@@ -26,14 +26,23 @@ 
 Surface::~Surface()
 {
   destroyObjects();
-  delete [] _pixel_data;
+  freePixelData();
+}
+
+void Surface::freePixelData()
+{
+  if (_pixel_data) {
+    delete [] _pixel_data;
+    _pixel_data = 0;
+  }
 }
 
 void Surface::setPixmap(const RenderColor &color)
 {
+  assert(_pixel_data);
   if (_pixmap == None)
     createObjects();
-
+  
   XFillRectangle(**display, _pixmap, color.gc(), 0, 0,
                  _size.width(), _size.height());
 
@@ -49,6 +58,7 @@ }
 
 void Surface::setPixmap(XImage *image)
 {
+  assert(_pixel_data);
   assert(image->width == _size.width());
   assert(image->height == _size.height());
   

@@ -34,6 +34,18 @@ typedef u_int32_t pixel32;
 typedef u_int16_t pixel16;
 #endif /* HAVE_STDINT_H */
 
+#ifdef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+const int default_red_shift=0;
+const int default_green_shift=8;
+const int default_blue_shift=16;
+const int endian=MSBFirst;
+#else
+const int default_red_shift=16;
+const int default_green_shift=8;
+const int default_blue_shift=0;
+const int endian=LSBFirst;
+#endif /* WORDS_BIGENDIAN */
+
 class Surface {
   int _screen;
   Size _size;
@@ -59,6 +71,10 @@ 
   Pixmap pixmap() const { return _pixmap; }
 
   pixel32 *pixelData() { return _pixel_data; }
+
+  //! Frees the pixel data when it will no longer be needed. Only do this once
+  //! you have completed rendering onto the surface.
+  void freePixelData();
 
   // The RenderControl classes use the internal objects in this class to render
   // to it. Noone else needs them tho, so they are private.

@@ -8,18 +8,6 @@ #include <vector>
 
 namespace otk {
 
-#ifdef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
-const int default_red_shift=0;
-const int default_green_shift=8;
-const int default_blue_shift=16;
-const int endian=MSBFirst;
-#else
-const int default_red_shift=16;
-const int default_green_shift=8;
-const int default_blue_shift=0;
-const int endian=LSBFirst;
-#endif /* WORDS_BIGENDIAN */
-
 class TrueRenderControl : public RenderControl {
 private:
   // the number of bits to shift a color value (from 0-255) to the right, to

@@ -508,6 +508,7 @@ 
   // delete the old surface *after* its pixmap isn't in use anymore
   if (_surface) delete _surface;
 
+  s->freePixelData(); // done rendering with this surface
   _surface = s;
 
   _dirty = false;

@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ otk::display->renderControl(screen)->drawBackground(*s, texture);
   XSetWindowBackgroundPixmap(**otk::display, win, s->pixmap());
   XClearWindow(**otk::display, win);
   if (*surface) delete *surface;
+  s->freePixelData();
   *surface = s;
 }
 
@@ -382,6 +383,7 @@ 
   XSetWindowBackgroundPixmap(**otk::display, _label, s->pixmap());
   XClearWindow(**otk::display, _label);
   if (_label_sur) delete _label_sur;
+  s->freePixelData();
   _label_sur = s;
 }