Using a Device Control Handle outside WM_PAINT

i've created a handle in within WM_PAINT message handler..

Code:

---

case WM_PAINT:
{
                hdc=BeginPaint(hwnd, &pntS);

                .............
                .............
 
                DisplayResults(hwnd, hdc, output, rsltFont);

                EndPaint(hwnd, &pntS);
}
return 0;

---

But now the function DisplayResults() need to be called somewhere else, say within WM_COMMAND: when a button is pressed... The problem is it needs the hdc created in WM_PAINT to be able to repaint the results after changes...

Q. Is it possible to use hdc somewhere else?

Yes, it's possible to create a DC somewhere else, but the problem is that every time you need to repaint the area on the window where that paint was, it will be erased. So if you window gets hidden, moved off screen, etc, it will be gone.
There it is always best to do the writing from WM_PAINT.