README
-- What is libvisual --
Libvisual is a library that acts as a middle layer between
applications that want audio visualisation and audio visualisation
plugins.

Libvisual is aimed at developers who, have a need for audio
visualisation and those who actually write the visualisation
plugins.

By writing an audio visualisation plugin for libvisual
every application that uses libvisual is capable of using
this plugin. The application handles the end drawing of
the graphics and thus rendering done by plugins using
libvisual can be drawn everywhere. That is but not limited
to: ascii art, sdl, on gl object as a surface , alpha blended
or just, anywhere.

Libvisual also provides complete easy to use transparant
depth transformation, so that even when the display
isn't supported by the plugin, libvisual will make
it suite. Besides using libvisual for rendering your
2d buffers, you can also render openGL when an openGL
context is open. Besides you don't have to render
to a buffer. You can also make hardware hacks
that do visualisation using libvisual. There are simply no borders


-- Why should you use libvisual --
As an application writer, using libvisual provides you an easy
way to do audio visualisation. Also when using libvisual you'll
have easy access to all the plugins that are written for libvisual.

As an plugin writer, libvisual provides a nice host for your plugin.
It runs analyzes over the audio input for easy usage and it handles
all the displaying stuff through the library and application. And
mainly your plugin will be accessible to all the applications.


-- License --
The libvisual library that is in libvisual/ is licensed under the LGPL.

The example applications in examples/ are licensed under the GPL.

The tests in tests/ are licensed under the GPL.


-- Development --
If you'd like to use libvisual for your applications, write plugins
or hack on the core. Please read HACKING. It contains some very 
useful information regarding to policies and such.


-- Requirement --
The library is quite self containing and there is almost no depency
at all to get it working. Libvisual it self does not depend on
anything besides glibc ofcourse.

Examples/Tests: To compile the examples and most tests libSDL is
	required.


-- Compiling and installing --
Configuration:
	./configure
		To set a prefix use --prefix, other options can be seen by
		using ./configure --help

Building:
	make
		This will compile the library.
		
		If you want to compile the examples, reconfigure the package
		with --enable-examples AFTER installing the library.

Installing:
	make install
		This will install the library.