The API provides developers with access to Alias internal data and functionality through two products, OpenModel and OpenAlias.

• OpenModel (OM) provides a programmer’s interface to the Alias wire file (our proprietary data files).
• OpenAlias (OA) provides a programmer’s interface to the Alias application.

The API is written in C++ and is supplied as C++ classes. Most of the discussion in this document is intended for C++ programmers, and we assume that you understand the C++ concepts of classes and inheritance, and have a familiarity with the Alias interactive software.

The components of the API are:

• Class descriptions and documentation for all classes and their methods
• The OpenModel shared libraries (.dlls and stub .libs on Windows, dylibs on Mac): alias_api, api_image and api_memory and additionally the Alias shared libraries that the API libraries depend on.
• OpenAlias shared libraries (.so)
• The API header files
• Example plug-in programs in C++ for OpenAlias and OpenModel
  Tip

  It is important that you read the API-specific release notes to learn what changes have occurred in the API since the last release.