Method and apparatus for creating and performing graphics operations on device-independent bitmaps

Operating system enhancements that enable an application program to create and perform graphics operations on device-independent bitmaps (DIBs) efficiently. The enhancements are in the form of functions that return to the application program a handle to the DIB and a pointer to the location of the DIB in memory. With the handle, the application program can use the capabilities of the operating system to perform graphics operations on the DIB. With the pointer, the application program can use its own drawing capabilities and address the DIB directly. The operating system enhancements also streamline the design and content of graphics drivers such as display drivers by placing basic graphics functions in a graphics engine that communicates with the graphics driver. Simple graphics operations are passed from the graphics driver to the graphics engine, allowing the driver to be limited to more complex operations that utilize special characteristics of graphics hardware associated with the driver.