Graphics device interface: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 15:18, 28 May 2006

Revision as of 18:12, 4 January 2007

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#REDIRECT:''For the graphics device interface in [[Windows]], see [[Graphics Device Interface]] {{ R from other capitalisation }}''

A '''graphics device interface''' is a subsystem that most operating systems use for representing graphical objects and transmitting them to [[output devices]] such as [[computer display|monitors]] and [[computer printer|printers]]. In most cases, the graphics device interface is only able to draw 2D graphics and simple 3D graphics, in order to make use of more advanced graphics and keep performance, an API such as [[DirectX]] or [[OpenGL]] needs to be installed.

In [[Microsoft Windows]], the GDI functionality resides in gdi.exe on 16-bit Windows, and gdi32.dll on 32-bit Windows. In [[Windows Vista]], the GDI is called [[Windows Presentation Foundation]].

[[Category:Operating system technology]]