This directory contains source to an implementation of an OFX host C++ support library.
This library skins the raw C API with a C++ layer, which is easy to program and abstracts
the base API.

It does several things,
	- skins the C API with C++ classes, the host application 'only' needs to
                 - derive several classes
                 - implement a bunch of virtual methods
                 - set some OFX properties
        - does most of the complicated logic in OFX,
                 - regions of interest calls
                 - clip preferences calls
        - provides a persistent plug-in caching mechanism so that
                 - newly installed plug-ins are described into a cache file,
                 - the cache persists as an XML file with enough information
                   to construct simple menus etc..
                 - once cached, plug-ins need only be loaded on demand.
        - is extensible beyond the base API,
                 - allows hosts to provide extra suites and properties fairly easily.
        - it is generic beyond ImageEffects APIs, so other APIs can be implemented
             on the core sections of it.

Apart from standard C and C++ libraries it is dependent on the expat XML library.

You'll still need to understand what the API actually does, its just that the implementation details that become easier.

The layer could do with some improvement, specifically,
	- support for the external XML resource file,
        - a degree more tidying up,
        - parameter interacts
        - more documentation.

Released under a BSD-style licence: see source.

Authors:
         Abigail Brady <abigail@thefoundry.co.uk>
         Andrew Whitmore <andy@thefoundry.co.uk>
         Bruno Nicoletti <bruno@thefoundry.co.uk>

Release Notes
-------------

26/03/2007

Minimum implementation, which allows plugin descriptions to be cached.  Includes property sets and
property suite and implementation of plugin description.  Support for describing in context and
parameters not fully enabled.

29/03/2007

Support for describing in contexts and parameters.  These are cached as well.

25/06/2007

Major overhaul of the thing,
      - propertys made simpler to use
      - re-namespaced several classes so that anything to do with image effects are
         in the ImageEffect namespace
      - made the host layer do the logic for several Image Effect actions
        - clip preferences
        - regions of interest
      - simplified the function signatures of the actions
      - the 'Host' class now acts as,
         - a factory,
         - a filter for constructed objects,
         - a description of the host application to the plugin.