---
name: "im_get_option_group"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libvips-dev"
version: "7.20.7-1+b3"
release: "Debian 6.0 (Squeeze)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/im_init_world"
---

# im\_get\_option\_group(3)

start up VIPS

Part of [im\_init\_world(3)](/im_init_world/3.md).

## NAME

im\_init\_world, im\_get\_option\_group - start up VIPS

## SYNOPSIS

\#include \<vips/vips.h\>

int im\_init\_world( const char \*argv0 )\
 GOptionGroup \*im\_get\_option\_group( void );

## DESCRIPTION

**[im\_init\_world(3)](/im_init_world/3.md)** starts up the VIPS library. It:

 \- initialises any libraries that VIPS is using, including GObject\
  \- starts up the threading system\
  \- guesses where the VIPS data files are and sets up i18n\
  \- loads any plugins from libdir/vips-x.x

The **argv0** argument is the value of  **argv\[0\]** your program was passed by the host operating system. VIPS uses this with **[im\_guess\_prefix(3)](/im_guess_prefix/3.md)** to try to find the various VIPS data files.

## EXAMPLE

  int\
   main( int argc, char \*\*argv )\
   {\
     if( im\_init\_world( argv\[0\] ) )\
       error\_exit( "unable to start VIPS" );

    return( 0 );\
   }

**[im\_get\_option\_group(3)](/im_get_option_group/3.md)** returns a  **GOptionGroup** containing various VIPS command-line options. It can be used with GOption to help parse argc/argv.

## SEE ALSO

[im\_guess\_prefix(3)](/im_guess_prefix/3.md), [im\_guess\_libdir(3)](/im_guess_libdir/3.md), GOption(3)

## COPYRIGHT

Birkbeck College and the National Gallery (c) 1994