I've been coding DirectX 9 and 10 just fine using VS 2010 pro and decided to bite the bullet and make the migration to DirectX 11. The trick is that I'm running windows 7 x64 and want VS 2013 Express Update 3 so I can access all the wonderful new math.

So... I deleted every SDK and VS 2010 pro and installed VS 2013 Express update 3 for desktop. I've tried using it alone, as well as after installing Win 8.1 SDK so that the includes would be correct. What I've read said 2013 doesn't need the win SDK. I've read the boards for linking for the legacy dx, but I'm only concerned with getting files to run on win 7 using dx11. Either way, I've tried following tutorials using VS 2013 for DirectX 11 and can't seem to get the darn thing to work.

I know I'm not asking for the impossible. But if anyone out there has had to figure this mess out and found a solution, please help.

Does your computer emit a high whine that kills your cat?

hmmm... I wonder where the cat got off too?

What I just learned by doing things the hard way:

1.) I needed to target version 8.0 and not 8.1 of the Win SDK. [After deleting and reinstalling VS and Win SDK]. Now Matt Guerrettes tutorials compile and run just fine.

2.) That I still have issues with the new samples. But, I figure if I stick to the first working thing, I can move the sample code into that.

3.) That I still don't know which version of the Win SDK/ DirectX I really should be concerned with getting under my belt. I know I want DX11.

So, my revised question would be: What version of the Windows SDK should I concentrate on learning when it comes to DirectX?

And where is my cat?

* Right! Install the Win 8 SDK, then VS 2013 for Desktop and the includes will be automatically set.