displaying bitmap on a static control

I've been looking at some API's recently, but haven't successfully been able to display a bitmap on a static control. Any ideas how to do it? :confused: my main goal is the easiest way possible to display an image

im basically looking to load a bmp file without using resource files....LoadImage seems to be key, but I don't know where to go from there...can anyone help? :confused:

After load image you have to send the STM_SETIMAGE message to the control. The wParam should be IMAGE_BITMAP and the lParam should be the handle.

Code:

---

HBITMAP hbm = (HBITMAP)LoadImage(NULL, szFileName,
  IMAGE_BITMAP, 0, 0, LR_LOADFROMFILE);
if(hbm == NULL)
{
  // error
}
// SS_BITMAP style must be set for the static control
SendMessage(hwndStatic, STM_SETIMAGE, IMAGE_BITMAP, (LPARAM)hbm);
InvalidateRect(hwndStatic, NULL, TRUE);

---