Build Instructions

PlusLib uses CMake “superbuild” method for building. All required libraries and toolkits are automatically downloaded, configured, and built via the PlusBuild repository.

Prerequisites

Windows

  • Visual Studio 2019 or newer (Community, Professional, or Enterprise)

  • CMake 3.15 or newer - Download

  • Git: - [Download](- Qt 5.15+ (optional, required for PlusApp)

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install build-essential cmake git libxt-dev libgl1-mesa-dev

For Qt support:

sudo apt-get install qt5-default qttools5-dev

macOS

brew install cmake git qt5

Building PlusLib

PlusLib is typically built as part of the PlusBuild superbuild, which handles all dependencies automatically.

Step 1: Clone PlusBuild

git clone https://github.com/PlusToolkit/PlusBuild.git
cd PlusBuild

Step 2: Create Build Directory

mkdir PlusBuild-bin
cd PlusBuild-bin

Step 3: Configure with CMake

Windows (using Visual Studio):

cmake -G "Visual Studio 16 2019" -A x64 ../PlusBuild

Linux/macOS:

cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ../PlusBuild

Step 4: Build

Windows:

cmake --build . --config Release

Or open PlusBuild.sln in Visual Studio and build the ALL_BUILD project.

Linux/macOS:

make -j$(nproc)

This will take significant time (30 minutes to several hours) as it downloads and builds all dependencies.

Build Options

Key CMake configuration options:

Application Options

  • PLUSBUILD_BUILD_PLUSAPP - Build PlusApp GUI applications (default: OFF)

  • PLUSBUILD_BUILD_PLUSLIB_WIDGETS - Build Qt widgets (default: OFF)

Device Support

  • PLUS_USE_OpenIGTLink - Enable OpenIGTLink support (default: ON)

  • PLUS_USE_NDI - NDI tracking devices

  • PLUS_USE_EPIPHAN - Epiphan video capture cards

  • PLUS_USE_ICCAPTURING_VIDEO - IC Imaging Source cameras

  • PLUS_USE_MMF_VIDEO - Microsoft Media Foundation video

  • PLUS_USE_TELEMED_VIDEO - Telemed ultrasound devices

  • PLUS_USE_THORLABS_VIDEO - ThorLabs cameras

  • PLUS_USE_ULTRASONIX_VIDEO - Ultrasonix/Analogic ultrasound

Advanced Options

  • PLUS_USE_INTEL_MKL - Use Intel Math Kernel Library for performance

  • PLUSBUILD_OFFLINE_BUILD - Build without internet access (requires cached dependencies)

Building PlusLib Standalone

If you need to build only PlusLib (without PlusBuild superbuild):

  1. Build or install all dependencies (VTK, ITK, etc.)

  2. Clone PlusLib:

    git clone https://github.com/PlusToolkit/PlusLib.git

  3. Configure and build:

    mkdir PlusLib-bin
cd PlusLib-bin
cmake -DVTK_DIR=/path/to/VTK-build ../PlusLib
cmake --build . --config Release

!!! warning Building PlusLib standalone is complex due to numerous dependencies. Using PlusBuild is strongly recommended.

Running Tests

After building, run the automatic tests:

Windows:

cd PlusLib-bin
BuildAndTest.bat

Linux/macOS:

cd PlusLib-bin
./BuildAndTest.sh

Tests will run and submit results to the CDash dashboard.

Build Output

After successful build:

  • Binaries: PlusLib-bin/bin/Release/ (Windows) or PlusLib-bin/bin/ (Linux/macOS)

  • Libraries: PlusLib-bin/lib/Release/ (Windows) or PlusLib-bin/lib/ (Linux/macOS)

  • Test data: Downloaded to PlusLibData directory

Troubleshooting

Build Fails with “Cannot find VTK”

Ensure you’re using PlusBuild superbuild, which handles VTK automatically.

Long Build Times

The first build downloads and compiles all dependencies (VTK, ITK, etc.). Subsequent builds are much faster.

CMake Version Too Old

Update CMake to version 3.15 or newer.

Git SSL Certificate Errors

If behind a corporate firewall:

git config --global http.sslVerify false

Windows: MSBuild Not Found

Ensure Visual Studio is properly installed and run cmake from “Developer Command Prompt for VS”.

Next Steps