You don't need the plugin wizard to use the maya API. (I personally hate it)
First set up Visual C++ for the Maya API and MS SDK (you only need to do this once). within VC 2005, goto tools->options from the menu.
in the dialog, goto "projects and settings"->"VC++ Directories".
You should see a drop down tab for "show directories for" (or something like that).
switch to the include directories, and add the Maya API include directory, and the platform SDK include directory (if you've not installed it). Do the same for the library files.
To create a new Maya plugin project, create a win32 project from File->new->project
Make sure you change the "Application Settings" before finishing the wizard. Change the type to a Win32 DLL project, and make sure you tick the "empty project" box. click finish.
This should create a directory for your project. Add any required files you need....
now, you need to change the output file. Right-Click on the project (not the solution!) and select properties. There is a drop down tab at the top that will say "Debug", to save time, switch this to "All Configurations".
goto the "linker section" -> "general settings". Change the output file to be "myPlugin.mll" (or whatever you want). Now, goto the Linker->command line section and add the following,
\export:initializePlugin \export:uninitializePlugin
These are linker commands to export those two functions. If you are using MSimple, then those funcs are actually hidden in the DeclareSimpleCommand macro (trust me, they are there....). If you don't use MSimple, then you can do the same in code by using....
CODE
#ifdef WIN32
#define EXPORT __declespec(dllexport)
#else
#define EXPORT
#endif
EXPORT MStatus initializePlugin(MObject obj ) {
// yada yada
}
EXPORT MStatus uninitializePlugin(MObject obj ) {
// yada yada
}
In the C/C++->pre-processor->Preprocessor Definitions, add the defines NT_PLUGIN and REQUIRE_IOSTREAM (might want to set this seperately for debug and release).
In your main plugin cpp file, add the following to link in the Maya libs.
CODE
// required to link the libraries under VisualC++/Win32
#ifdef WIN32
#pragma comment(lib,"Foundation.lib")
#pragma comment(lib,"OpenMaya.lib")
#pragma comment(lib,"OpenMayaFx.lib")
#pragma comment(lib,"OpenMayaUi.lib")
#pragma comment(lib,"Image.lib")
#pragma comment(lib,"OpenMayaAnim.lib")
#pragma comment(lib,"OpenMayaRender.lib")
#endif
Alternatively, add those files to the additional dependency box in the linker settings bit of the project options.