all you have to do is set the PATH, LIB, INCLUDE env vars as detailed above

Er, precisely, and what is the easiest way of doing this in the correct way for the configuration of the system? Oh yes, using the "Visual Studio .NET Command Prompt" which runs a handy little batch file that does all that stuff for you. I don't see any sense where that is "wrong" at all. In retrospect perhaps I should have replaced "need" with "will find this easier if". *shrug*

/J\