Quick introduction to Windows API, A. M. Steane, page 5

7.1 A list of graphics-related functions

This page contains a long list of Windows GDI functions. It was obtained by looking up "GDI reference" at msdn (in January 2009 this was at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms534260(VS.85).aspx, in March it was at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms927613.aspx ) and then picking "GDI functions".

For text-related functions go here.

The first (short) table draws attention to a few that you might otherwise find hard to find. Then there is a long table giving brief information (extracted from msdn). A subset of these, for line and curve drawing, is given here.

Short list
SetROP2 Allows you to set the plotting mode to things like XOR or AND instead of just putting colour on the screen.

BitBlt Can be used copy a bitmap image to screen (fast).

Short list
SetROP2	Allows you to set the plotting mode to things like XOR or AND instead of just putting colour on the screen.
BitBlt	Can be used copy a bitmap image to screen (fast).

Long list
AlphaBlend displays bitmaps that have transparent or semitransparent pixels.

BeginPaint prepares the specified window for painting and fills a PAINTSTRUCT structure with information about the painting.
BitBlt transfers pixels from a specified source rectangle to a specified destination rectangle, altering the pixels according to the selected raster operation (ROP) code.
ChangeDisplaySettingsEx changes the settings of the specified display device to the specified graphics mode.
ClientToScreen converts the client coordinates of a specified point to screen coordinates.
CombineRgn combines two regions and stores the result in a third region. The two regions are combined according to the specified mode.
CopyRect copies the coordinates of one rectangle to another.
CreateBitmap creates a bitmap with the specified width, height, and bit depth.
CreateCompatibleBitmap creates a bitmap compatible with the device associated with the specified device context.
CreateCompatibleDC creates a memory device context (DC) compatible with the specified device.
CreateDC creates a DC for a device.
CreateDIBPatternBrushPt creates a logical brush that has the pattern specified by the device-independent bitmap (DIB).
CreateDIBSection creates a DIB that applications can write to directly.
CreatePalette creates a logical color palette.
CreatePatternBrush creates a logical brush with the specified bitmap pattern.
CreatePen creates a logical pen that has the specified style, width, and color.
CreatePenIndirect creates a logical cosmetic pen that has the style, width, and color specified in the LOGPEN structure.
CreateRectRgn creates a rectangular region.
CreateRectRgnIndirect creates a rectangular region.
CreateSolidBrush creates a logical brush that has the specified solid color.
DeleteDC deletes the specified DC.
DeleteObject deletes a logical pen, brush, font, bitmap, region, or palette, freeing all system resources associated with the object.
DrawEdge draws one or more edges of a rectangle.
DrawFocusRect draws a rectangle in the style used to indicate that the rectangle has the focus.
DrawFrameControl draws a frame control of the specified type and style.
Ellipse BOOL Ellipse(HDC hdc, int left, int top, int right, int bottom);
draws an ellipse. The center of the ellipse is the center of the specified bounding rectangle.
EndPaint marks the end of painting in the specified window.
EnumDisplayDevices obtains information about the display devices in a system.
EnumDisplaySettings retrieves information about one of the graphics modes for a display device.
EqualRect determines whether the two specified rectangles are equal by comparing the coordinates of their upper-left and lower-right corners.
EqualRgn checks the two specified regions to determine whether they are identical.
ExcludeClipRect creates a new clipping region that consists of the existing clipping region minus the specified rectangle.
ExtCreateRegion creates a region from the specified region data.
ExtEscape allows applications to access capabilities of a particular device that are not available through the GDI.
FillRect int FillRect(HDC hdc, const RECT* rect, HBRUSH br); fills a rectangle using the specified brush. (see also: Rectangle)
FillRgn BOOL FillRgn(HDC hdc, HRGN hrgn, HBRUSH hbr);
fills a region using the specified brush. See also Polygon, CreateRectRgn
GetBkColor returns the current background color for the specified device context.
GetBkMode returns the current background mix mode for a specified device context.
GetBValue This macro retrieves an intensity value for the blue component of a 32-bit RGB value.
