Remember the error about 9 unresolved external symbols bla bla bla crap? Well I'm not the first person to get that error. I searched one of the unique Powdertoy related errors that just preceded it (unresolved external symbol _parts_avg referenced in function _update_ACID), in Google.
And I found this.
http://pastebin.com/L5Cw1DRj

What's an anti piracy VS?


Also the errors remain, even though I started with the RAW UNALTERED sourcecode that theoretically has NO ERRORS.

And I'm STILL getting these errors.

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 ==========

I am starting to get jealous of the modders who've actually made mods, as the fact they've made mods is PROOF they got their compiler to work. What have THEY done differently from what I've done?

I am using the LEGAL free version of VS, called VS Express. That should work, right?

So does that mean one must have the NON-EXPRESS version? To get that legally one needs BIG BUCKS. Does that mean that to compile a FREE PROGRAM I will actually need to shell out BIG BUCKS!?

What does "link the compiler" mean? I'm aware there is a 2 stage process in VC++, compiling, and linking. But what does "link the compiler" mean?