VC++ Directories, Projects and Solutions, Options Dialog Box
This dialog box allows you to specify directories where the Visual Studio project system should look for files. You can specify as many directories as you want. For special situations, you can remove standard Visual Studio directories, so that your versions of build files are found rather than the Visual Studio defaults.
Note
If you want to set up directory search paths (for your projects) that can be shared by other users or that can be applied across multiple computers, Visual C++ provides an alternative to using this dialog, through project property sheets. For more information, see Property Sheets (C+).
Platform
This option allows you to choose the build platform. Directories that you specify will be used only with projects building for this platform.
Show Directories For
Executable files
Directory settings displayed in the window are the directories that Visual Studio will search for executable files. Corresponds to environment variable PATH.Include files
Directory settings displayed in the window are the directories that Visual Studio will search for include files referred to in your source code files. Corresponds to environment variable INCLUDE.Reference files
Directory settings displayed in the window are the directories that Visual Studio will search for assembly and module (metadata) files referred to in your source code files via #using. Corresponds to environment variable LIBPATH.Library files
Directory settings displayed in the window are the directories that Visual Studio will search for libraries, including run-time libraries. Corresponds to environment variable LIB.Source files
Directory settings displayed in the window are the directories that Visual Studio will search for source files to use for IntelliSense.Exclude Directories
Directory settings displayed in the window are the directories that Visual Studio will skip when searching for scan dependencies.
Note that the VCComponents.dat file contains user settings for the machine. If you uninstall Visual Studio and then reinstall it in a different directory or drive, you will first have to delete VCComponents.dat. Otherwise, your builds will fail. VCComponents.dat is located in \Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\VisualStudio\7.1.
To access this dialog box
From the Tools menu, click Options.
Expand the Projects and Solutions node.
Select the VC++ Directories property page.
To use the directory listing box
Use the up and down arrows to view additional directories in the list.
To add a directory to a list, click the folder button above the directory window. This will add a new line in the directory window. Then click the Ellipsis button on the new line to open a standard Windows dialog box where you can browse for a directory to add.
To remove a directory from a list, highlight it using your mouse, then click the delete button above the directory display.
For information on how to programmatically access the functionality of this dialog box, see VCPlatform.