diff --git a/dtool/pptempl/Template.gmsvc.pp b/dtool/pptempl/Template.gmsvc.pp
index 58ae9631ef..7b12632c3f 100644
--- a/dtool/pptempl/Template.gmsvc.pp
+++ b/dtool/pptempl/Template.gmsvc.pp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
       #if $[eq $[module $[TARGET],$[TARGET]],]
         // This library is not on a metalib, so we can build it.
         #set real_lib_targets $[real_lib_targets] $[TARGET]
-        #set real_lib_target_libs $[real_lib_target_libs] $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]
+        #set real_lib_target_libs $[real_lib_target_libs] $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]
       #else
         // This library is on a metalib, so we can't build it, but we
         // should build all the obj's that go into it.
@@ -73,14 +73,14 @@
   // the list of binaries that are to be built only when specifically
   // asked for.
 
-  #define lib_targets $[forscopes metalib_target noinst_lib_target test_lib_target static_lib_target dynamic_lib_target ss_lib_target,$[if $[build_target],$[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]]] $[real_lib_target_libs]
+  #define lib_targets $[forscopes metalib_target noinst_lib_target test_lib_target static_lib_target dynamic_lib_target ss_lib_target,$[if $[build_target],$[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]]] $[real_lib_target_libs]
 
   #define bin_targets \
       $[active_target(bin_target noinst_bin_target):%=$[ODIR]/%.exe] \
       $[active_target(sed_bin_target):%=$[ODIR]/%]
   #define test_bin_targets $[active_target(test_bin_target):%=$[ODIR]/%.exe]
 
-  #defer test_lib_targets $[active_target(test_lib_target):%=$[if $[TEST_ODIR],$[TEST_ODIR],$[ODIR]]/%$[lib_ext]]
+  #defer test_lib_targets $[active_target(test_lib_target):%=$[if $[TEST_ODIR],$[TEST_ODIR],$[ODIR]]/%$[dllext]$[lib_ext]]
 
   // And these variables will define the various things we need to
   // install.
@@ -368,9 +368,9 @@ igate : $[get_igatedb(metalib_target lib_target ss_lib_target)]
       $[components $[patsubst %,$[RELDIR]/$[%_obj],$[compile_sources]],$[active_component_libs]]
   #endif
 
-  #define varname $[subst -,_,.,_,$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]]
+  #define varname $[subst -,_,.,_,$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]]
 $[varname] = $[sources]
-  #define target $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]
+  #define target $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]
   #define sources $($[varname])
   #define flags   $[get_cflags] $[C++FLAGS] $[CFLAGS_OPT$[OPTIMIZE]] $[CFLAGS_SHARED] $[building_var:%=/D%]
 
@@ -402,10 +402,10 @@ $[TAB] $[link_lib_c]
 // Additional dependency rules for the implicit files that get built
 // along with a .dll.
 #if $[not $[lib_is_static]]
-$[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].lib : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]
+$[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].lib : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]
 #endif
 #if $[has_pdb]
-$[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].pdb : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]
+$[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].pdb : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]
 #endif
 
 #endif
@@ -414,9 +414,9 @@ $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].pdb : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]
 // everything that goes along with it.
 #define installed_files \
     $[if $[build_lib], \
-      $[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext] \
-      $[if $[not $[lib_is_static]],$[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].lib] \
-      $[if $[has_pdb],$[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].pdb] \
+      $[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext] \
+      $[if $[not $[lib_is_static]],$[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].lib] \
+      $[if $[has_pdb],$[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].pdb] \
     ] \
     $[INSTALL_SCRIPTS:%=$[install_bin_dir]/%] \
     $[INSTALL_HEADERS:%=$[install_headers_dir]/%] \
@@ -431,8 +431,8 @@ uninstall-lib$[TARGET] :
 $[TAB] rm -f $[sort $[installed_files]]
 #endif
 
-$[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext] : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]
-#define local $[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]
+$[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext] : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]
+#define local $[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]
 #define dest $[install_lib_dir]
 #if $[eq $[USE_COMPILER], MSVC8]
 $[TAB] mt -manifest $[ODIR]/$[local].manifest -outputresource:$[ODIR]/$[local]\;2
@@ -442,16 +442,16 @@ $[TAB] cp $[install_dash_p] -f $[ODIR]/$[local] $[dest]/
 
 // Install the .lib associated with a .dll.
 #if $[not $[lib_is_static]]
-$[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].lib : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].lib
-#define local $[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].lib
+$[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].lib : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].lib
+#define local $[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].lib
 #define dest $[install_lib_dir]
 $[TAB] cp $[install_dash_p] -f $[ODIR]/$[local] $[dest]/
 #endif
 
