DescribePixelFormat function (wingdi.h)

The DescribePixelFormat function obtains information about the pixel format identified by iPixelFormat of the device associated with hdc. The function sets the members of the PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR structure pointed to by ppfd with that pixel format data.

Syntax

int DescribePixelFormat(
  HDC                     hdc,
  int                     iPixelFormat,
  UINT                    nBytes,
  LPPIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR ppfd
);

Parameters

hdc

Specifies the device context.

iPixelFormat

Index that specifies the pixel format. The pixel formats that a device context supports are identified by positive one-based integer indexes.

nBytes

The size, in bytes, of the structure pointed to by ppfd. The DescribePixelFormat function stores no more than nBytes bytes of data to that structure. Set this value to sizeof(PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR).

ppfd

Pointer to a PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR structure whose members the function sets with pixel format data. The function stores the number of bytes copied to the structure in the structure's nSize member. If, upon entry, ppfd is NULL, the function writes no data to the structure. This is useful when you only want to obtain the maximum pixel format index of a device context.

Return value

If the function succeeds, the return value is the maximum pixel format index of the device context. In addition, the function sets the members of the PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR structure pointed to by ppfd according to the specified pixel format.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Requirements

Requirement	Value
Minimum supported client	Windows 2000 Professional [desktop apps only]
Minimum supported server	Windows 2000 Server [desktop apps only]
Target Platform	Windows
Header	wingdi.h
Library	Gdi32.lib
DLL	Gdi32.dll

See also

ChoosePixelFormat

GetPixelFormat

OpenGL on Windows

SetPixelFormat

Windows Functions