A CDE Definition

(BIT BLock Transfer) In computer graphics, a hardware feature that moves a rectangular block of bits from main memory into display memory. It speeds the display of moving objects (animation, scrolling) on screen.

A hardware bitblt provides fastest speed, but bitblts are also implemented in software, even in non-graphics systems. For example, text scrolls faster when it is copied as a contiguous block (bitblt) to the next part of the window, rather than processing every character on every line. See stretch blt.

An enhanced type of bitblt used for resizing video images. The function expands or contracts the number of bits while moving them from main memory to the display memory. See bitblt.