BeginPath Textout EndPath draws inverted text - c++

Question

here is the code that I have in OnPaint event of my form:
int elementCount;
String tStr = L"15:00";
::BeginPath(Canvas->Handle);
::TextOut(Canvas->Handle, 5, 5, tStr.c_str(), tStr.Length());
::EndPath(Canvas->Handle);
elementCount = ::GetPath(Canvas->Handle, NULL, NULL, 0);
Canvas->Brush->Color = clBlue;
Canvas->Pen->Color = clYellow;
Canvas->Pen->Width = 4;
if(0 < elementCount)
{
boost::scoped_array<TPoint> mPoints(new TPoint[elementCount]);
boost::scoped_array<BYTE> mTypes(new BYTE[elementCount]);
::GetPath(Canvas->Handle, mPoints.get(), mTypes.get(), elementCount);
::FillPath(Canvas->Handle);
::PolyDraw(Canvas->Handle, mPoints.get(), mTypes.get(), elementCount);
}
else
::StrokeAndFillPath(Canvas->Handle);
but here is what I get on the form:
as you can see the text comes out inverted (the text has to be blue and background gray but it is the other way around and the yellow line is around the background instead of text). Does anyone know how I can fix this?
I am using C++ Builder 10 Seattle but if anyone knows that Delphi or pure C++ trick, I can work with that as well.
Thank you

Answer 1

This is explained in TextOut's documentation:
When the TextOut function is placed inside a path bracket, the
system generates a path for the TrueType text that includes each
character plus its character box. The region generated is the
character box minus the text, rather than the text itself. You can
obtain the region enclosed by the outline of the TrueType text by
setting the background mode to transparent before placing the
TextOut function in the path bracket. Following is sample code that demonstrates this procedure.
The below is a Delphi adaption of the mentioned sample code and your snippet, draws yellow outlined blue text:
procedure TForm1.FormPaint(Sender: TObject);
var
elementCount: Integer;
mPoints: array of TPoint;
mTypes: array of Byte;
const
tStr = '15:00';
begin
BeginPath(Canvas.Handle);
Canvas.Brush.Style := bsClear;
TextOut(Canvas.Handle, 5, 5, PChar(tStr), Length(tStr));
EndPath(Canvas.Handle);
Canvas.Brush.Color := clBlue;
Canvas.Pen.Color := clYellow;
Canvas.Pen.Width := 4;
elementCount := GetPath(Canvas.Handle, Pointer(nil)^, Pointer(nil)^, 0);
if elementCount > 0 then begin
SetLength(mPoints, elementCount);
SetLength(mTypes, elementCount);
GetPath(Canvas.Handle, mPoints[0], mTypes[0], elementCount);
Canvas.Brush.Style := bsSolid;
SelectClipPath(Canvas.Handle, RGN_AND);
Canvas.FillRect(ClientRect);
SelectClipRgn(Canvas.Handle, 0);
PolyDraw(Canvas.Handle, mPoints[0], mTypes[0], elementCount);
end else
StrokeAndFillPath(Canvas.Handle);
end;