GetClipBox retrieves the dimensions of the tightest bounding rectangle that can be drawn around the current visible area on the device.
GetClipRgn retrieves a handle identifying the current application-defined clipping region for the specified device context.
GetCurrentObject returns the currently selected object of the specified type.
GetCurrentPositionEx retrieves the current position in logical coordinates.
GetDC retrieves a handle to a display device context for the client area of the specified window.
GetDCEx retrieves a handle to a display device context for the client area of a specified window or for the entire screen.
GetDeviceCaps retrieves information about the capabilities of a specified device.
GetDIBColorTable retrieves red, green, and blue color values from a range of entries in the color table of the DIB that is currently selected into a specified device context.
GetGValue This macro retrieves an intensity value for the green component of a 32-bit RGB value.
GetLayout returns the layout of a device context.
GetNearestColor returns the system palette color that will be displayed when the specified color value is used.
GetNearestPaletteIndex retrieves the index for the entry in the specified logical palette that most closely matches a specified color value.
GetObject obtains information about a specified graphics object.
GetObjectType returns the type of the specified object.
GetPaletteEntries retrieves a specified range of palette entries from the specified logical palette.
GetPixel retrieves the RGB color value of the pixel at the specified coordinates.
GetRegionData fills the specified buffer with data describing a region.
GetRgnBox retrieves the bounding rectangle of the specified region.
GetROP2 retrieves the foreground mix mode of the specified device context.
GetRValue This macro retrieves an intensity value for the red component of a 32-bit RGB value.
GetStockObject retrieves a handle to one of the predefined stock pens, brushes or fonts.
GetStretchBltMode retrieves the current stretching mode.
GetSysColorBrush retrieves a handle identifying a logical brush that corresponds to the specified color index.
GetSystemPaletteEntries retrieves a range of palette entries from the system palette associated with the specified device context.
GetOutlineTextMetrics retrieves text metrics for TrueType fonts.
GetUpdateRect retrieves the coordinates of the smallest rectangle that completely encloses the update region of the specified window in client coordinates.
GetUpdateRgn retrieves the update region of a window by copying it into the specified region.
GetViewportExtEx retrieves the x-extent and y-extent of the current viewport for the specified device context.
GetViewportOrgEx retrieves the x-coordinates and y-coordinates of the viewport origin for the specified device context.
GetWindowDC retrieves the DC for the entire window, including title bar, menus, and scroll bars.
GetWindowExtEx retrieves the x-extent and y-extent of the window for the specified device context.
GetWindowOrgEx retrieves the x-coordinates and y-coordinates of the window origin for the specified device context.
GetWindowRgn obtains a copy of the window region of a window.
GradientFill fills rectangular regions with a background color that is interpolated from color values specified at the vertices.
InflateRect increases or decreases the width and height of the specified rectangle.
IntersectClipRect creates a new clipping region from the intersection of the current clipping region and the specified rectangle.
IntersectRect calculates the intersection of two source rectangles and places the coordinates of the intersection rectangle into the destination rectangle.
InvalidateRect adds a rectangle to the specified window's update region.
InvalidateRgn invalidates the client area within the specified region by adding the area to the current update region of a window.
InvertRect inverts a rectangle in a window by performing a logical NOT operation on the color values for each pixel in the rectangle's interior.
IsRectEmpty determines whether the specified rectangle is empty.
LineTo draws a line from the current position up to, but not including, the specified point.
LoadBitmap loads the specified bitmap resource from the executable file for a module.
MapWindowPoints converts, or maps, a set of points from a coordinate space relative to one window to a coordinate space relative to another window.
MaskBlt combines the color data for the source and destination bitmaps using the specified mask and raster operation.
MoveToEx updates the current position to the specified point and optionally retrieves the previous position.
OffsetRect moves the specified rectangle by the specified offsets.
