How to: Integrate the easy way: VS and WinSDK

If you have Visual Studio 2008 you can build VC++ applications right out of the box with the embedded Windows SDK components that now ship as part of Visual Studio (Express too!). But what if you want to build an application that uses the new Server 2008 APIs in the Windows SDK for Windows Server 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5? 

Updating the directories in Visual Studio to point to the Windows SDK content is much easier with the release of the latest SDK. The SDK Configuration Tool quickly changes the registry key VS uses to set the 'current' version of Windows SDK headers, libraries and tools, and switch back and forth easily.

I've posted an article on the Windows SDK Blog about Integrating Windows SDK and VS with new SDK Configuration Tool that describes in detail (with screenshots) how to use the tool.  The tool works with Visual Studio 2008 Retail and Express versions, and Visual Studio 2005 Retail.  If you're building with Express, you should also read Using Visual C++ 2008 Express with the Windows SDK.

I took over responsibility for the Windows SDK build environment, including the SDK Configuration tool, just prior to shipping the RTM version of the Win SDK for Server 2008. I'm collecting ideas for how to make the whole build environment experience more useful and intuitive in the future, so please send me your feedback.  What changes would you like to see to the SDK Configuration tool?  What additional functionality would help you develop faster and better?