I've got a pretty well developed ORPG going on, and now I'm starting to program the actual game server. The problem is I've been working so long on the client which uses DirectX, and now that I'm writing the server, which will not be using DirectX, I'm finding myself getting confused on some very basic Windows GDI stuff because I've never had to use it up to this point. For the first test server, I just want to start with some simple chat functions which will mean typing lines of text into the window, then having them move upwards as new buffers of text arrive (just like any other chat program). Printing text onto the screen in GDI seems pretty straight forward, but unlike my game client the screen won't be updating and redrawn all the time (every loop), so basically the text stays there until it's erased (right?). So here's the stupid question... What's the best way to erase the window when I need to update the position and/or content of the text? Do I color in the areas I need erased with say "black" using a brushed rectangle? If so won't this just fill the area with unnessary pixels? In other worlds is there a simpler "erase" function where maybe you just feed in a RECT as a parameter and it just clears the area you want cleared? And if I'm only updating on a "as needed" basis, do you think it will still cause unsightly "flicker" and if so is there a simple away around that? Thanks again in advance, you guys have yet to fail me in the past. (Oh, programing in C, no MFC or anything)

Why not just make a console application?

I know watcha mean. But I really,really want to use Asyncronous Sockets, which are are only for Windows, plus I'm going to need menus and buttons and other resources to access various information about server status, player status, and other general statistics. Windows just works best for my particular application I have in mind.

Actually, you two's argument is wonderfully coincidental in that it has more to do with what I'm doing then you think. First, thanks for your solutions Admiral, it sounds like exactly what I need to create my TEST chat program, and because I've been using DirectX, your solution sound very similar to using and flipping the surfaces I'm used to with DirectX. As far as what Eiforall said, he's perfectly in the right too! My final goal indeed is to have a server program that displays, well, absolutly nothing! Theory goes; if the game ever out grows a simple home server running on Broadband, then the day may come when I need to rent out one or more of those super powerful servers they have locked in some strange and mysterious building somewhere. And if that's the case the server program will need to be run almost completly by remote access, eliminating it's own need for any kind of display. But for NOOOOOOOW...... While I'm developing it I'd really like to have a nice display so I can see what all my variables and connections and such are up to, and I'd like make it look pretty for the other guy's who will be testing it also. So anyway, I should be well on my way, thanks again!

For a game server, console apps are commonplace, with a HTTP remote access for all but emergency maintainence.

Sorry about not helping with the GDI stuff, I don't know how to do that!