OffsetRgn moves a region by the specified offsets.
OffsetViewportOrgEx modifies the viewport origin for a device context using the specified horizontal and vertical offsets.
PatBlt paints the given rectangle using the brush that is currently selected into the specified device context.
POINT typedef struct tagPOINT { LONG x; LONG y; } POINT;
structure used by functions such as Polyline
Polygon BOOL Polygon(HDC hdc, const POINT* points, int numpts);
draws a polygon (two or more vertices connected by lines) using current pen and brush.
Polyline draws a series of line segments by connecting the points in the specified array; cf Polygon.
PtInRect determines whether the specified point lies within the specified rectangle.
PtInRegion determines whether the specified point is inside the specified region.
RealizePalette maps palette entries from the current logical palette to the system palette.
Rectangle draws a rectangle. (see also: FillRect)
RectInRegion determines whether any part of the specified rectangle is within the boundaries of a region.
RectVisible determines whether any part of the specified rectangle lies within the clipping region of the specified device context.
RedrawWindow updates the specified rectangle or region in the client area of a window.
ReleaseDC releases a DC, freeing it for use by other applications.
RestoreDC restores a DC to the specified state.
RoundRect draws a rectangle with rounded corners.
SaveDC saves the current state of the specified device context by copying data describing selected objects and graphic modes (such as the bitmap, brush, palette, font, pen, region, and drawing mode) to a context stack.
ScreenToClient converts the screen coordinates of a specified point on the screen to client coordinates.
SelectClipRgn selects a region as the current clipping region for the specified device context.
SelectObject selects an object into a specified device context.
SelectPalette selects the specified logical palette into a device context.
SetBitmapBits sets the bits of color data for a bitmap to the specified values.
SetBkColor sets the current background color to the specified color.
SetBkMode sets the background mix mode of the specified device context.
SetBrushOrgEx is called by an application to set the brush origin of the next brush selected into the specified device context.
SetDIBColorTable sets red, green, and blue color values in a range of entries in the color table of the DIB that is currently selected into a specified device context.
SetDIBitsToDevice sets the pixels in the specified rectangle on the device that is associated with the destination device context using color data from a DIB.
SetLayout changes the layout of a device context.
SetPaletteEntries sets RGB color values and flags in a range of entries in a logical palette.
SetPixel sets the pixel at the specified coordinates to the specified color.
SetRect sets the coordinates of the specified rectangle.
SetRectEmpty creates an empty rectangle in which all coordinates are set to zero.
SetRectRgn changes a region into a rectangular region with the specified coordinates.
SetROP2 sets the current foreground mix mode. GDI uses the foreground mix mode to combine pens and interiors of filled objects with the colors already on the screen.
SetStretchBltMode sets the bitmap stretching mode in a specified device context.
SetViewportOrgEx sets the viewpoint origin of a device context to the specified coordinates.
SetWindowOrgEx specifies which window point maps to the viewport origin (0,0).
SetWindowRgn sets the window region of a window.
StretchBlt copies a bitmap from a source rectangle into a destination rectangle, stretching or compressing the bitmap to fit the dimensions of the destination rectangle, if necessary.
StretchDIBits copies the color data for a rectangle of pixels in a DIB to the specified destination rectangle.
SubtractRect obtains the coordinates of a rectangle determined by subtracting one rectangle from another.
TransparentBlt performs a bit-block transfer of the color data corresponding to a rectangle of pixels from the specified source device context into a destination device context.
TransparentImage transfers a bitmap, omitting the portions drawn in a specified color.
UnionRect creates the union of two rectangles.
UpdateWindow updates the client area of the specified window by sending a WM_PAINT message to the window if the window's update region is not empty.
ValidateRect validates the client area within a rectangle by removing the rectangle from the update region of the specified window.
ValidateRgn validates the client area within a region by removing the region from the current update region of the specified window.

