I decided to do it the VC++ way, so I uninstalled all of my previous development tools (byebye to Python, MinGW, and Code Blocks), and installed VC++ 2010 Express. I set it ALL UP, again following the tutorial and getting the various zip files with the needed components and sticking them where they needed to go in the includes and libs. But it seems to be unable to find regex.h when compiling.
------ Build started: Project: ThePowderToy, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
misc.c
src\misc.c(4): fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'regex.h': No such file or directory
========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========


So after ALL that hard work of doing it the "right way" with MS VC++ it STILL IS GIVING ME CRAP WHEN I COMPILE!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do I do to fix this error?

A good tutorial should have everything that is needed included in one zip file, in the correct folders so you just copy it all and run it as-is and have it work. And of course regex.h calls other things, that call other things, that call other things, etc, so rather than just having regex.h I'm gonna need the WHOLE PACKAGE that includes regex.h, whatever the name of that package is though I don't know.

Ok, now I got that (I found a link to download that the CodeBlocks tutorial) I am getting more errors.

------ Build started: Project: ThePowderToy, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
MSVCRTD.lib(cinitexe.obj) : warning LNK4098: defaultlib 'msvcrt.lib' conflicts with use of other libs; use /NODEFAULTLIB:library
acid.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol _parts_avg referenced in function _update_ACID
btry.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _parts_avg
sprk.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _parts_avg
swch.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _parts_avg
uran.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol _restrict_flt referenced in function _update_URAN
graphics.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _restrict_flt
interface.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _restrict_flt
powder.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _restrict_flt
frzw.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _restrict_flt
ice.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _restrict_flt
pyro.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _restrict_flt
sing.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _restrict_flt
prti.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol _orbitalparts_set referenced in function _update_PRTI
prto.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _orbitalparts_set
prti.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol _orbitalparts_get referenced in function _update_PRTI
prto.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _orbitalparts_get
graphics.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _orbitalparts_get
graphics.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol _clamp_flt referenced in function _draw_air
graphics.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol _isign referenced in function _draw_line
misc.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol __imp__regfree referenced in function _sregexp
misc.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol __imp__regexec referenced in function _sregexp
misc.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol __imp__regcomp referenced in function _sregexp
C:\ThePowderToy\Debug\ThePowderToy.exe : fatal error LNK1120: 9 unresolved externals
========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========


What's going on now?