Geeky question regarding C and file management

Factual Questions
1

I use the MSVC++ environment for working on C++ projects. The program itself exists in a directory and contains a “lib” and “include” directory.

Now, sometimes I install various C additions, such as MySQL. This installs into a seperate directory, containing its own “lib” and “include” directories.

Is it considered best practice to just specify within the IDE to look into the MySQL (or whatever) directory for the necessary lib/include files? Or, is it acceptable to physically move these files into the IDE’s lib/include directories?

Secondly, when I begin a new project, it sticks all the files into a “My Projects” subdirectory. But since the actual project ties in elements from other additions (again, MySQL, etc.) then I’m wondering if it would be best to give these projects their own directory, off the root, seperate from the IDE’s directory?

I realize these questions are highly neurotic and pedantic to most people - but I’m willing to bet their are people on this board who give this stuff as much thought as I do :slight_smile:

2

More opinion than “standard operating procedure” from this end:

I would never put them all into one big lib and one big include dir as there could be overlap. (Although there shouldn’t be).

I put all development projects into their own directory off a main “development” directory. In my case, it’s off root.

3

Libraries and includes from third-party vendors (e.g. MySQL) should be kept in their own directories, since other programs may need to link to and include them. It would be counterproductive to move them to your IDE’s directory, since you may use a different IDE later (or may use many simultaneously, if you’re working on weird projects.)

What you do with your own files is your bidness.