You can also create complex surfaces. A complex surface is a set of surfaces created with a single call to the IDirectDraw::CreateSurfacemethod.

If the DDSCAPS_FLIP flag is set when you call CreateSurfacecall, DirectDraw implicitly creates one or more surfaces in addition to the surface explicitly specified.

You manage complex surfaces just like a single surface — a single call to the IDirectDrawSurface::ReleaseDCmethod releases all surfaces, and a single call to the IDirectDrawSurface::Restoremethod restores them all.

Complex surfaces are used in flipping chains. Usually, a flipping chain is made of a primary surface and one or more back buffers. The DDSCAPS_FLIP flag indicates that a surface is part of a flipping chain.

Code Example

The following code example demonstrates how to prepare for creating a primary surface flipping chain.

Note:
To make the following code example easier to read, security checking and error handling are not included. This code example should not be used in a release configuration unless it has been modified to include them.

	Copy Code
DDSURFACEDESC ddsd; ddsd2.dwSize = sizeof(ddsd); // Tell DirectDraw which members are valid. ddsd.dwFlags = DDSD_CAPS | DDSD_BACKBUFFERCOUNT; // Request a primary surface with a single // back buffer ddsd.ddsCaps.dwCaps = DDSCAPS_FLIP | DDSCAPS_PRIMARYSURFACE; ddsd.dwBackBufferCount = 1;

The previous example constructs a double-buffered flipping environment — a single call to the IDirectDrawSurface::Flipmethod exchanges the surface memory of the primary surface and the back buffer.

If you specify 2 for the value of the dwBackBufferCountmember of the DDSURFACEDESCstructure, two back buffers are created, and each call to Fliprotates the surfaces in a circular pattern, providing a triple-buffered flipping environment.

For more information, see Flipping Surfaces.