resource files.  The gist of the patch is to treat ".rc" and ".mc"
files as source files; ".mc" files are compiled to ".rc" and then
".res", and ".rc" files are compiled to ".res".  Wish I knew what
all these things stood for...

according to the MS docs it enables exception-handling, and (according
to Alex Martelli <aleaxit@yahoo.com>) is needed to compile without
getting warnings from standard C++ library headers.  Apparently
it doesn't cause any problems with C code, so I haven't bothered
conditionalizing the use of /GX.

the linker leaves the (temporary) .lib file in the temporary dir.  (Moved
from 'msvc_prelink_hack()' method in build_ext.py.)

This'll work fine with 2.0 or 1.5.2, but is less than ideal for
1.6a1/a2.  But the code to accomodate 1.6a1/a2 was released with
Distutils 0.9, so it can go away now.

fail do we try for win32api/win32con.  If *those* both fail, then we don't
have registry access.  Phew!

methods (but not 'link_executable()', hmmm).  Currently only used by
BCPPCompiler; it's a dummy parameter for UnixCCompiler and MSVCCompiler.

Also added 'bcpp' to compiler table used by 'new_compiler()'.

doesn't blow up.  We don't currently use the 'set_executables()' bureaucracy,
although it would be nice to do so for consistency with UnixCCompiler.

or LinkError (exception classes defined in ccompiler.py).

and 'link_shared_lib()'.  In MSVCCompiler, this is meaningful: it adds
/EXPORT: options to the linker command line.  In UnixCCompiler, it
is ignored.

Two small fixes to 'link_shared_object()'.

  - DistutilsOptionError is now documented as it's actually used, ie.
    to indicate bogus option values (usually user options, eg. from
    the command-line)
  - added DistutilsSetupError to indicate errors that definitely arise
    in the setup script
  - got rid of DistutilsValueError, and changed all usage of it to
    either DistutilsSetupError or ValueError as appropriate
  - simplified a bunch of option get/set methods in Command and
    Distribution classes -- just pass on AttributeError most of
    the time, rather than turning it into something else

functions, but with different names.

HKEY_* and Reg* names once, rather than having near-duplicate code
in the two import attempts.

Also dropped the leading underscore on all the imported symbols,
as it's not appropriate (they're not local to this module).

now done in the 'build_ext' command.

specific to building Python extensions.

  we don't know what to do with it when we see it.
Call '_fix_object_args()' and/or '_fix_lib_args()' as appropriate, rather
  than just '_fix_link_args()'.

option in the 'build_ext' command):
  * in ccompiler.py: 'gen_lib_options()' now takes 'runtime_library_dirs'
    parameter
  * in unixccompiler.py and msvccompiler.py: now pass
    'self.runtime_library_dirs' to 'gen_lib_options()', and define
    'runtime_library_dir_option()' (although in msvccompiler.py it
    blows up with a DistutilsPlatformError right now!)

a static library (using lib.exe as found by '__init__()', hopefully through
registry entries pointing to DevStudio).

implement it (so far):
  * moved filename generation methods into CCompiler base class,
    driven by data supplied by implementation classes
  * moved a bunch of common code from UnixCCompiler to convenience
    methods in CCompiler
  * overhauled MSVCCompiler's compile/link methods to look and act
    as much as possible like UnixCCompiler's, in order to regularize
    both interface and behaviour (especially by using those new
    convenience methods)

  'get_msvc_paths()'.
Renamed '_do_SET()' to 'set_path_env_var()', tweaked docstring, and
  cosmetically tweaked code.
Stylistic changes to MSVCCompiler constructor (variable renaming
  and type consistency).

  * tweak my docstrings
  * fix None returns to empty list
  * reshuffle responsibilities between '_find_exe()', '_find_SET()', and
    the MSVCCompiler constructor -- now the constructor worries about
    fetching the version list and determining the most recent one
  * added "/W3" compile option
Also, I added/tweaked some docstrings.

function names, dbetter (hopefully) ocstrings, and comments.

  * don't need to mention python<ver>.lib -- it's done by a pragma
  * add debug flags for compile and link, and use them
  * fix 'link_shared_library()' to pass everything to 'link_shared_object()'
  * change filename when shared object with debug info (ugh)

  someone who knows Windows/MSVC++ to come along and add the right flags.
Comment noting that 'link_static_lib()' signature is inconsistent with
  the other compiler classes (uh-oh!)

harder to find the MSVC compiler (mainly by using the registry).

RT library.

  - change how we call it
  - added methods 'library_dir_option()', 'library_option()', and
    'find_library_file()' that it calls
Added 'force' flag; it's automatically "respected", because this class
  always rebuilds everything!  (Which it to say, "force=0" is not respected.)

  - add 'extra_preargs' and 'extra_postargs' parameters (and use them!)
  - got rid of 'build_info' kludge parameter
  - added 'compiler_type' class attribute
  - respect reordered arguments to 'gen_lib_options()'
Also added 'output_dir' parameter (catching up with older change in
  CCompiler) -- BUT this is presently ignored by all methods!
Deleted some more docstrings redundant with CCompiler.
Dropped generated of "/DEF:" argument --- that's now done by
  the 'build_ext' command.

Ditched redundant '_gen_preprocess_options()' and '_gen_lib_options()'
  -- now provided by ccompiler.py.
Fixed some filename extension variables -- added missing period.
Cosmetic tweaks.