Chapter 13. BITMAPS, ICONS, AND METAFILES

Windows provides three different picture types that an application can use: bitmaps, icons, and metafiles. Each type of picture has a different use within an application. You typically use bitmaps for pictures that will not be scaled or contain text. Icons are small versions of bitmaps that you usually use as graphic identifiers for windows. You use metafiles in place of bitmaps where bitmaps fall short of your needs. A metafile can contain text and be scaled without losing picture or text quality.