Using OpenMP in Visual C++.NET 2005.

The OpenMP (Open Multi-Processing) is an application programming interface (API) that supports multi-platform shared memory multiprocessing programming in C/C++ and FORTRAN on much architecture, including UNIX and Microsoft Windows platforms. It consists of a set of compiler directives, library routines, and environment variables that influence run-time behavior.

OpenMP is a portable, scalable model that gives programmers a simple and flexible interface for developing parallel applications for platforms ranging from the desktop to the supercomputer

The Visual C++ fully supports the OpenMP 2.0 standard. The OpenMP API consists of many directives (https://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/0ca2w8dk(VS.80).aspx) and Clauses (https://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2kwb957d(VS.80).aspx) which are fully supported by VC++.

The OpenMP also provides the libraries which are required for using the OpenMP directives and Clauses in your application. For example VCOMP.LIB (multithreaded library used for release version of the application and VCOMPD.LIB (for the debug version). You can find these libraries in your machine (e.g. <drive :> \Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\lib). You will also need to use the /openmp switch for compilation of your application to use the /openmp features.

The OpenMP also supports Data Types , Environment variables and Functions (https://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/6f86t44e(VS.80).aspx) which can be used to optimized the performance of your application.