Long list
AlphaBlend	displays bitmaps that have transparent or semitransparent pixels.

BeginPaint	prepares the specified window for painting and fills a PAINTSTRUCT structure with information about the painting.
BitBlt	transfers pixels from a specified source rectangle to a specified destination rectangle, altering the pixels according to the selected raster operation (ROP) code.
ChangeDisplaySettingsEx	changes the settings of the specified display device to the specified graphics mode.
ClientToScreen	converts the client coordinates of a specified point to screen coordinates.
CombineRgn	combines two regions and stores the result in a third region. The two regions are combined according to the specified mode.
CopyRect	copies the coordinates of one rectangle to another.
CreateBitmap	creates a bitmap with the specified width, height, and bit depth.
CreateCompatibleBitmap	creates a bitmap compatible with the device associated with the specified device context.
CreateCompatibleDC	creates a memory device context (DC) compatible with the specified device.
CreateDC	creates a DC for a device.
CreateDIBPatternBrushPt	creates a logical brush that has the pattern specified by the device-independent bitmap (DIB).
CreateDIBSection	creates a DIB that applications can write to directly.
CreatePalette	creates a logical color palette.
CreatePatternBrush	creates a logical brush with the specified bitmap pattern.
CreatePen	creates a logical pen that has the specified style, width, and color.
CreatePenIndirect	creates a logical cosmetic pen that has the style, width, and color specified in the LOGPEN structure.
CreateRectRgn	creates a rectangular region.
CreateRectRgnIndirect	creates a rectangular region.
CreateSolidBrush	creates a logical brush that has the specified solid color.
DeleteDC	deletes the specified DC.
DeleteObject	deletes a logical pen, brush, font, bitmap, region, or palette, freeing all system resources associated with the object.
DrawEdge	draws one or more edges of a rectangle.
DrawFocusRect	draws a rectangle in the style used to indicate that the rectangle has the focus.
DrawFrameControl	draws a frame control of the specified type and style.
Ellipse	BOOL Ellipse(HDC hdc, int left, int top, int right, int bottom);
	draws an ellipse. The center of the ellipse is the center of the specified bounding rectangle.
EndPaint	marks the end of painting in the specified window.
EnumDisplayDevices	obtains information about the display devices in a system.
EnumDisplaySettings	retrieves information about one of the graphics modes for a display device.
EqualRect	determines whether the two specified rectangles are equal by comparing the coordinates of their upper-left and lower-right corners.
EqualRgn	checks the two specified regions to determine whether they are identical.
ExcludeClipRect	creates a new clipping region that consists of the existing clipping region minus the specified rectangle.
ExtCreateRegion	creates a region from the specified region data.
ExtEscape	allows applications to access capabilities of a particular device that are not available through the GDI.
FillRect	int FillRect(HDC hdc, const RECT* rect, HBRUSH br); fills a rectangle using the specified brush. (see also: Rectangle)
FillRgn	BOOL FillRgn(HDC hdc, HRGN hrgn, HBRUSH hbr);
	fills a region using the specified brush. See also Polygon, CreateRectRgn
GetBkColor	returns the current background color for the specified device context.
GetBkMode	returns the current background mix mode for a specified device context.
GetBValue	This macro retrieves an intensity value for the blue component of a 32-bit RGB value.
GetClipBox	retrieves the dimensions of the tightest bounding rectangle that can be drawn around the current visible area on the device.
GetClipRgn	retrieves a handle identifying the current application-defined clipping region for the specified device context.
GetCurrentObject	returns the currently selected object of the specified type.
GetCurrentPositionEx	retrieves the current position in logical coordinates.
GetDC	retrieves a handle to a display device context for the client area of the specified window.
GetDCEx	retrieves a handle to a display device context for the client area of a specified window or for the entire screen.
GetDeviceCaps	retrieves information about the capabilities of a specified device.
GetDIBColorTable	retrieves red, green, and blue color values from a range of entries in the color table of the DIB that is currently selected into a specified device context.
GetGValue	This macro retrieves an intensity value for the green component of a 32-bit RGB value.
GetLayout	returns the layout of a device context.
GetNearestColor	returns the system palette color that will be displayed when the specified color value is used.
GetNearestPaletteIndex	retrieves the index for the entry in the specified logical palette that most closely matches a specified color value.
GetObject	obtains information about a specified graphics object.
GetObjectType	returns the type of the specified object.
GetPaletteEntries	retrieves a specified range of palette entries from the specified logical palette.
GetPixel	retrieves the RGB color value of the pixel at the specified coordinates.
GetRegionData	fills the specified buffer with data describing a region.
GetRgnBox	retrieves the bounding rectangle of the specified region.
GetROP2	retrieves the foreground mix mode of the specified device context.
GetRValue	This macro retrieves an intensity value for the red component of a 32-bit RGB value.
GetStockObject	retrieves a handle to one of the predefined stock pens, brushes or fonts.
GetStretchBltMode	retrieves the current stretching mode.
GetSysColorBrush	retrieves a handle identifying a logical brush that corresponds to the specified color index.
GetSystemPaletteEntries	retrieves a range of palette entries from the system palette associated with the specified device context.
GetOutlineTextMetrics	retrieves text metrics for TrueType fonts.
GetUpdateRect	retrieves the coordinates of the smallest rectangle that completely encloses the update region of the specified window in client coordinates.
GetUpdateRgn	retrieves the update region of a window by copying it into the specified region.
GetViewportExtEx	retrieves the x-extent and y-extent of the current viewport for the specified device context.
GetViewportOrgEx	retrieves the x-coordinates and y-coordinates of the viewport origin for the specified device context.
GetWindowDC	retrieves the DC for the entire window, including title bar, menus, and scroll bars.
