Getting started with programming libewf: Define a handle object and make sure to set it to NULL, like: libewf_handle_t *handle = NULL; Initialize the handle: libewf_error_t *error = NULL; if( libewf_handle_initialize( &handle, &error ) != 1 ) { } The &error argument can also be NULL. Libewf created an error object on error (return value -1). The information in the error object can be accessed with the corresponding 'libewf_error_' functions. After use 'free' the error object using 'libewf_error_free'. After initializing the handle object it can be used to open a set of EWF files. E.g. to open a set of EWF files for reading. if( libewf_handle_open( handle, filename, number_of_filenames, LIBEWF_OPEN_READ, error ) != 1 ) { } You'll need to pass all the filenames part of the set. If you only have the first filename of the set use the 'libewf_glob' function to determine the others. After the handle object has been opened the storage media data can be read from the EWF files using 'libewf_handle_read_buffer' or 'libewf_handle_read_random'. If done reading or writing close the handle object. if( libewf_handle_close( handle, &error ) != 0 ) { } Note that the return value corresponds to that of the 'close' function. After use 'free' the handle object using: if( libewf_handle_free( &handle, &error ) != 1 ) { } Multi-threading and low-level IO: Libewf is not tread-safe but offers several functions to perform 'low-level IO'. These are: * libewf_handle_prepare_read_chunk * libewf_handle_read_chunk * libewf_handle_prepare_write_chunk * libewf_handle_write_chunk The 'libewf_handle_read_chunk' function read a chunk of data as stored in the EWF files, The 'libewf_handle_prepare_read_chunk' prepares the chunk of data for processing, i.e. if the chunk is compressed the function will decompress the data. The prepare functions can be used by multiple threads.