In draw mode, graphics output is provided immediately to the currently associated device and is not retained in a segment store. When the graphics have been drawn, they cannot be used again unless they are re-created. For example, when a window containing draw mode graphics is moved or sized, the graphics have to be re-created by the application.

Draw mode graphics are suitable if an application is creating fairly simple graphics quickly or is maintaining its own graphics database. In the latter case, there is nothing to gain by retaining graphics.

A segment created when the drawing mode is DM_DRAW, is called a nonretained segment. While it might sound contradictory, nonretained segments have certain advantages that are described in Nonretained Graphic Segments.


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