GetWindowExtEx	retrieves the x-extent and y-extent of the window for the specified device context.
GetWindowOrgEx	retrieves the x-coordinates and y-coordinates of the window origin for the specified device context.
GetWindowRgn	obtains a copy of the window region of a window.
GradientFill	fills rectangular regions with a background color that is interpolated from color values specified at the vertices.
InflateRect	increases or decreases the width and height of the specified rectangle.
IntersectClipRect	creates a new clipping region from the intersection of the current clipping region and the specified rectangle.
IntersectRect	calculates the intersection of two source rectangles and places the coordinates of the intersection rectangle into the destination rectangle.
InvalidateRect	adds a rectangle to the specified window's update region.
InvalidateRgn	invalidates the client area within the specified region by adding the area to the current update region of a window.
InvertRect	inverts a rectangle in a window by performing a logical NOT operation on the color values for each pixel in the rectangle's interior.
IsRectEmpty	determines whether the specified rectangle is empty.
LineTo	draws a line from the current position up to, but not including, the specified point.
LoadBitmap	loads the specified bitmap resource from the executable file for a module.
MapWindowPoints	converts, or maps, a set of points from a coordinate space relative to one window to a coordinate space relative to another window.
MaskBlt	combines the color data for the source and destination bitmaps using the specified mask and raster operation.
MoveToEx	updates the current position to the specified point and optionally retrieves the previous position.
OffsetRect	moves the specified rectangle by the specified offsets.
OffsetRgn	moves a region by the specified offsets.
OffsetViewportOrgEx	modifies the viewport origin for a device context using the specified horizontal and vertical offsets.
PatBlt	paints the given rectangle using the brush that is currently selected into the specified device context.
POINT	typedef struct tagPOINT { LONG x; LONG y; } POINT;
	structure used by functions such as Polyline
Polygon	BOOL Polygon(HDC hdc, const POINT* points, int numpts);
	draws a polygon (two or more vertices connected by lines) using current pen and brush.
Polyline	draws a series of line segments by connecting the points in the specified array; cf Polygon.
PtInRect	determines whether the specified point lies within the specified rectangle.
PtInRegion	determines whether the specified point is inside the specified region.
RealizePalette	maps palette entries from the current logical palette to the system palette.
Rectangle	draws a rectangle. (see also: FillRect)
RectInRegion	determines whether any part of the specified rectangle is within the boundaries of a region.
RectVisible	determines whether any part of the specified rectangle lies within the clipping region of the specified device context.
RedrawWindow	updates the specified rectangle or region in the client area of a window.
ReleaseDC	releases a DC, freeing it for use by other applications.
RestoreDC	restores a DC to the specified state.
RoundRect	draws a rectangle with rounded corners.
SaveDC	saves the current state of the specified device context by copying data describing selected objects and graphic modes (such as the bitmap, brush, palette, font, pen, region, and drawing mode) to a context stack.
ScreenToClient	converts the screen coordinates of a specified point on the screen to client coordinates.
SelectClipRgn	selects a region as the current clipping region for the specified device context.
SelectObject	selects an object into a specified device context.
SelectPalette	selects the specified logical palette into a device context.
SetBitmapBits	sets the bits of color data for a bitmap to the specified values.
SetBkColor	sets the current background color to the specified color.
SetBkMode	sets the background mix mode of the specified device context.
SetBrushOrgEx	is called by an application to set the brush origin of the next brush selected into the specified device context.
SetDIBColorTable	sets red, green, and blue color values in a range of entries in the color table of the DIB that is currently selected into a specified device context.
SetDIBitsToDevice	sets the pixels in the specified rectangle on the device that is associated with the destination device context using color data from a DIB.
SetLayout	changes the layout of a device context.
SetPaletteEntries	sets RGB color values and flags in a range of entries in a logical palette.
SetPixel	sets the pixel at the specified coordinates to the specified color.
SetRect	sets the coordinates of the specified rectangle.
SetRectEmpty	creates an empty rectangle in which all coordinates are set to zero.
SetRectRgn	changes a region into a rectangular region with the specified coordinates.
SetROP2	sets the current foreground mix mode. GDI uses the foreground mix mode to combine pens and interiors of filled objects with the colors already on the screen.
SetStretchBltMode	sets the bitmap stretching mode in a specified device context.
SetViewportOrgEx	sets the viewpoint origin of a device context to the specified coordinates.
SetWindowOrgEx	specifies which window point maps to the viewport origin (0,0).
SetWindowRgn	sets the window region of a window.
StretchBlt	copies a bitmap from a source rectangle into a destination rectangle, stretching or compressing the bitmap to fit the dimensions of the destination rectangle, if necessary.
StretchDIBits	copies the color data for a rectangle of pixels in a DIB to the specified destination rectangle.
SubtractRect	obtains the coordinates of a rectangle determined by subtracting one rectangle from another.
TransparentBlt	performs a bit-block transfer of the color data corresponding to a rectangle of pixels from the specified source device context into a destination device context.
TransparentImage	transfers a bitmap, omitting the portions drawn in a specified color.
UnionRect	creates the union of two rectangles.
UpdateWindow	updates the client area of the specified window by sending a WM_PAINT message to the window if the window's update region is not empty.
ValidateRect	validates the client area within a rectangle by removing the rectangle from the update region of the specified window.
ValidateRgn	validates the client area within a region by removing the region from the current update region of the specified window.

