Graphics command processing method in a computer graphics system

In a computer graphics system, a method of performing desired graphics operations on specified data, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of drawing graphics commands, each for specifying a different raster drawing operation;
• using a plurality of context graphics commands to define a context in which drawing graphics commands operate to provide desired graphic operations on specified data, said context including destination location for resulting data, type of graphics operation, foreground color of resulting data, and background color of resulting data, said plurality of context graphics commands including different context graphics commands for defining different parts of the context independent of other parts of the context;
• and
• selecting and executing in the defined context, one of the drawing graphics commands such that the raster drawing operation corresponding to the selected drawing graphics command is performed on specified data with respect to the defined context to provide desired graphics operations on the specified data.