## Repository for OpenCV's extra modules

This repository is intended for development of so-called "extra" modules,
contributed functionality. New modules quite often do not have stable API,
and they are not well-tested. Thus, they shouldn't be released as a part of
official OpenCV distribution, since the library maintains binary compatibility,
and tries to provide decent performance and stability.

So, all the new modules should be developed separately, and published in the
`opencv_contrib` repository at first. Later, when the module matures and gains
popularity, it is moved to the central OpenCV repository, and the development team
provides production quality support for this module.

### How to build OpenCV with extra modules

You can build OpenCV, so it will include the modules from this repository.
Here is the CMake command for you:

```
$ cd <opencv_build_directory>
$ cmake -DOPENCV_EXTRA_MODULES_PATH=<opencv_contrib>/modules <opencv_source_directory>
$ make -j5
```

As the result, OpenCV will be built in the `<opencv_build_directory>` with all
modules from `opencv_contrib` repository. If you don't want all of the modules,
use CMake's `BUILD_opencv_*` options. Like in this example:

```
$ cmake -DOPENCV_EXTRA_MODULES_PATH=<opencv_contrib>/modules -DBUILD_opencv_legacy=OFF <opencv_source_directory>
```

If you prefer using the gui version of cmake (cmake-gui), then, you can add `opencv_contrib` modules within `opencv` core by doing the following:

1. start cmake-gui

2. select the opencv source code folder and the folder where binaries will be built (the 2 upper forms of the interface)

3. press the `configure` button. you will see all the opencv build parameters in the central interface

4. browse the parameters and look for the form called `OPENCV_EXTRA_MODULES_PATH` (use the search form to focus rapidly on it)

5. complete this `OPENCV_EXTRA_MODULES_PATH` by the proper pathname to the `<opencv_contrib>/modules` value using its browse button.

6. press the `configure` button followed by the `generate` button (the first time, you will be asked which makefile style to use)

7. build the `opencv` core with the method you chose (make and make install if you chose Unix makfile at step 6) 
