OpenCV / Python / MAC

In case you don’t want to use MacPorts for downloading the library for any reason, this might be helpful for you. i was not using MacPorts for it, because i had problems getting all prerequisites for OpenCV Library, so i had to do it some other way.

I must admit, that most helpful article was official install guide from OpenCV wiki.

1. Currently the latest version of Python is 3.1.2, but i am using pre-installed 2.6.1. There is nothing wrong with neither version, so go ahead and install it from their download site. They have regular installer for it, so no need to explain anything here… 
2. Now go and download OpenCV Library from SourceForge download site.
3. Unarchive it to some well placed directory… open terminal and navigate there.
   While in directory suitable for installing (containing files like CMakeLists.txt or any familiar files containing word “install” in them 😉 ) create folder “release”
   

   mkdir release

   and navigate to it

   cd release 

4. Put
   

   ccmake

   to the terminal to configure your release. Search for anything including “python” and mark it with YES. You can navigate to next line with ctrl+n and change the setting with Enter. After checking all the options, hit “c” for configure and after that “g” to generate the config file. now you can exit ccmake interface.

5. Enter
   

   sudo make -j8

   and wait for a while… then

   sudo make install

   and you are almost there 🙂

6. At this point you have installed Python, OpenCV but they might not know about each other… open /etc/bashrc for example with vim and at the end put this
   

   export PYTHONPATH=/path/to/your/OpenCV-2.1.0/release/lib:$PYTHONPATH 
   export PYTHONPATH=/usr/local/lib/python2.6/site-packages/cv.so:$PYTHONPATH

   – use versions suitable for you, but make sure you are entering the right folder.
   – i have found on web that variable DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH is also important, but i don’t use it and mine works… so in case your library won’t try setting it like the first line of PYTHONPATH variable.

7. To test if that worked, just type
   

   python

   into terminal, and then

   import cv

   or

   import * from opencv

   into python console. It should not give you negative feedback about not existing module. 

#. In case it still gives you

ImportError: No module named cv

go back to point 4 about configuring your OpenCV release and check all values carefully… i had to do it several times… then make and install it again and it should work 🙂

##. You might need to download and install cmake for this, in case you don’t have one. I downloaded mine from

http://www.cmake.org/cmake/resources/software.html

and it was a regular package installation, so i guess you don’t need any assistance there.

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