mySQL 5.6 with VC++ 2010 issues

[Dean Hedges]

I recently installed mySQL 5.6 to use with Visual C++ 2010; as I want to further my knowledge of the language and feel that I am ready to tackle databases.

I managed to install everything fine but then had to use this tutorial to allow c++ to access the database :: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.6/en/connector-cpp-apps-windows-visual-studio.html

Once I got to the part where it asks to set additional libraries to /mySQL/lib/opt though I found that the installation for version 5.6 doesn't have an opt file; although 5.1 does.

I installed 5.1 and tried again but continued encountering errors; such as CPPCONN/driver.h not being recognised by C++ when compiled.
This, amongst many other errors, brought me here.

Could someone please provide a step-by-step guide to how I would go about installing, and linking mySQL 5.6 to visual c++ 2010.
It would be greatly appreciated, as I really want to learn this.

Thank you ever so much for your time.