Visual Studio 2010: C/C++ global include and lib folder

Question

How to make user include and lib folders globally and permanently available to all projects? In Visual Studio 2008 it is Tools -> Options -> Projects and Solutions -> VC++ Directories. In 2010 it says deprecated... blah blah... instead use property sheets... click '?' for help.... Click and it takes you to a web page about property sheets. Doesn't answer the basis question. How to set user library folders globally, once and for all?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Try this:

VC++ Directories are no longer supported in VS2010 through Tools->Options page. Instead, VS2010 introduces the user settings file (Microsoft.cpp..users.props) to control global settings including Global search path. These files are located at $(USERPROFILE)\appdata\local\microsoft\msbuild\v4.0 directory. Upon migration to VS2010, the custom settings of VC++ Directories from VS2005 or VS2008 are migrated to these user files. These global settings files are imported into all the converted and newly created projects.

Here are the steps to change the settings file through UI:

• Open up property manager by clicking on View.Property Manager.
• Expand the project node and then the Configuration|Platform nodes, you will see "Microsoft.cpp..users" file for each Configuration|Platform. These are the files for the global settings, similar to the old tools/Options/VC++ Directories.
• Multi-Select "Microsoft.cpp..users", right click and bring up the property page window
• In the property page window, click on "VC++ Directories" (for example) in the left pane, add new paths for the directories such as "Include Directories". separated by semicolons
• Make sure to save the settings before shutting down Visual Studio.
• Re-launch Visual Studio and the new settings will be in effect.

Note: If you would like to only change the settings for one project, you can right click on the project and bring up the property page. Change the settings for “VC++ Directories”, these settings will be persisted to the project file.

Answer 2

I found this article helpful.