GDI bitmap loading (simple)

    
//

// here we load the bitmap

        HBITMAP bitmap;
	IDirectDrawSurface *TheSprite;
	
	bitmap = (HBITMAP) LoadImage(NULL, Bitmap_Filename, IMAGE_BITMAP, 0, 0, LR_LOADFROMFILE | LR_CREATEDIBSECTION | LR_DEFAULTSIZE);
	
	BITMAP bm;
	GetObject( bitmap, sizeof( bm ), &bm );
	int width = bm.bmWidth;
	int height = bm.bmHeight; 
//

//create the surface 


	DDSURFACEDESC ddsd;
	memset(&ddsd,0,sizeof(ddsd));
        ddsd.dwSize         = sizeof(ddsd);
	ddsd.dwFlags = DDSD_CAPS | DDSD_HEIGHT | DDSD_WIDTH; 
	ddsd.ddsCaps.dwCaps = DDSCAPS_OFFSCREENPLAIN; 
	ddsd.dwHeight = height; 
	ddsd.dwWidth = width; 
	lpDD->CreateSurface(&ddsd, &TheSprite, NULL);

//

//now, move the bitmap to the off screen surface we just created


	HDC            hDCImage;
	HDC            hDC;

	TheSprite->GetDC(&hDC);
	hDCImage = CreateCompatibleDC(hDC);
	SelectObject(hDCImage, bitmap);

	BitBlt( hDC, 0, 0, 
                width, height, 
                hDCImage, 0, 0, SRCCOPY );
	TheSprite->ReleaseDC(hDC);
	DeleteDC( hDCImage );
	DeleteObject(bitmap);
  

now, all you have to do in the game loop, is to
      
BackBuffer->BltFast(x,y,TheSprite,▭,DDBLTFAST_NOCOLORKEY);