update and re-enable newer windows build

also use visual studio 2017 image on appveyor

appveyor.yml

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+image: Visual Studio 2017
+
 environment:
 
   matrix:

commands/_msvccompiler.py

@@ -44,3 +44,9 @@ def link(self,
                               build_temp,
                               target_lang)
 
+
+    # Escape any backslash in the Windows path as a trailing backslash
+    # will escape a end quote in the link command.
+    def library_dir_option(self, dir):
+        dir = dir.replace('\\', '\\\\')
+        return python_MSVCCompiler.library_dir_option(self, dir)

commands/build_ext.py

@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ def run(self):
             import sys
             import distutils
             import distutils.ccompiler
-            from commands import msvc9compiler
+            from commands import _msvccompiler
 
             # See commands.msvc9compiler method comments for information on
             # this override.
             distutils.ccompiler.compiler_class['msvc'] = (
                 'jepmsvccompiler', 'MSVCCompiler', "Microsoft Visual C++")
-            sys.modules['distutils.jepmsvccompiler'] = msvc9compiler
+            sys.modules['distutils.jepmsvccompiler'] = _msvccompiler
         old_build_ext.run(self)
 
         # copy the jep.pyd to jep.dll early to avoid confusion