chapter provides an alphabetical listing of the syntax, purpose, parameters, and return values of the graphics functions that are common to both display and printer drivers. For information about using these functions in graphics drivers, see Chapter 2, “Display Drivers,” and Chapter 4, “Printer Drivers.”