The information device context is used to retrieve default device data. For example, an application can call the CreateIC function to create an information device context for a particular model of printer and then call the GetCurrentObject and GetObject functions to retrieve the default pen or brush attributes. Because the system can retrieve device information without creating the structures normally associated with the other types of device contexts, an information device context involves far less overhead and is created significantly faster than any of the other types. After an application finishes retrieving data by using an information device context, it must call the DeleteDC function.