OpenCV/Eclipse on windows !

Since many computer vision beginners choose openCV but find hard to configure, also almost all eclipse tutorials are on linux ,I'm gonna show you how to prepare the environment to quickly start using OpenCV on Eclipse on windows .

you gonna need the latest stable version of openCV 2.4.3 .

Eclipse Juno ! (Eclipse IDE for C/C++ Developers )
And
MinGW - Minimalist GNU for Windows

we will ignore x86/64 choice, since we gonna work with a 32 compiler / and 32 openCV build, even though the system is a 64 one !

Step 1 : Download and Install 

• Eclipse

Download Eclipse from the link and decompress the archive . ( I assumed that you already have JRE on your computer , if not ! download and install it ) .

• MinGW

Download MinGW from the link . the installer will lead you through the process !
you might have to add the bin directory to the path ! (Default path :  C/MinGW/bin )

• OpenCV

Download openCV exe from the link , extract the files (in the  C:/ directory in this tutorial ) .

Make sure you have the file structure below .

don't forget to add the bin directory => Path !

As I mentioned earlier ! I'll use x86 build even if i have a 64 OS to avoid compiler problems and to keep this tutorial open to x86 OS users !

Step 2 : Create and Configure 

- Open the Eclipse IDE !

- Create a new C++ project : File > New > C++ Project 

- Choose a Hello Word Project to have a pre structured one !

Don't forget to select the MinGW toolchains 

Click Finish and let's get to work !

Now that you have you first Hello word project ! replace the Code in the Soure file .cpp  by the code below

///////////////CODE///////////

#include "opencv2/highgui/highgui.hpp"
#include <iostream>
using namespace cv;
using namespace std;
int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
  Mat im = imread(argc == 2 ? argv[1] : "lenna.png", 1);
  if (im.empty())
  {
    cout << "Cannot open image!" << endl;
    return -1;
  }
  imshow("image", im);
  waitKey(0);
  return 0;
}

 ///////////////CODE///////////

Obviously there are multiple errors on the code , yes ! we have to link the libraries !

Now go to Properties >> C/C++ Build >> Settings
on the Tool Setting tab >> GCC C++ Compiler >> Includes  and include opencv path !
[opencvDir\build\include]

Now scroll to MinGW C++ Linker >> Libraries and add the Library search path [opencvDIR\build\x86\mingw\lib] 

in the Libraries part ! we add as much librarie as we need  for the project !

here I added 4 libraries just for tutorial sake even if well need only the highgui one for our test code to work !

The libraries names can be found on the [opencvDIR\build\x86\mingw\lib] 

Example !  for  libopencv_video243.dll.a  wee add opencv_video243 in the linker !

click OK !

Now we can build our first project !

You figured that you have to add a picture to the project as implied in the source code "lenna.png"

Use lenna for good luck 

Build and Run the project !

If you see the beautiful lady :) Congrats :)

good morning :)