Now this seems simple enough, but it doesn't seem to work.....

Code:
'first surface is created from file into imgDesc

Dim ImageWidth As Long
Dim ImageHeight As Long
Dim ImageBPP As Long

ImageWidth = imgDesc.lWidth 'this works
ImageHeight = imgDesc.lHeight 'this works too
ImageBPP = imgDesc.ddpfPixelFormat.IRGBBitCount 'this always returns 0
0 bpp?