We create VC++ programs that does some GDI drawing functionality.
I discovered GDI+ and this seems to be a big step forward, and appears to be
standard available in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
But since .NET also uses it, does that mean that it gets automatically
installed when I install a .NET framework on a Windows 2000?
I asked this question, so I also want to add the answer to what I
discovered.
GDI+ basically consist of one dll called gdiplus.dll (1.6 MB).
Windows XP automatically contains this GDI+ dll installed in the windows
folder, but older windows versions do not.
Now, .NET, uses GDI+, and it appears that this gdiplus.dll is installed
where the .NET framework is installed.
(C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322)
This means that although GDI+ is installed to be used by .NET, none- .NET
programs have not access to this gdiplus.dll, it must still be copied to
either the windows folder or the program folder in order to use it.
Using GDI+ is simpler than expected for none-.NET programs, just put the
gdiplus.dll in the same folder of your executable and off you go, running on
OS that does not have GDI+ installed.
GDI+ is very nice but I see many (confusing) Internet reports that GDI is
much faster than GDI+, because graphics card manufacturers optimize for GDI
performance and ignore GDI+. Although parts of GDI+ uses GDI and this would
speed up with a new graphics card.
Also ofcourse GDI+ does far more processing than GDI does. e.g. scaling,
transforming, rotating,... And is a pure OOP class set.
I love the fact that it is implemented in the .NET framework.
But sadly enought I also develop conventional exe code so stuck with GID--.