A list of names of the above functions:

AlphaBlend BeginPaint BitBlt ChangeDisplaySettingsEx ClientToScreen CombineRgn CopyRect CreateBitmap CreateCompatibleBitmap CreateCompatibleDC CreateDC CreateDIBPatternBrushPt CreateDIBSection CreatePalette (GDI) CreatePatternBrush CreatePen CreatePenIndirect CreateRectRgn CreateRectRgnIndirect CreateSolidBrush DeleteDC DeleteObject DrawEdge DrawFocusRect DrawFrameControl Ellipse EndPaint EnumDisplayDevices EnumDisplaySettings EqualRect EqualRgn ExcludeClipRect ExtCreateRegion ExtEscape FillRect FillRgn GetBkColor GetBkMode GetBValue GetClipBox GetClipRgn GetCurrentObject GetCurrentPositionEx GetDC GetDCEx GetDeviceCaps GetDIBColorTable GetGValue GetLayout GetNearestColor GetNearestPaletteIndex GetObject GetObjectType GetOutlineTextMetrics GetPaletteEntries GetPixel GetRegionData GetRgnBox GetROP2 GetRValue GetStockObject GetStretchBltMode GetSysColorBrush GetSystemPaletteEntries GetUpdateRect GetUpdateRgn GetViewportExtEx GetViewportOrgEx GetWindowDC GetWindowExtEx GetWindowOrgEx GetWindowRgn GradientFill InflateRect IntersectClipRect IntersectRect InvalidateRect InvalidateRgn InvertRect IsRectEmpty LineTo LoadBitmap MapWindowPoints MaskBlt MoveToEx OffsetRect OffsetRgn OffsetViewportOrgEx PatBlt Polygon Polyline PtInRect PtInRegion RealizePalette Rectangle RectInRegion RectVisible RedrawWindow ReleaseDC RestoreDC RoundRect SaveDC ScreenToClient SelectClipRgn SelectObject SelectPalette SetBitmapBits SetBkColor SetBkMode SetBrushOrgEx SetDIBColorTable SetDIBitsToDevice SetLayout SetPaletteEntries SetPixel SetRect SetRectEmpty SetRectRgn SetROP2 SetStretchBltMode SetViewportOrgEx SetWindowOrgEx SetWindowRgn StretchBlt StretchDIBits SubtractRect TransparentBlt TransparentImage UnionRect UpdateWindow ValidateRect ValidateRgn

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