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= Getting Started =

osgVisual is based on !OpenSceneGraph. The first step to use osgVisual is to create a valid build environment to be able to compile and use !OpenSceneGraph. osgVisual itself can be compiled in any working osg build environment.

To understand the basic concept of osgVisual, it is strongly recommended to read the [wiki:Architecture] wiki site and continue to read all the documentation of all relevant osgVisual modules. Without this lecture it would be hard to understand the basic concepts, even with the well commented source code. 

osgVisual consists of several module providing different functionalities. some of this Modules are interfaces to commercial software products like [http://sundog-soft.com Silverlining] or [http://www.wetzel-technology.com/ Vista2D]. It is possible to use this modules, but not required.

__It is possible to run osgVisual without any commercial module.__



When your are able to compile osgVisual in its delivered version, you can start to modify the software for your own purposes. If you need detailed information regarding specific classes or functions, read the doxygen documentation on http://osgvisual.org/documentation/trunk/ Alle modules/classes which are finished are completely documented. All modules/classes under construction are docummented but not completed.

On questions about the project or !OpenSceneGraph, join the official forum on http://forum.openscenegraph.org/ and ask. The project leader of osgVisual reads the forum frequently.


== !OpenSceneGraph ==

To use osgVisual, users have to create a build environment like !OpenSceneGraph. It is recommended not to use precompiled packages but to compile osg from SVN trunk.
Read http://www.openscenegraph.org/projects/osg/wiki/Support/GettingStarted for durther details.[[br]]
Windows user can use the third party requirements as precompiled packages for VS2005 and VS2008 from http://www.openscenegraph.org/projects/osg/wiki/Downloads/Dependencies. 

In short: 
 * checkout osg SVN trunk
   * Linux: "svn co http://www.openscenegraph.org/svn/osg/OpenSceneGraph/tags/OpenSceneGraph-2.9.7  !OpenSceneGraph"
   * Windows: TortoiseSVN checkout from svn "http://www.openscenegraph.org/svn/osg/OpenSceneGraph/tags/OpenSceneGraph-2.9.7"
 * configure osg
   * Linux: "./configure"
   * Windows: use CMAKE: "configure" -> set your "Install Prefix" to the same directory as your source code , select your settings, "generate"
 * Compile and install osg:
   * Linux: "make && make install"
   * Windows: "Build ALL" as release and debug

== osgVisual third party modules ==

osgVisual provides several moduls which rely on commercial third party modules like [http://www.wetzel-technology.com/ Vista2D] or [http://sundog-soft.com Silverlining]. To use this moduls, install the packages and activate the modules during CMAKE configuration. If modules are enabled, additionally configuration options appear after running another "configure" loop. Specify the options (e.g. Silver-lining license information or paths to libraries and include files.

__It is possible to run osgVisual without any commercial module.__

== osgVisual ==