[Dev-C++] program exiting to windows(directx related)

[John D. D. <jdd...@ya...>]

    Hello,
   
  I'm new to programming and have a problem with a directx example program I've been trying to complete.  The source is from Beginning Game programming by Jonathan Harbour.
   
  I tried sending the source, but I zipped it and it got blocked.  I'm not sure what extensions are okay and so if you need  source files please let me know and I'll send it.
   
  Basically when it compiles fine, but when I run the program it just goes to the desktop without warning.  I've put in some error checking code, but I can't figure out what's wrong.
   
    d3ddev is a LPDIRECT3DDEVICE9
  sprite_handler is a LPD3DXSPRITE
  kitty is a SPRITE which is an user defined type  
  kitty_image is an array of LPDIRECT3DTEXTURE9
  result is a HRESULT

   
  Below is a snippet of where I think the problem is.
   
          //start rendering
        if (d3ddev->BeginScene())
        {
            //erase the entire background
            d3ddev->StretchRect(back, NULL, backbuffer, NULL, D3DTEXF_NONE);
              //start sprite handler
            result = sprite_handler->Begin(D3DXSPRITE_ALPHABLEND);
            
            if(result != S_OK)
                MessageBox(hwnd, "sprite_handler begin error", "Error", MB_OK);            
              //Create vector to update sprite position
            D3DXVECTOR3 position((float)kitty.x, (float)kitty.y, 0);
         
            
            // Draw the sprite
            sprite_handler->Draw(
                 kitty_image[kitty.curframe],
                 NULL,
                 NULL,
                 &position,
                 D3DCOLOR_XRGB(255,255,255));
                 
            //stop drawing
            result = sprite_handler->End();
              if(result != S_OK)
                MessageBox(hwnd, "sprite_handler end error", "Error", MB_OK);            
          //stop rendering
        d3ddev->EndScene();
    }
      //display the back buffer on the screen
    d3ddev->Present(NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
   
  Any help is appreciated and if I forgot to add anything just ask for it...
   
  Thanks,
   
  John