cairo-surface-create-similar (other content width height)

other -- an existing cairo-surface-t instance used to select the backend of the new surface
content -- a value of the cairo-content-t enumeration for the content for the new surface
width -- an integer with the width of the new surface, (in device-space units)
height -- an integer with the height of the new surface (in device-space units)

A pointer to the newly allocated surface. The caller owns the surface and should call the function cairo-surface-destroy when done with it. This function always returns a valid pointer, but it will return a pointer to a "nil" surface if other is already in an error state or any other error occurs.

Create a new surface that is as compatible as possible with an existing surface. For example the new surface will have the same fallback resolution and font options as other. Generally, the new surface will also use the same backend as other, unless that is not possible for some reason. The type of the returned surface may be examined with the function cairo-surface-get-type.

Initially the surface contents are all 0; transparent if contents have transparency, black otherwise.

Use the function cairo-surface-create-similar-image if you need an image surface which can be painted quickly to the target surface.