Hi! I’ve put together a few short articles that will get you started with your first step in using OpenCV on Windows! By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be proficient at:
- Setting up a project for OpenCV
- Loading images
- Manipulate images (increase contrast, some funky effects, etc)
- Capture images from your camera (and apply the above effects too)
- Create simple user interfaces with HighGUI
That’s a lot of stuff! So lets get started right now!
The tutorials
This is a series of tutorials. Here’s the entire list of tutorials:
 | Why OpenCV? This article talks about why to choose OpenCV over Matlab. Update: I found a comparison of OpenCV against other vision libraries. |
 | Installing and getting OpenCV running Here you’ll learn how to setup your IDE to recognize OpenCV. |
 | Hello, World! with images Your very first OpenCV project! You’ll load an image and display it on screen. |
 | Filtering images Do some weird effects on your images! This is a fun lesson! |
 | Capturing images Using OpenCV’s inbuilt capabilities to get live video from your camera. Update: Feeling adventerous? Try capturing with DirectX (works on any camera). |
 | HighGUI: Creating Interfaces Learn the basics of creating an interface and detecting events from trackbars and windows. |
What exactly is OpenCV?
This might sound obvious, but just to be clear, OpenCV is a library of functions. OpenCV is NOT a piece of software that you run and process images. You need to write code.
You can download Microsoft’s Visual Studio Express Edition (for free). It is one superb IDE. Go get Visual Studio Express here! You need to download the Visual C++ 2010 Express.
Also, OpenCV is not some executable file that you double click and it’ll start working. It is pure code, library files and DLL files. When you write your own code, you “link” to these library files to access the OpenCV functions.
Again, this might sound obvious, but just to be sure I put this up.
Summary
After you’ve been through this tutorial, you’ll know how to go about using OpenCV on a Windows box! Enjoy!
Installing and configuring OpenCV 2.0 on Windows
Interesting windows in the Harris Corner Detector
6 Comments
Hey Utkarsh,
I know you from college. Just found your website. Damn cool stuff here. I wanted to install OpenCV on my comp and start using it with CodeBlocks. I tried linking the libraries and the include files of OpenCV, but doesnt seem to be working.Could you help me out with it?
Thanks
Hi Omkar! I know you too.. i think we were in Phonetics.. what version of OpenCV are you using? And did you have a look at http://opencv.willowgarage.com/wiki/CodeBlocks ?
Hi,Utkarsh.Ihve started using OpenCV just now & found you website very useful.Is this website created and maintained by tou?If yes,Why don’t you add some tutorials about that also?
Yes I created AI Shack and maintain it too… What tutorials should I add?
Hi Utkarsh,
Can you add tutorials about writing html code for website?
Right from beginning that is how to get domain etc.
Thank you.
There are lots of tutorials about that on the internet. Do a search and you’ll find lots. On AI Shack I write about only artificial intelligence related things.