GDI objects support only one handle per object. Handles to GDI objects are private to a process. That is, only the process that created the GDI object can use the object handle. A single process may have no more than 16,384 open GDI object handles.
The following table lists the GDI objects, along with each object's creator and destroyer functions. The creator functions either create the object and an object handle or simply return the existing object handle. The destroyer functions remove the object from memory, which invalidates the object handle.
GDI Objects
| Object | Creator function | Destroyer function |
|---|---|---|
| Bitmap | CreateBitmap, CreateBitmapIndirect, CreateCompatibleBitmap, CreateDIBitmap, CreateDIBSection, CreateDiscardableBitmap | DeleteObject |
| Brush | CreateBrushIndirect, CreateDIBPatternBrush, CreateDIBPatternBrushPt, CreateHatchBrush, CreatePatternBrush, CreateSolidBrush | DeleteObject |
| DC | CreateDC | DeleteDC, ReleaseDC |
| Enhanced metafile | CreateEnhMetaFile | DeleteEnhMetaFile |
| Enhanced-metafile DC | CreateEnhMetaFile | CloseEnhMetaFile |
| Font | CreateFont, CreateFontIndirect | DeleteObject |
| Memory DC | CreateCompatibleDC | DeleteDC |
| Metafile | CreateMetaFile | DeleteMetaFile |
| Metafile DC | CreateMetaFile | CloseMetaFile |
| Palette | CreatePalette | DeleteObject |
| Pen and extended pen | CreatePen, CreatePenIndirect, ExtCreatePen | DeleteObject |
| Region | CombineRgn, CreateEllipticRgn, CreateEllipticRgnIndirect, CreatePolygonRgn, CreatePolyPolygonRgn, CreateRectRgn, CreateRectRgnIndirect, CreateRoundRectRgn, ExtCreateRegion, PathToRegion | DeleteObject |