Getting Started with the LEADTOOLS C++ Class Library

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The LEADTOOLS C++ Class Library is a powerful library that wraps all the LEADTOOLS C DLL functions into small and easy to use C++ classes. The classes are compact and designed in a way that provides maximum flexibility and ease of use in addition to minimizing the load on memory (through controlling the loaded LEAD libraries). This library is designed to help the LEADTOOLS user minimize the time required to develop an image enabled application.

The LEADTOOLS C++ Class Library can be used for high and low level processing of bitmaps in addition to saving/loading and managing image files. The LEADTOOLS C++ Class Library provides all the features and functionality of the LEADTOOLS C DLL wrapped into easy to use C++ classes. The most powerful feature provided by LEADTOOLS C++ Class Library is its control classes. These classes provide "windowed controls" which handle the majority of issues concerning bitmap display automatically. These control classes include a bitmap window, an animation window, and an annotation window. These classes can be used in two ways: as a normal control, like any ordinary Windows control or as a full blown window where the user can specify the handle of the window which will be controlled and managed by the class. Also, the user is able to control the functionality of these classes by deriving his own controls from these classes, and overriding the desired set of overridable functions to enhance or change the manner in which they work.

To use the LEADTOOLS C++ Class Library you have to perform the following steps:

1.	You can load the desired set of LEAD libraries by calling:

LBase::LoadLibraries with flags indicating which libraries your application would like to load. For example, to load the LEAD "Ltkrnu.dll" library:

WinMain()
{
   //Do some init
   //Load the required LEAD DLLs
   LBase::LoadLibraries(LT_KRN);
   //Other processing
}

For example, the above could be done in your applications initialization procedure.

2.	After loading the desired LEAD libraries you can start using the class objects or the LEAD C DLL functions directly.
3.	At any time, you can unload any LEAD library by calling LBase::UnloadLibraries and passing the flags indicating the LEAD libraries to unload.
4.	You can also check for currently loaded LEAD libraries by calling: LBase::GetLoadedLibraries.
5.	If you try to call any LEAD C DLL or use a class library function when the required LEAD library is not loaded then an error code will be returned and recorded in the internal error list. This error code will indicate which library was unavailable.
6.	Link your application to the LIB file for the class library, which is "ltwvc_u.lib" for MSVC or "ltwen_bc.lib" for Borland.

Class Hierarchy Chart