IDXGIFactory::CreateSwapChain method (dxgi.h)

[Starting with Direct3D 11.1, we recommend not to use CreateSwapChain anymore to create a swap chain. Instead, use CreateSwapChainForHwnd, CreateSwapChainForCoreWindow, or CreateSwapChainForComposition depending on how you want to create the swap chain.]

Creates a swap chain.

Syntax

HRESULT CreateSwapChain(
  [in]  IUnknown             *pDevice,
  [in]  DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_DESC *pDesc,
  [out] IDXGISwapChain       **ppSwapChain
);

Parameters

[in] pDevice

Type: IUnknown*

For Direct3D 11, and earlier versions of Direct3D, this is a pointer to the Direct3D device for the swap chain. For Direct3D 12 this is a pointer to a direct command queue (refer to ID3D12CommandQueue) . This parameter cannot be NULL.

[in] pDesc

Type: DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_DESC*

A pointer to a DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_DESC structure for the swap-chain description. This parameter cannot be NULL.

[out] ppSwapChain

Type: IDXGISwapChain**

A pointer to a variable that receives a pointer to the IDXGISwapChain interface for the swap chain that CreateSwapChain creates.

Return value

Type: HRESULT

DXGI_ERROR_INVALID_CALL if pDesc or ppSwapChain is NULL, DXGI_STATUS_OCCLUDED if you request full-screen mode and it is unavailable, or E_OUTOFMEMORY. Other error codes defined by the type of device passed in may also be returned.

Remarks

If you attempt to create a swap chain in full-screen mode, and full-screen mode is unavailable, the swap chain will be created in windowed mode and DXGI_STATUS_OCCLUDED will be returned.

If the buffer width or the buffer height is zero, the sizes will be inferred from the output window size in the swap-chain description.

Because the target output can't be chosen explicitly when the swap chain is created, we recommend not to create a full-screen swap chain. This can reduce presentation performance if the swap chain size and the output window size do not match. Here are two ways to ensure that the sizes match:

• Create a windowed swap chain and then set it full-screen using IDXGISwapChain::SetFullscreenState.
• Save a pointer to the swap chain immediately after creation, and use it to get the output window size during a WM_SIZE event. Then resize the swap chain buffers (with IDXGISwapChain::ResizeBuffers) during the transition from windowed to full-screen.

If the swap chain is in full-screen mode, before you release it you must use SetFullscreenState to switch it to windowed mode. For more information about releasing a swap chain, see the "Destroying a Swap Chain" section of DXGI Overview.

After the runtime renders the initial frame in full screen, the runtime might unexpectedly exit full screen during a call to IDXGISwapChain::Present. To work around this issue, we recommend that you execute the following code right after you call CreateSwapChain to create a full-screen swap chain (Windowed member of DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_DESC set to FALSE).

// Detect if newly created full-screen swap chain isn't actually full screen.
IDXGIOutput* pTarget; BOOL bFullscreen;
if (SUCCEEDED(pSwapChain->GetFullscreenState(&bFullscreen, &pTarget)))
{
   pTarget->Release();
}
else
   bFullscreen = FALSE;
// If not full screen, enable full screen again.
if (!bFullscreen)
{
   ShowWindow(hWnd, SW_MINIMIZE);
   ShowWindow(hWnd, SW_RESTORE);
   pSwapChain->SetFullscreenState(TRUE, NULL);
}

You can specify DXGI_SWAP_EFFECT and DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_FLAG values in the swap-chain description that pDesc points to. These values allow you to use features like flip-model presentation and content protection by using pre-Windows 8 APIs.

However, to use stereo presentation and to change resize behavior for the flip model, applications must use the IDXGIFactory2::CreateSwapChainForHwnd method. Otherwise, the back-buffer contents implicitly scale to fit the presentation target size; that is, you can't turn off scaling.

Notes for Windows Store apps

If a Windows Store app calls CreateSwapChain with full screen specified, CreateSwapChain fails.

Windows Store apps call the IDXGIFactory2::CreateSwapChainForCoreWindow method to create a swap chain.

For info about how to choose a format for the swap chain's back buffer, see Converting data for the color space.

Requirements

Requirement	Value
Target Platform	Windows
Header	dxgi.h
Library	DXGI.lib

See also

DXGI Interfaces

For best performance, use DXGI flip model

IDXGIFactory