微软的官方解释
VC++ Directories: Include Directories
1. this value is inherited from the INCLUDE Windows environment variable which is defined outside of Visual Studio
2. environment variables can be: global to the computer or have user level scope
3. The INCLUDE and LIB environment variables are created when the Microsoft Windows SDK is installed with Visual Studio.
C/C++: Additional Include Directories
1. is a project level setting... you will have to define this value for every project in your solution
2. this value can be persisted to source control
分析
最初的VC++目录对应于Microsoft Windows的SDK,它的变量也是Windows的环境变量(PATH),而C/C++中的设置不是设置环境变量,它是设置命令行参数的,只针对当前工程。即:“VC++目录”影响全局,只要是电脑上这个VS创建的工程,都会被这个设置影响,而C/C++只影响单个工程。
区别
但是,在VS2010之后,VC++目录也只会影响单个工程了。之后版本VS的主要区别:VC++目录是一个Windows环境变量,C/C++是命令行参数,这是本质区别;相同的项,VC++目录中的包含目录对应C/C++中的附加包含目录,VC++目录中的库目录对应链接器中的附加库目录,二者效果相同。