As far as I can tell it is possible to install OpenCV without root access, but it's slightly more complicated. If you have root access then su now and ignore any of the instructions in italics.
The version I downloaded was opencv-0.9.7, so if you suddenly see numbers popping up, that's why. Substitute your version if using a later one.

• If you had to download subversion, do the following to extract, install and use it to download ffmpeg:
  
        tar -xvzf subversion-1.3.2.tar.gz
        cd subversion-1.3.2
        sh autogen.sh
        ./configure --prefix="/tmp/svn-bin"
        make
        make install
        cd subversion/clients/cmdline
        ./svn checkout svn://svn.mplayerhq.hu/ffmpeg/trunk ffmpeg
        mv ffmpeg /tmp
        cd /tmp
  
  
• In order to get OpenCV to see ffmpeg, you must install ffmpeg first. This can be done by first changing to the directory and then configuring and installing the package.
  
        cd ffmpeg
        ./configure --prefix="/home/ffmpeg" --enable-shared
        make
        make install
  
  You should now have a working copy of ffmpeg, so next we install OpenCV.
  
  
• Change to the directory:
  
        cd ../opencv
  
  Without knowing where the ffmpeg libraries are, the configure script for OpenCV will not know how to use ffmpeg. Using the bash shell, the next line you need to enter on to the command line is:
  
        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/home/ffmpeg/lib:/home/opencv/lib
  
  However, other shells may require a different syntax - the csh shell, for example uses the command 'setenv' instead of export, but I'm not certain of the syntax. A quick google search will probably put you right.
  
  Once discovered, this line can and should be added/appended to your shell's rc file, e.g. .bashrc, .cshrc, etc.
  
  
• NON-ROOT ONLY: Create a new folder somewhere you have access to - the desktop or your home folder are good places. Try to give the folder a suitable name, something that will help you identify it at a later date. (For the sake of continuity I will use /home/opencv/ in all examples on this page. Simply substitute your directory for that one.) Then type:
  
        ./configure --prefix=/home/opencv --enable-apps --enable-shared --with-ffmpeg --with-gnu-ld --with-x --without-quicktime CXXFLAGS=-fno-strict-aliasing CFLAGS=-I/tmp/ffmpeg-bin/include CPPFLAGS=-I/tmp/ffmpeg-bin/include LDFLAGS=-L/tmp/ffmpeg-bin/lib
  
  
• ROOT ONLY: Configure the installation:
  
        ./configure --prefix=/home/intel/opencv-0.9.7 --enable-apps --enable-shared --with-ffmpeg --with-gnu-ld --with-x --without-quicktime CXXFLAGS=-fno-strict-aliasing CFLAGS=-I/tmp/ffmpeg-bin/include CPPFLAGS=-I/tmp/ffmpeg-bin/include LDFLAGS=-L/tmp/ffmpeg-bin/lib
  
  (substituting 'opencv-0.9.7' for the version number you downloaded, if necessary).
  
  
• Assuming all goes well, the configuration program will end with a prompt to 'make'. Do that and then register the libraries (make install).
  
        make
        make install
  
  
• Copy the documentation from your decompressed folder to the folder made during configuration.
  
  NON-ROOT:       cp -R docs/  /home/opencv/
  
  ROOT:       cp -R docs/ /home/intel/opencv-0.9.7/
  
  
• ROOT ONLY: If you wish to do so at this point, a simlink can be handy when updating to new versons and builds. (A simlink is a virtual link to somewhere, essentially creating another way of referring to it.) If you want to put one in, first change directory to the installation's parent folder. For root users this will be /home/intel/. Then use:
  
        ln -s opencv-0.9.7 opencv
  
  The next time you update to a newer version of OpenCV, simply do the same but substituting the new folder name/version number. Provided you have used the simlink in paths then all your programs should still work, regardless of what version you're using.
  
  
• ROOT ONLY: You need to add a line to a config file so that linux knows where to find the new libraries, so open '/etc/ld.so.conf' in your favourite text editor and add '/home/intel/opencv/lib' to the end of the file (or '/home/intel/opencv-0.9.7/lib' without the simlink). Then use the command:
  
        ldconfig -v
  
  (If linux can't find ldconfig you get an error, in which case you can type 'locate ldconfig' and use the path it gives you.)
  
  
• Finally, you will need to add a line to your shell's rc file (e.g. .bashrc, .cshrc, etc):
  
        cd ~
        vi .bashrc
  
  As you'll notice, my system uses the bash shell. If yours uses csh then you'll need to use 'setenv' instead of 'export' below, but if you encounter problems then it may be because you need to use a slightly different syntax, in which case I recommend doing a quick google search for the proper way to set an environment variable in your shell. Once in vim, add or append the following:
  
        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/home/opencv/lib
        export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/home/opencv/lib/pkgconfig
  
  If this doesn't work, don't worry - I've added an extra bit in the Makefile which should get around the problem another way.

OpenCV should now be installed. The next stage is to create a makefile to use with it.

Owner: Drew Morgan | Last updated: Wednesday 13 September 2006