Preface

This guide describes how to use Oracle8i Visual Information Retrieval. This product, based on technology licensed from Virage, Inc., extends the imaging capabilities of Oracle8i interMedia by allowing content-based retrieval of images.

Visual Information Retrieval requires Oracle8i Enterprise Edition. Oracle8i and Oracle8i Enterprise Edition have the same basic features. However, several advanced features are available only with the Enterprise Edition, and some of these features are optional.

For information about the differences between Oracle8i and Oracle8i Enterprise Edition and the features and options that are available to you, see Getting to Know Oracle8i.

Intended Audience

This guide is intended for anyone who is interested in storing, retrieving, and manipulating image data in an Oracle database, including developers of image specialization services.

Structure

This guide contains the following chapters and appendixes:

Chapter 1	Introduces image information retrieval and explains image-related concepts.
Chapter 2	Explains concepts, operations, and techniques related to content-based retrieval.
Chapter 3	Provides basic examples of using Visual Information Retrieval types and methods.
Chapter 4	Provides reference information on the Visual Information Retrieval object type, procedures, and operators.
Appendix A	Describes the supported image data formats.
Appendix B	Describes how to run the included sample application.
Appendix C	Describes in detail many of the parameters used to modify images.
Appendix D	Describes the raw pixel format used by foreign images.
Appendix E	Describes the deprecated interface used with a previous release of Visual Information Retrieval.
Appendix F	Lists potential errors, their causes, and user actions to correct them.
Glossary	Defines important terms related to data services and image information retrieval.

Related Documents

For more information about using this product in a development environment, see the following documents in the Oracle8i documentation set:

• Oracle Call Interface Programmer's Guide

• Oracle8i Application Developer's Guide - Large Objects (LOBs)

• Oracle8i Concepts

• PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference

For information about the basic imaging storage and retrieval, see the Oracle8i interMedia Audio, Image, and Video User's Guide and Reference guide.

Visual Information Retrieval is based on technology licensed from Virage, Inc. Visit the Virage Web site for additional information about this ongoing relationship: http://www.virage.com/oracle.

Conventions

In this guide, Oracle8i Visual Information Retrieval is sometimes referred to as simply, "the product" or "the option".

In examples, an implied carriage return occurs at the end of each line, unless otherwise noted. You must press the Return key at the end of a line of input.

The following conventions are also used in this guide:

Convention	Meaning
. . .	Vertical ellipsis points in an example mean that information not directly related to the example has been omitted.
. . .	Horizontal ellipsis points in statements or commands mean that parts of the statement or command not directly related to the example have been omitted.
boldface text	Boldface text indicates a term defined in the text, the glossary, or in both locations.
italic text	Italic text is used for emphasis, for user-supplied variables, and for book titles.
< >	Angle brackets enclose user-supplied names.
[ ]	Brackets enclose optional clauses from which you can choose one or none.

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