this is kind of sad, and i can''t believe it but i''m having trouble creating a surface in direct draw, here is my initiation code bool DD_OBJ::Init() { LPDIRECTDRAW temp_lpdd = NULL; if(FAILED(DirectDrawCreateEx(0, (void**)&lpdd, IID_IDirectDraw7, 0))) return false; if(FAILED(lpdd->SetCooperativeLevel(MainWindow.hwnd,DDSCL_EXCLUSIVE | DDSCL_FULLSCREEN | DDSCL_ALLOWREBOOT))) return false; if(FAILED(lpdd->SetDisplayMode(1024,768,32,0,0))) return false; // Initiate Surfaces DDSURFACEDESC2 surfaceDesc = {0}; ZeroMemory(&surfaceDesc, sizeof(surfaceDesc)); surfaceDesc.dwSize = sizeof(DDSURFACEDESC); surfaceDesc.dwFlags = DDSD_BACKBUFFERCOUNT | DDSD_CAPS; surfaceDesc.dwBackBufferCount = 1; surfaceDesc.ddsCaps.dwCaps = DDSCAPS_COMPLEX | DDSCAPS_FLIP | DDSCAPS_PRIMARYSURFACE; if(FAILED(lpdd->CreateSurface(&surfaceDesc,&primarySurface,NULL))) { return false; } surfaceDesc.ddsCaps.dwCaps = DDSCAPS_BACKBUFFER; if(FAILED(primarySurface->GetAttachedSurface(&(surfaceDesc.ddsCaps),&backSurface))) return false; HDC bSurfDC = NULL; backSurface->GetDC(&bSurfDC); RECT rect = {0,0,800,600}; FillRect(bSurfDC,&rect,(HBRUSH)GetStockObject(BLACK_BRUSH)); backSurface->ReleaseDC(bSurfDC); return true; } sorry for pasting so much, i have the stuff defined as LPDIRECTDRAW7 lpdd; IDirectDrawSurface7* primarySurface; IDirectDrawSurface7* backSurface; What am i doing wrong? Anyone who posts through this and took the time to actually read through the code i thank you so much, thank u for your time if u looked at it

I think its in your window handle. maybe you should make a parameter for it.
And remeber to flip the primary Surface to ge the back buffer.

prim->Flip( 0 , DDFLIP_WAIT );

I think its in your window handle. maybe you should make a parameter for it.
And remeber to flip the primary Surface to ge the back buffer.

prim->Flip( 0 , DDFLIP_WAIT );

Take a look at ddutil.cpp.

Or, maybe even use it? =)

i''ve made the window variable global, nothing seems to be wrong, when i use GetLastError i get 6 which means invalid handle, what could be wrong?

Where abouts is it failing?
If it is at the back buffer creation, then you may want to clear the surface description so you aren''t passing a back buffer count of 1.
Another possibility is a selection of an unsupported display mode.
Crow.

it''s failing at the first create surface call, i did clear the surface description by using = {0}; and i have tried ZeroMemory with it. this is very weird

I think you are missing the DDSCAPS_3DDEVICE flag in dwCaps?

Or maybe because you''re getting the sizeof DDSURFACEDESC instead of DDSURFACEDESC2, when setting dwSize?

THANKS DARRELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT was the sizeof() thing, man what a dumb mistake, thanks man