I have a picturebox with an image loaded.  I convert it into a bitmap,
lock the bits, re-arrange the graphics, unlock the bits, and re-assign
the bitmap to the image with:

picturebox1->image = myBitmap;

Everything works great!

Question:  Is the assignment statement above a copy function, or is
picturebox1->image a reference to myBitmap?  I know if I change the code
as such:

picturebox1->image = myBitmap;
delete [] myBitmap;

I get invalid object errors (implying picturebox1 is a reference).  But,
if I relock the bitmap, re-arrange the bits again, and unlock them
without the re-assignment, the image never updates (even when I
minimize/maximize to force a repaint) - implying picturebox1 has a copy
of the data).

So what exactly is going on here?

(By the way, by using pictureboxes and lockbits/unlockbits, I can
display & modify images without creating a graphics object or dealing
with 'Paint' events - pretty cool!).

Hello, bern11!

b> picturebox1->image = myBitmap;

b> Everything works great!

b> Question:  Is the assignment statement above a copy function, or is
b> picturebox1->image a reference to myBitmap?  I know if I change the code
b> as such:

b> picturebox1->image = myBitmap;
b> delete [] myBitmap;

b> I get invalid object errors (implying picturebox1 is a reference). 

Yes, there is no copying, but reference set.

b> But, if I relock the bitmap, re-arrange the bits again, and unlock them
b> without the re-assignment, the image never updates (even when I
b> minimize/maximize to force a repaint) - implying picturebox1 has a copy
b> of the data).
.
Did you try invalidating picturebox, like picturebox1->Invalidate();
Or even better you can do bitmap assignment again.

picturebox1->image = myBitmap;
is not simple property set. Setter is doing some job here, like invalidating, adjustring size etc....

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