 
 #if $[has_pdb]
-$[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].pdb : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].pdb
-#define local $[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].pdb
+$[install_lib_dir]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].pdb : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].pdb
+#define local $[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].pdb
 #define dest $[install_lib_dir]
 $[TAB] cp $[install_dash_p] -f $[ODIR]/$[local] $[dest]/
 #endif
@@ -514,9 +514,9 @@ $[TAB] $[INTERROGATE_MODULE] -oc $[target] -module "$[igatemod]" -library "$[iga
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 #forscopes noinst_lib_target test_lib_target
-#define varname $[subst -,_,.,_,$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]]
+#define varname $[subst -,_,.,_,$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]]
 $[varname] = $[patsubst %,$[%_obj],$[compile_sources]]
-#define target $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]
+#define target $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]
 #define sources $($[varname])
 #define $[VER_RESOURCE] $[COMPILED_RESOURCES]
 $[target] : $[sources] $[static_lib_dependencies] $[GENERATED_SOURCES]
@@ -526,9 +526,9 @@ $[TAB] $[link_lib_c++]
 $[TAB] $[link_lib_c]
 #endif
 
-$[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext] : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]
+$[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext] : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]
 #if $[has_pdb]
-$[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET].pdb : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[lib_ext]
+$[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext].pdb : $[ODIR]/$[lib_prefix]$[TARGET]$[dllext]$[lib_ext]
 #endif
 
 // this section is all very clunky and not generalized enough
diff --git a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/executionEnvironment.cxx b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/executionEnvironment.cxx
index 3831fadce2..571937a200 100644
--- a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/executionEnvironment.cxx
+++ b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/executionEnvironment.cxx
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ ns_get_environment_variable(const string &var) const {
         Filename main_dir (PyString_AsString(PyList_GetItem(obj, 0)));
         if (main_dir.empty()) {
           // We must be running in the Python interpreter directly, so return the CWD.
-          return get_cwd();
+          return get_cwd().to_os_specific();
         }
         main_dir.make_absolute();
         return Filename(main_dir.get_dirname()).to_os_specific();
diff --git a/dtool/src/interrogatedb/config_interrogatedb.cxx b/dtool/src/interrogatedb/config_interrogatedb.cxx
index 5952f85eee..ff6f4a6493 100644
--- a/dtool/src/interrogatedb/config_interrogatedb.cxx
+++ b/dtool/src/interrogatedb/config_interrogatedb.cxx
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
 
 #include "config_interrogatedb.h"
 #include "interrogate_request.h"
-#include "configVariableString.h"
+#include "configVariableBool.h"
+#include "configVariableSearchPath.h"
 #include "dconfig.h"
 
 #if defined(WIN32_VC) && defined(_DEBUG)
@@ -30,12 +31,12 @@ ConfigureFn(config_interrogatedb) {
   //  interrogate_request_library("types");
 
 #ifdef USE_WIN32_DBGHEAP
-  string use_win32_dbgheap_str = config_interrogatedb.GetString("use-win32-dbgheap", "");
-  bool win32_report_leaks = config_interrogatedb.GetBool("win32-report-leaks", false);
+  ConfigVariableBool use_win32_dbgheap("use-win32-dbgheap", false);
+  ConfigVariableBool win32_report_leaks("win32-report-leaks", false);
 
   int dbg_flags = _CrtSetDbgFlag( _CRTDBG_REPORT_FLAG );
 
-  if (use_win32_dbgheap_str == "full") {
+  if (use_win32_dbgheap.get_string_value() == "full") {
     // "full" means check the heap after *every* alloc/dealloc.
     // Expensive.
     dbg_flags |= (_CRTDBG_ALLOC_MEM_DF | _CRTDBG_CHECK_ALWAYS_DF |
@@ -44,9 +45,7 @@ ConfigureFn(config_interrogatedb) {
   } else {
     // Otherwise, it's a bool flag.  true means check the heap
     // normally, false means don't do any debug checking.
-    bool use_win32_dbgheap_bool = config_interrogatedb.GetBool("use-win32-dbgheap", false);
-
-    if (!use_win32_dbgheap_bool) {
+    if (!use_win32_dbgheap) {
       // deflt disable complete heap verify every 1024 allocations (VC7 deflt).
       // With vc7 stl small-string-optimization causing more allocs, 
       // this can cause order-of-magnitude slowdowns in dbg builds