How to install OpenCV under Windows

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Here is how I installed it, be advised you need CMake and Visual Studio 2008 for this installation:

Extract the OpenCV files to a simple directory like: C:\OpenCV243 (that's what I use) Assuming you extracted the files to C:\OpenCV243 directory;

• There should be a folder called "opencv" inside C:\OpenCV243, Copy everything inside the "opencv" folder to C:\OpenCV243 and delete the "opencv" folder.

• Run CMAKE and type C:\OpenCV243 to source code box and type C:\OpenCV243\cnf to build the binaries part. It will ask you if you want to create a folder called "C:\OpenCV243\cnf" click yes.

• It will then ask you which ide you want to use for building the solution with, select VS 9 2008.

• It will list all of the projects etc. select the ones you want to build in a solution. Make sure you select the box "Install C Examples" to get the sample codes which are VERY helpful.

• First Configure and then Generate.

• Now you should find a file called "OpenCV.sln" in C:\OpenCV243\cnf. Open this file and build it in Debug configuration. And then build it in Release configuration.

• There are 2 folders under the C:\OpenCV243\cnf directory called "lib" and "bin". Copy those to C:\OpenCV243 directory.

• Copy folders under C:\OpenCV243\build\include to C:\OpenCV243\include

• Copy the dll files in C:\OpenCV243\bin\Release and C:\OpenCV243\bin\Debug to C:\Windows\System32

• Right Click on Computer, Select Properties and then click on "Advanced System Settings", Click on environment variables, add a new environment variable called PATH and add those directories to that variable: C:\OpenCV243\bin\Debug;C:\OpenCV243\bin\Release;C:\OpenCV243\bin NOTE: You might not need this as you already copied dll files but I would still do it anyway.

• Now open VS 9 2008 and create a new windows 32 console application.

• Go to Tools-->Options-->Project and Solutions On the right corner you should see a box titled "Show the directories for" Select Include files and add C:\OpenCV243\include, C:\OpenCV243\include\opencv, C:\OpenCV243\include\opencv2

• Select "Library" under the same menu ("show directories for") and add C:\OpenCV243\lib\Debug C:\OpenCV243\lib\Release

• Select "Executable Files" and add the $PATH to the list. Save and close the options window

• Right click on the project and select "Properties", Go to Linker-->Input and while in Debug configuration add following libraries: opencv_calib3d243d.lib opencv_contrib243d.lib opencv_core243d.lib opencv_features2d243d.lib opencv_flann243d.lib opencv_gpu243d.lib opencv_haartraining_engined.lib opencv_highgui243d.lib opencv_imgproc243d.lib opencv_legacy243d.lib opencv_ml243d.lib opencv_nonfree243d.lib opencv_objdetect243d.lib opencv_photo243d.lib opencv_stitching243d.lib opencv_ts243d.lib opencv_video243d.lib opencv_videostab243d.lib

switch to Release configuration and add following libraries--> opencv_calib3d243.lib opencv_contrib243.lib opencv_core243.lib opencv_features2d243.lib opencv_flann243.lib opencv_gpu243.lib opencv_haartraining_engine.lib opencv_highgui243.lib opencv_imgproc243.lib opencv_legacy243.lib opencv_ml243.lib opencv_nonfree243.lib opencv_objdetect243.lib opencv_photo243.lib opencv_stitching243.lib opencv_ts243.lib opencv_video243.lib opencv_videostab243.lib

Note that you might not need all those libraries for your ... (more)