Compiling OpenCV for Visual C++ 9.0

Question

I looked at many places but could not find anything telling me how to buld the lib files. I know how to link them, but openCV install folder only contains .a files. I cant find an sln file or dsp. How can I make the lib files? Right now all the samples get linker problems because the lib files dont exist.

Thanks

Answer 1

In order to create the .sln files you need to run CMake on the OpenCV folder containing makefiles.

Answer 2

.a files are libraries. On a unix platform they're typically statically linked libraries.

If you're on windows however they should be .dll files. How did you compile OpenCV and does it support compiling on windows?

Answer 3

The Windows installer (.exe) for OpenCV 2.0 does not come with the binaries pre-built for vc++, nor does it have the .vcproj files for using vc++ to build them. You need to have cmake, which is available for free on the web. I used the GUI. Use that to build .vcproj files with which you can compile everything in VC++ 2008 or whatever. There are some gotchas. The question has been asked and answered.